Napoleonic & ECW wargaming, with a load of old Hooptedoodle on this & that


Friday 4 August 2017

Hooptedoodle #271 - McKeown's Law of Collecting

We've discussed this stuff before, but I was rather taken by McKeown's Law, which comes in 3 parts. Though this law originates in the world of camera enthusiasts and collectors, it definitely has wider application. The picture is borrowed, shamelessly and without permission, from the excellent blog of Arnhem Jim, to set a context. If you have seen the Law before, here it is again - smile and move on.

McKeown's Law of Collecting 
1) The price of an antique or collectable is entirely dependant upon the moods of the buyer and seller at the time of the transaction.
2) If you pass up the chance to buy an item you really want, you will never have that chance again.

3) If you buy an item because you know that you will never have that chance again, a better example of the same item will be offered to you a week later for a much lower price!

10 comments:

  1. The 3rd law makes complete sense to me but somehow on the two times I have found myself in the situation of Law 2 and against all expectations made the purchase, 3 didn't happen and Law 2 prevailed. Am I looking at rule proving exceptions?

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    1. Rule 3 seems to be everywhere these days - recent personal example - after some agonising and reading of reviews and searching for best prices and reliable guarantees, we eventually broke our tradition of buying Bosch washing machines, and purchased a Samsung from John Lewis - we were pleased to get £100 off RRP. Within 1 month JL emailed me to tell me about the machine we had just bought, announcing that they had now dropped the price a lot more. I suspect that my old mucker Bernard the Artificial Intelligence Marketing Sprite may be working at Lewis's now...

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  2. Better to buy and regret than don't buy and regret ?

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    1. I think maybe that's right, as long as it doesn't threaten the groceries. If you buy it and change your mind, you can always try to sell it again.

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  3. Procrastination in 3 easy steps!

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    1. For collectors, these markets are pretty dynamic - there is never a good time. I never look at eBay when I'm away on holiday, because somehow the beggars know I can't make a bid, and unload all the old treasures they have been keeping quiet about.

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  4. Replies
    1. A good topic for the pub would be "wargaming treasures I didn't quite get round to bidding for" - I'd need a taxi home though.

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