Certain American tools have a pretty big following overseas.
Certain overseas tools have a much bigger following here than they do where they come from.
It stands to reason there are less Stanley tools in Australia.
Tony Murland, a large scale dealer in old tools from England, has been hopping the pond for 25 years now.
It was once advantageous to buy what you knew would sell well on the other continent at home,
use your baggage maximum on air flights, and work the show circuits on the other side.
All the while buying up everything cheap you knew would sell better at home, and return.
Repeat.
Overseas shipping is atrocious, but overseas baggage isn't always.
Also in this particular guy's case, well, people are welcome to --ask-- anything they want.
Whether it ever sells at all, or how long it takes to sell, is another matter.
I went into a shop last year. All I could say was,
"I'd be a millionaire if I could get these prices in cash."
And it was true. Stuff I had dismissed from my collection as being altogether too new and too common..namely stuff in my attic destined for a yard sale buy the boxfull, was being offered for very serious money.
The only thing is, last time was by that way the old building was empty.
I 'd bet dollars to doughnuts the next time I go that way the building will be empty again.
In my life there are certain buildings that always house junk and antique shops.
Some last as long as they want to work. They take a modest profit on each item, keep the inventory moving and make friends with their customers.
Others act stuffy puffy, and greedy over every sale, and guess what?
They are gone in a season.
yours Scott
