Value os a personal judgement call. I’m not sure about exclusiveness - which implies people with lots of money can have something poorer people can’t afford as a status symbol. That does seem to be a reality but is it a reason to buy brass? A status symbol? That seems petty if so.
No, the rich tend to buy what they want, not what someone else hypes, in most cases.
Brass Expo has been sold to Forrest Nace and will now be held in Lancaster, PA at the Host Farms resort…I think the weekend prior to Thanksgiving in 2019. Nace is a long time brass collector and now recently retired started [URL removed by moderator] which is filling in the void after Allen Keller retired. His videos are about model railroads, but with state of the art equipment.
I know Nace and his philosophy is about brass for everyone, and he is the opposite of elitism, which unfortunately is the stigma brass models are tagged with today.
I’m sure more will be posted later along with many ads. This is just an early note.
I’ve seen a couple of his very nicely-done videos (including one of your layout, Howard), and also an interview with him on Brass Trains’ “Monday Morning Express”.
It seems to me that the elitism tag is hung on just about anything which some people see but can’t afford, and they’re most likely the ones viewing it in that manner…a bit of the “sour grapes” syndrome, perhaps.
There’s lots of brass that I can’t afford, but that doesn’t stop me from appreciating the craftsmanship involved in creating it, and I don’t envy or resent those who own it.
I don’t get caught up in what somebody’s brass is worth–only the models themselves as true works of art and engineering–it actually takes a lot of miniature engineering to make a fine model, and those of us who work in engineering for a living can really see and appreciate the effort that goes into the models.
When I have shown my coworkers brass models, they were completely blown away–shocked–at the level of detail and workmanship in an HO brass model–and that people would take modeling to such a high level.
What I think Howard is saying, has said before on other topics, was that if the collector community outside of the pure model railroad community had even half a clue, then the models would be better appreciated and better “valued” for what they truly are. They are supremely rare relative to other things out there that are collected. The workmanship displayed in the models themselves is amazing.
My sister sells Avon products, and they have made “collectible” porcelein trains. The brass models we have are light years better than the Avon, Franklin Mint, etc. more mainstream “collectibles”.
Once upon a time, mass produced models were all generic. Everybody had a Mantua 2-8-2; the only problem is, that engine represents no actual prototype. With very rare exceptions, models were all like that. Varney’s “Little Joe” was a rare exception, as was the Athearn Pacific, which ran poorly. But most models were either semi-replicas or total freelance. 50 years ago, scratchbuilding or brass models were pretty much your only choice for truly accurate models.
That just isn’t true any more. The Proto 2000 Milwaukee GP30 is a noticeably better model than my Challenger Models brass Milwaukee GP30. I sold off my Overland Southern Ry. F unit with rooftop air tanks because the air piping was obviously wrong when compared to prototype photos.
I don’t care about “handcrafted works of art.” I want a model that is accurate and runs well, and I don’t care if it’s made out of plastic, brass, gold, or boogers.
The “feel” of a brass model in ones hands cannot be described by words IMHO, it must be experienced by the new owner of the model. Almost all of my small roster of HO motive power is brass. Mostly traction now with models from Suydam, a Hallmark Sperry car, couple of Tenshodo diesels and my crown jewel, an Overland C&O G9 2-8-0 modified to represent ex BC&G engine used by a local tourist operation when I was a young boy. My first cab ride was in that locomotive. I have enjoyed running and repairing many brass models since I was a late teen. Both for myself and others that were unable to fine tune their models. I watch for good deals on older models, the new stuff is in a price range that should I spend that much $$, it better be in G scale and run on live steam!(which I do own a couple). Back in the day, I got to know several local brass dealers very well and was trusted, even as a young man, to remove and properly handle models when shopping thier tables at shows. I miss those days, now I mainly find models mixed in with plastic and other items as I see more and more estates being liquidated at shows. I also buy thru brasstrains.com and highly recommend Dan’s company for those looking to purchase brass. Several of my Suydam cars have come from him. Cheers Mike
The only antiques truly valuable are one of a kind, same with other art. Anything can be called collectable, means nothing. As the making of model trains gets more and more advanced, the old stuff gets less valuable. Just ask all those people with brass of whatever engine when a new plastic high detailed one came out, the price nosedived, then some people came back into the market but not enough.
The people who collect brass model trains in the year 2100 will not be model railroaders. No more than the people who today pay $$$$$ for silverware made by Paul Revere are chefs.
.
Collectors prize something because of its historical interest from a time gone by. Collectors are not the purchasers of fine art. I believe we are talking about two entirely different markets. Collections are fun. Collectibles are desireable, but not necessarily valuable. Rarity does not corrolate directly to collectibility. Fine art is part of a portfolio of the super wealthy. Two different things.
.
Brass locomotives will never be “truly valuable” for certain, but they will at some point pique the interest of those with an urge to collect interesting curiosities. Then, they will become collectibles.
.
I collect hand colored maps made in the mid 1800’s. That is my thing. It is a minor thing. It is not a hobby, it is purely a collection. They are collectibles, with a market, right now. In 100 years, maybe not anymore. My wife collects “Uranium Glass”, same thing.
.
My little sister has a collection of lithographs depicting breweries that were printed before abolition in the United States. It is an amazing collection, worth thousands right now, but surely not fine art.
.
In 2100 there will be a community of people collecting those brass oddities of bygone history that represent miniatures of weird forms of locomotion.
.
Their friends will come over and be amazed at the little metal models and laugh about how basic times were “back then”, just like my fiends and I love to ponder over these maps. Especially maps from the same region about ten years apart. It is amazing how boundaries moved around in the 19th century.
.
The current “Gem” of my map collection, Prussia, 1864. Germany is not on the map, but Berlin is there. Poland did not touch the Baltic Sea. This map was made during
Some of those maps are indeed rare, but being so rare alot of hand colored maps are realy quite inexpencive which surprised me, of course there are others that are through the roof I am sure. But what I am really talking about is in the internet age, things have changed, even in the collecting world as all relize (if they care about value or rairity) that what is rare today can be had tomarrow as a new stash is discovered. Was just searching e-bay today and an extreamly rare item popped up, now I am not into tin plate but I kinda know what the item used to go for (memory for prices, weird huh) and was surprised at the inexpencive price but more surprised at no takers (auction ended).
What I like about brass is there are some steam engine prototypes only available in brass. The only brass model I owned was an HO scale NJ International Custom Brass B&M class S-1-b 2-10-2 I bought in 1988. I paid $319 and sold it at cost about 10 years later in a moment of stupidity. I regret selling that model. It was gorgeous, ran beautifully and was in mint condition. Last I knew, I’d have to pay more than double for it nowadays (in the unlikely event I could even find one for sale).
I always thought it was an odd choice for a brass engine maker; it wasn’t the prettiest loco, or a common prototype. In fact it was somewhat ungainly looking. Even more, they made a couple of versions, with either Coffin (mine) or Elesco feedwater heaters. Definitely only see that in brass.