Are prices for Vintage Leather jackets getting a bit insane?

[technovox]

This morning I noticed this vintage Buco D-pocket come up on ebay…for $7000!
Nearly dropped my morning coffee...Jeezus!
Insanity …or a sign of where the market is headed for rare vintage jackets?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BUCO-J-24-C...s-/182391991870?&_trksid=p2056016.m2518.l4276

 

[ProteinNerd]

Lets wait to see it get sold at that price before we freak out....one guy trying to get a ridiculous price for a nice jacket doesn't mean the whole market is insane.
Having said that, some sucker will probably snap it up lol

 

[technovox]

Lets wait to see it get sold at that price before we freak out....one guy trying to get a ridiculous price for a nice jacket doesn't mean the whole market is insane.
Having said that, some sucker will probably snap it up lol

You're right, of course. Anyone can ask anything they want...but still...7K?
It's amusing, to put it mildly.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Old nylon flight jackets have been steadily increasing in price, due to a combination of scarcity (most are now in collections) and popularity (they are currently faddish). It's just one of those things that happens. I've noticed that incomes don't rise as quickly, though...

 

[EmergencyIan]

You see insane Buy-It-Now prices on ebay, often...for all kinds of things. I often think that some guys wife or significant other has said "you need to sell that!" So, he agrees and puts it up on ebay for some ridiculous price, knowing that it will likely not sell, but if it does, for that price, that's ok and he'll gladly let it go. Who knows what all of the real reasons are, but that's my take.

- Ian

 

[Guppy]

Every time I see an insane buy it now price on ebay for something, I think money laundering.

 

[Monitor]

Actually, from what I've observed the prices for most jackets haven't been this good in a long, long while. Well, ever since the whole vintage leather jacket craze started. But for example, Brooks prices are finally coming down to what these jackets are actually worth which is around a $100 tops and just a year ago you couldn't find one under $250. And just the standard Brooks CR was made in hundreds of thousands. There's always one. Always!

The market is over-saturated. 90% of the people who bought some crusty old jacket on the bay, did so only because vintage stuff was in fashion. Pretty much every single male movie star wore some crummy old CR at some point. The stupid Rin Tanaka book further messed things up with those random, make believe price estimates and of course people who had those jackets jumped on the opportunity to make some money. But this didn't last long so now people who wanted that fashionable cool retro look are trying to get rid of those old jackets they overpaid for, hoping to get at least some money back.

The Buco, for example; Why did they become so popular is something only God knows. And Tanaka, I guess... But Bucos were mass produced, mid quality range jackets that are okay even when at their best. I mean, they're nice but there's no comparing it to, say, Cal. I have yet to see a single Buco J-whatever that isn't falling apart. Case in point, jacket in the OP. That thing is done for.

Anyway, I blame it all on weirdos like that guy from Colombia or the vintage motorcycle jackets seller or whatever they're called. So how it goes is, you find some old jacket in the basement, you check eBay and what do you see? Two jackets like the one you found, one being sold for a hundred dollars and the other for over a grand. Of course you're gonna think whoa if I list it for half as much it's gonna sell quickly and make me an easy buck. Which doesn't happen, but people still stick with these stupid prices all thanks to those few crazy sellers and one stupid book.

I mean, the guy was selling two Fidelity CR's for $800! I've actually asked him what the hell man, and he said his prices reflect the condition and patina on his jackets (!?). Of course, what he calls patina is just top layer flaking off so it's actually damage.

 

[AeroFan_07]

Prices do seem high to me. That ad, with minimal details and no size or dimensions seems out of place. However with all that said there are a lot of "professional" sellers who just relist & relist with no price adjustment at all. I've followed a biker's jacket seller from California who typically has 20-40 jackets up for sale at any one given time. I've not bought from him, just looked but his prices are a bit high, however his selection and details about each one are very good. Vintage "anything" seems to be hot right now, where my grandparents might have been tempted to call most vintage items "junk."

I like buying vintage jackets, however my size does not generally work very well, being around a 44L suit coat, most are shorter and smaller or large, boxy and with short sleeves. Especially if I have to plunk down over $250, it limits the appeal.

 

[navetsea]

vintage is just a cool name for random old secondhand these days it doesn't mean limited quantity or special quality from its time anymore, the seller probably bought them very cheap on garage sale, even on TV random dudes try to pawn whatever he bought for $10 into the thousands $, no wonder in the internet they try the same.

 

[nick123]

Some of the more generic 1950s fleece-lined Windwards/civie flight jackets etc seem to go for a lot. Like $500. I've found jackets from that same caregory and era in slightly less pristine condition for $150-$200. My best score ever was in a local hobby shop of all places. A near-mint Willis and Geiger AN-6552 for like $250. Whereas on ebay most of the time you're looking at like $700+. The ones that seem to go for the most are the occasional fanback 30s halfbelts. WWII or wartime jackets with artwork or provenance I let the seller ask the moon for without much irritation. And they often ask the moon for them.

*speck of sand's worth opinion compared to guys and gals collecting for decades.

 

[bretron]

New game: throw an extra "O" on it and see what happens?? I gotta try playing!

 

[opiusmaximus]

Listing prices on eBay have risen because eBay has done away with a lot of the listing fees. If a seller can list an item 250 times in a few years and are in no rush to actually sell the item then what do they have to lose in throwing an astronomical number out there to see if they can catch a sucker? Nothing. Completed listing give a much more accurate assessment on what categories are selling for.

 

[ProteinNerd]

@Monitor tell us what you really think [emoji38]

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Some dude will put a BIN offer for 2 grand & think they've got a bargain.
Some buyers will up their original price to a ridiculous amount (knowing it won't get sold) should they sell an object elsewhere or change their minds about selling it. That way they don't get any hassle from Evilbay. Some professional buyers will also mark up an item's price if they run out of stock for a while so they don't have to remove or change the listing.

 

[Carlos840]

Look at the stitching and cutting of the D pocket!

That's pretty rough...

 

[ton312]

Just going to leave this here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/322363696268

 

[Bigger Don]

This morning I noticed this vintage Buco D-pocket come up on ebay…for $7000!
Nearly dropped my morning coffee...Jeezus!
Insanity …or a sign of where the market is headed for rare vintage jackets?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BUCO-J-24-C...s-/182391991870?&_trksid=p2056016.m2518.l4276

Seems no more outrageous than asking $1000 for a hat of similar vintage.

 

[ProteinNerd]

Just going to leave this here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/322363696268

I enjoyed the detailed description that justifies the asking price [emoji23]

 

[ton312]

I enjoyed the detailed description that justifies the asking price [emoji23]

Yeah but a picture is worth 1000 words. Or in this case. 5

 

[Doctor Damage]

sounds like "Gerard" flew first class and stayed five-star on his "buying trip", ha ha

question for the house: how much would it cost for a replica of this? 1/5 of this listing?