Saving Old Seagulls

Hi

What year did Seagull change from "in" to "for"? I'm assuming the magneto cover plate is becoming collectable... how much would I expect to pay for one?

Thanks Hugo.

It sort of evolved in the mid fifties. It wasn't a cutoff date, more a gradual thing, with motors leaving the factory with 'for' but advertising blocks still had 'in'

I have no clue as to value - all I know is that the cover plates with 'in' on them are scarce, mint ones very rare.

We are looking at having some of these remanufactured over the course of the next couple of months mainly for the collectors & restorers amongst us.
Sorry to say I have no idea of what they will cost, but if anyone has an interest in one of these would care to send me a PM with their email address I will inform them of the cost when it becomes apparent.

The aim is to produce an identical clone, the artwork is being digitized as I type. The larger the quantity the cheaper they will get.

Charles

Hi, thanks for that. Sought of takes the fun away if parts become easily available, not to mention devaluing their worth, but a good idea nevertheless for rarer parts. I was only thinking the other day about where the original molds were. Hopefully they have been destroyed.



Can't place the throttle control in the pic...... any idea what model it would be off?

I wonder how many serious collectors/restorers there are around? Hopefully a growing number.

Cheers Hugo.

I would be interested in one

that photo shows how they get scratched dont it!.....

That cover would be simple to reproduce with anyone with a laser engraver which are ubiquitous these days..I would stick with Fidelity for investments....

That's true Stephen but some of the origanal look like they have been alkali etched & some look pantograph engraved.

Have a look at an "in the world" example & let me know what you think.

CatiGull wrote:I would stick with Fidelity for investments....

I'm not so sure about that. There is a growing anti technology trend happening and the old seagull each having it's own signature and being usable piece in it's own right plus the size being very managable and a finite number yet enough to keep investors happy. They don't deteriorate over time. What is a Marston worth?? I'm assuming we are talking 4 figures. I'm sure they will continue to perform better than inflation. Ok, granted you will need a few hundred and I wouldn't be putting all my seagulls in one basket. I'm loath to sell any of mine but do so to concentrate on collecting older or more unique models. The fact that I receive great pleasure from them is over and above.

Remember the Tulip bubble of the sixteenth century.

http://www.investopedia.com/features/cr ... ashes2.asp

Cheers Hugo.

Four figures for a Marston? Don't think so. The last few that have changes hands in the UK (those that I know about) did so at rather less than that. There are only a few of us that are interested, after all.

There was a ise in prices last year - that coincided with the entry into the market of a couple or so dealers who were buying up anything and everything Seagull, taking it apart, and selling the bits. Profitable, but hard work. Bit od a shame, really, ripping up something od historic vale and reselling it in kit form. But that's the way of the world.

But as an investment, yes, maybe. I have to say that my collection of Seagulls, if I realistically price them up by comparing with ebay bids, has gained value at a rather better rate than any Fidelity OEICs I may have.

And you can use them!

They might well look good on ebay , but I don't think you have added in yout time during the restoration, even at £10 per hour nobody could afford to buy one at cost.
Rebuilding a Marston to an as new condition might well take it's value to a Mercury 20H level.

charlesp wrote:Four figures for a Marston? Don't think so.

Yep I'm talking $AU here. 41pence to the oz$. Last summer I saw a string of longshaft clutched gulls fetch in excess of $600AU ea here. Sites such as this and ebay will push them along. If I found a good clutched Marston I would certainly be happy to pay in excess of $1000AU.

I agree, but as an investment as long as they are original and complete a restoration is unnecessary.

The trouble is things like seagulls are only ever worht what people are prepared to pay for them,think we got to face it there never going to be of interest to any auction house,although saying that if my 6 numbers come up( national lottery to our foreign friends)i would like to own a example of every model seagull ever made along with a dehavilland dh82a tigermoth,supermarine spitfire, 57 chevy,i could go on

Paul are you saying that as I'm almost there with the Seagulls, I have to find somewhere to park a bloody Tiger Moth next?

I think your going to have to tell my "her indoors" as I don't think I would fancy my chances!

Charles with a Tiger Moth! He'd have to race it, of course...