Shag limited ed collectable signed numbered ..etc, barf!!!

Guys..

I couldnt keep quiet any longer..For the shag collectors out there remember the following is an editorial and is my opinion only. If you have another perspective please post.

Before you part with your hard earned cash here is my two cents on the worth of this.

I have great doubts in the coming years these "collectable" decanters will be worth 250 bucks. Witness the beanie craze, pogs, popkemons etc....

There will be a proliferation of a careful studied number of cheaply made shag trinkets and shag prints to max profits until shag saturation occurs.

Recall econ 101 ...Supply Demand and price curves. Shag controls supply. Demand is astronmicaly driven by ebay. Ebay prices rise.....Shag sells to his friends (tiki farm.. ebay buddies.. galleries etc)... Then shags prices rise.

Shags own website even discounts the ebay scalpers. Baloney. He could put an end to it right now (remember limited edition) if he truly felt that way.

The collectable marketing is well studied science. They always begin the same.....fantastic profits on ebay. They always end the same.....fantastic losses on ebay. At this point in time we are still seeing the profiteering on ebay. I guess short term profits on ebay are possible at this point but risky. I noticed at least one fellow losing his shorts on a shag mug collection recently.

Note that nobody in their right mind is actually using these products.. This and the words "signed numbered limited editions" defines the highly suspect "collectable" in my mind.

If I had any of this shag Id be on ebay selling it off. After the fad is over buy it back on the cheap. Belive it this fad will end some day.

The closing of the Warner Brothers stores is a another good example of a fading fad. Animation cels are not worth near the money they were 5 years ago.

There are only so many collectable mugs, prints, and decanters people will buy. Shag will sell until people stop buying. When the demnad ends it ends quick.

How many would truly buy this stuff if the frenzy was over I have in doubt...Its human nature to want what everyone else wants. Recall cabbage patch dolls...Tickle me elmos.....JDSU.. tulip bulbs..pet rocks etc

I admire shag and his 250X$250=$62500 good fortune. Im sure he will get it. I just dont know how many more decanters he can sell. To me they all (three I believe) look roughly the same. Same cute little skull shot glasses anyways.

At least franklin mint collectables were worth the scrap silver.

Well I could be wrong on all this...

Gonzo

I agree that the current market price for Shag merchandise is based on speculation about future resale value and that the market is bound to plummet sooner rather than later, however, I don't find this to be a convincing reason to avoid Shag merchandise now. I buy Shag prints, shirts, and ceramics because I like the art, not because I think they will pay for my retirement. I hang the prints, wear the shirts, and drink from the ceramics (yes, I opened my decanter set). The only question for me in deciding whether to make a purchase is whether my desire to have new Shag item X is greater than my desire to have the $$ to spend on something else I'd like to have. Sure I could have skipped buying "The Red Telephone" print now for $150, and probably picked it up for $50 or $100 in five years if I still wanted it, but that potential savings just doesn't justify putting off having the print now to me.

I agree with you- remember when everyone was bannanas over Keith Haring and Jean Michel Basquait was 2nd fiddle? Compare Haring's auction numbers to Basquait's now..

Anyway, in my humble opinion, one should only invest money in Shag or new repro stuff if they really like the pieces and aren't concerned with their future valuation, or something about the piece is extraordinarily unique, say like "Into the Volcano" who made some really interesting vintagey designs and then almost instantly disappeared into nowhere.. Something like Muntiki also comes to mind as impressive ceramic art

But when it comes to the churned out Shag stuff, I really don't see it going up, up and away- this may rub some people the wrong way, but its not "real tiki stuff".. its some new art BASED on Tiki. There is alot of vintage out there- it often times suprises me that so many people will concentrate on new/repro/influenced tiki items when the real thing is staring them right in the face.. but to each his own. Personally, I just can't say I get too excited looking at a collection full of Shag prints and repro mugs, but that's me.

If you want something cool and likely to value, stick with the real deal

If I had $250 to buy a single item, I'd definitely be looking for something vintage. I have yet to attempt such a purchase.

I do admire art by Shag, but the huge commercial bombardment of merchandise, and the high price of limited edition this, signed and numbered that, keeps me from buying the stuff.

When out headhunting, I tend to spend more than the "thrift-score" prices, but still avoid the big ticket items.

:tiki:

Well I broke down and bought an Akuku anyway, despite the price. I knew I'd be kicking myself in a year when I didn't get one when I could've. I recently quit smoking and I figured that after a year without smoking $ I'd still be ahead $1000+. I, like the SuburbanHipster, am buying because I liked it. I am not looking at it as an investment. I am looking at it as an addition to my bar. In the world of tiki it is true to say, 1 man's trash is definately another man's treasure.

Tacky Techie Tiki Bar

[ Edited by: Turbogod on 2003-02-24 14:28 ]

Well, I for one, don't plan on selling my Shag set. Aside from stickers and tank tops, it's the only Shag I own. I got it only to enjoy and pass down to my son. He is 7 and collects skull mugs. I see this as the bridge between our collections.

My suffering bastard bottle came from my parents garage and even with the $500 and up profit I could get from ebay, I'll never sell it! I have stayed away from collecting new tiki mugs because there are so many, (I have too much crap as it is) with the exception of this set. How many Moatu are out there that people want to keep or use?

I can only dream that some day my son will drink from this set with some clueless friends who'll look in awe/disgust saying "Where'd you get this?" He'll proudly say, "My crazy Mom was into the tiki culture of the early 2000"

I agree, Gonzo. Paying $250 for a box of stuff that would be priced at $30 if anybody else tried to design and market it is ridiculous. The serigraphs may hold their value a little longer, but I sure wouldn't want to have much money tied up in Shag's work at the rate he cranks out new releases.

You folks who love Shag's work shouldn't be dismayed over your inability to afford these prices -- the price WILL come down. It's all supply and demand, and the supply keeps increasing steadily. One of these days there will be a "crash" of the secondary market for Shag's work, just as there is a crash for every other commodity that gets overvalued through an artificially created demand. My advice would be to only buy what you intend to keep.
Of course, if the Shag market does crash and your portfolio loses value, you can always pour yourself a drink from your $250 decanter!

ha I have a feeling that day is closer than you think..

OK OK I'll resist. Don't tell me that there is no one here tha's not swooning a little bit.

Buy all the true old and vintage items you can. You'll never be dissapointed. It's kept food on my table since I got out of high school. If you've got 250.00 to spend, buy one (1) top quality vintage piece instead of a quantity of lesser quality anything. A story comes to mind...(you musician types will understand. Last year I went into a music store I habituate. The guys that work there are all great but the owner can be a bit of a prick. They had a gorgeous old cherryburst Les Paul Standard on the wall in immaculate condition. I asked the owner about a trade...and then took in a used Line 6 Pod Pro, a Fender Jagstang, and an old Fender Coronado (plain red, not wildwood). As I figured he would, he traded. He kind of wryly smiled at me and said, "Boy, you wanted that thing bad, didn't you". Just that second a pretty nicely dressed man in his forties walked into the store and directly over to the Les Paul I was putting into it's satin-padded case. First thing out of his mouth: "What did you guys want for that?" I said "It's mine now...I just traded". The store owner says "Yep, he just traded ALL THAT for it", pointing (with a smirk). Just then the guy looks at him and says "Yeah, that looks fine, but now you just have ALL THAT and he has a beautiful, minty Les Paul!" The look on the owner's face I will never forget. :)

[ Edited by: Basement Kahuna on 2003-02-26 11:08 ]

"Buy all the true old and vintage items you can. You'll never be dissapointed. "

I have to concur.

Let's see: vintage...decanter...Tiki? If there was just something like that available, that'd be cool.

No clue. :lol:

midnite

I'm convinced, although it didn't take much I do know the value of vintage. I own almost all vintage of course I have a few new creations that were not to expensive. You are right new is good and all but at $250 geez! Maybe i'll just save up for a vacation to a tropical shore. Sorry Shag.....

*On 2003-02-26 11:08, Basement Kahuna wrote:*They had a gorgeous old cherryburst Les Paul Standard on the wall in immaculate condition. I asked the owner about a trade...
[ Edited by: Basement Kahuna on 2003-02-26 11:08 ]

Sorry to take this a bit furthur off-topic but just how old was this Les Paul you traded for? My father's got a '58 'Burst and there's no way that stuff you traded would've come close to its value.

As for myself I've got a '62 Jaguar, '74 Rick 360/12, ...

As far as the Shag decanters go, I suspect my girlfriend got me an Akuku for my birthday anyway - that's cool, it makes things easy for her.

Having said all this, don't forget to look at my SHAG auction on E-Bay! Yeah, it's expensive, I know, but you NEED this just like I need a Fender Jazzmaster. So here it is-

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=20148&item=3503213580&rd=1

On 2003-02-26 22:37, Bikeride wrote:
Having said all this, don't forget to look at my SHAG auction on E-Bay! Yeah, it's expensive, I know, but you NEED this just like I need a Fender Jazzmaster. So here it is-

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=20148&item=3503213580&rd=1

Heh, I just sold a Jazzmaster for your buy-it-now price :wink: It was the actual one on the cover of "Loveless" - a loooooong story.

On 2003-02-26 22:37, Bikeride wrote:
Having said all this, don't forget to look at my SHAG auction on E-Bay! Yeah, it's expensive, I know, but you NEED this just like I need a Fender Jazzmaster. So here it is-

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=20148&item=3503213580&rd=1

Perhaps third time will be the charm for you, but I'd guess that you'd have to bring the price down more than you have thus far to move it.

(clears throat)...ahem...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3505437821&category=20148

Just to let you know, this auction was completed and payment received. It was my auction.

Now the government will probably end up with the money as it's tax time.

On 2003-03-29 17:40, Hoahele Howard wrote:
Just to let you know, this auction was completed and payment received. It was my auction.

Yowsa, if the winner is a single guy he's more desirable now than the Bachelor! Just kidding, sorta. I'm really too into Shag. :roll: