TurkoTek Discussion Boards

Subject  :  What is a good dealer?
Author  :  Tom Cole mailto:%20thomascole@earthlink.net
Date  :  11-03-2001 on 12:21 a.m.
All the discussion in this thread to date skirts the issue of what makes a good dealer but disregards the flip side of this coin, specifically what attributes comprise a good collector? Water tends to seek its own level most of the time, therefore, good collectors and good dealers maintain a cordial if not close relationship.

Subject  :  Re:What is a good dealer?
Author  :  Steve Price mailto:%20sprice@hsc.vcu.edu
Date  :  11-03-2001 on 07:54 a.m.
Hi Tom,

I'm glad this issue finally got raised. You note that the topic of the Salon is The Collector/Dealer Relationship, which implies, at the very least, that there is a relationship (or relationships of various sorts) between them.

I think some of the elements of being a good collector from the standpoint of developing a good relationship with dealers include being as honest with them as we'd like them to be with us. There are some obvious things, like not giving the dealer a bad check as payment and promptly paying for or returning something that's been sent on approval.

My guess is that most dealers prefer collectors with rather narrowly focussed collections, since it makes it easier to know when to call the collector up and tell him to come have a look at what just came in.

Simple things like not insulting the dealer are, I'm sure, just as important as the converse. Most of the dealers who do a substantial business in "collectibles" know more about their stuff than most of their clients do, and even when they don't, it is reasonable for them to want to be treated with respect.

Tom, can you (or any of the other dealers out there) expand on this?

Regards,

Steve Price


Subject  :  Re:What is a good dealer?
Author  :  Tom Cole mailto:%20thomascole@earthlink.net
Date  :  11-03-2001 on 12:52 p.m.
For starters, a good collector is one who knows what they want, who is focused and has a purpose which they can fully understand themselves and are able to articulate to others. The business you mention about honesty, respect and good checks, etc.; those are the attributes of good PEOPLE, not necessarily confined to good collectors.

Subject  :  Re:What is a good dealer?
Author  :  Marvin Amstey mailto:%20mamstey1@rochester.rr.com
Date  :  11-03-2001 on 05:39 p.m.
From the collector point-of-view I agree with Tom's last comment. However, it may be too broad. For example, there are more than a few fine art collections put together over the past hundred years and variously exhibited or sold who belonged to very wealthy and very connected people. From my reading of their biographies and commentaries on their collections, many of these people had great collections because a dealer suggested or found all the pieces that the dealer wished, not what the collector wished because the collector had no ability to chose the "correct" item. I would hazard a guess that there are some rug collections chosen the same way.
Best regards,
Marvin

Subject  :  Re:What is a good dealer?
Author  :  R. John Howe mailto:%20rjhowe@erols.com
Date  :  11-03-2001 on 09:01 p.m.
Dear folks -

Quite early in this salon, I suggested with the word "symbiosis" that there are clearly qualities on the customer side that influence the dealer/customer relationship. I even implied that the collector likely has some obligations in such a relationship.

I actually thought I was following Steve's lead when I wrote it, that it might be useful to explore how such relationships emerge.

It is easy to find since it is at the bottom of the list of threads in this salon and was met with stereophonic silence.

Apparently it's more fun to talk about the potential pathologies in such relationships.

Regards,

R. John Howe


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