The only antiques truly valuable are one of a kind, same with other art. Anything can be called collectable, means nothing. As the making of model trains gets more and more advanced, the old stuff gets less valuable. Just ask all those people with brass of whatever engine when a new plastic high detailed one came out, the price nosedived, then some people came back into the market but not enough.
The people who collect brass model trains in the year 2100 will not be model railroaders. No more than the people who today pay $$$$$ for silverware made by Paul Revere are chefs.
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Collectors prize something because of its historical interest from a time gone by. Collectors are not the purchasers of fine art. I believe we are talking about two entirely different markets. Collections are fun. Collectibles are desireable, but not necessarily valuable. Rarity does not corrolate directly to collectibility. Fine art is part of a portfolio of the super wealthy. Two different things.
Brass locomotives will never be "truly valuable" for certain, but they will at some point pique the interest of those with an urge to collect interesting curiosities. Then, they will become collectibles.
I collect hand colored maps made in the mid 1800's. That is my thing. It is a minor thing. It is not a hobby, it is purely a collection. They are collectibles, with a market, right now. In 100 years, maybe not anymore. My wife collects "Uranium Glass", same thing.
My little sister has a collection of lithographs depicting breweries that were printed before abolition in the United States. It is an amazing collection, worth thousands right now, but surely not fine art.
In 2100 there will be a community of people collecting those brass oddities of bygone history that represent miniatures of weird forms of locomotion.
Their friends will come over and be amazed at the little metal models and laugh about how basic times were "back then", just like my fiends and I love to ponder over these maps. Especially maps from the same region about ten years apart. It is amazing how boundaries moved around in the 19th century.
The current "Gem" of my map collection, Prussia, 1864. Germany is not on the map, but Berlin is there. Poland did not touch the Baltic Sea. This map was made during the American Civil War, and it is in 100% mint condition, amazing:
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Some of those maps are indeed rare, but being so rare alot of hand colored maps are realy quite inexpencive which surprised me, of course there are others that are through the roof I am sure. But what I am really talking about is in the internet age, things have changed, even in the collecting world as all relize (if they care about value or rairity) that what is rare today can be had tomarrow as a new stash is discovered. Was just searching e-bay today and an extreamly rare item popped up, now I am not into tin plate but I kinda know what the item used to go for (memory for prices, weird huh) and was surprised at the inexpencive price but more surprised at no takers (auction ended).
What I like about brass is there are some steam engine prototypes only available in brass. The only brass model I owned was an HO scale NJ International Custom Brass B&M class S-1-b 2-10-2 I bought in 1988. I paid $319 and sold it at cost about 10 years later in a moment of stupidity. I regret selling that model. It was gorgeous, ran beautifully and was in mint condition. Last I knew, I’d have to pay more than double for it nowadays (in the unlikely event I could even find one for sale).
I always thought it was an odd choice for a brass engine maker; it wasn’t the prettiest loco, or a common prototype. In fact it was somewhat ungainly looking. Even more, they made a couple of versions, with either Coffin (mine) or Elesco feedwater heaters. Definitely only see that in brass.
Alan
Bubbytrains