Ventriloquist Central - A Tribute To Ventriloquism

I am constantly asked about value when purchasing antique ventriloquist figures about originality and this is one of my pet peeves in the antique world. Originality is everything. For an item, not just a ventriloquist figure, to be worth its highest resale potential, it must be all original. Once any part of a ventriloquist figure is either replaced, repainted, fixed, re wigged, changed eyes, replaced hands, replaced body, re carved or anything else you can think of to change the way it originally looked, you have devalued the item.

I also have said I have in fact restored ventriloquist figures if they deserve same. But you must be sure that the value of the figure out weighs the cost of the restoration.

Case in point a Frank Marshall ventriloquist figure, my favorite maker, is a figure that I will spend money on to restore because for the most part the figure is worth more that the cost of the restoration but if you were to do the same with a Turner figure the cost would be more than the value of the figure and that would be a losing proposition.

I have also said that a working professional ventriloquist must keep his figure in top notch shape so I must exclude them from this treatise. The problem this ventriloquist figure will face is when an heir finally gets it and then decides to sell the figure. Then the originality will come into play.

Just remember that in the world of collecting antiques being all original is what counts period!!

I once used a comparison of a Jaguar having a Chevy engine so I will use it again. It still looks like a Jaguar, drives like a jaguar, but has a different engine therefore is not worth what an all original Jaguar is worth.

I am sorry for those of you who have read an article like this from me before but some new folks over the past year have been asking me this type question again so I thought I would answer them here on the blog.

Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com

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All writings here are copyrighted by Dan Willinger and Ventriloquist Central. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts.

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My friend Al Stevens wrote a very nice blog this past week (Saturday, Dec 8th) about collecting and comparison between the ultimate Tenor Saxophone and the ventriloquist figure. For the most part I am in total agreement with Al but did want to expound on a couple things
 
The Selmer Tenor Sax Mark VI is without question the holy grail for the Sax player and prior to the existence of eBay this Sax could fetch upwards of $20,000.00 for a prime example. At that same time frame a Marshall figure sold for around $2500.00. We are talking about the mid 1980’s for a time reference. Another comparison can be made between the John D’Angelico Guitar and a Marshall figure. In the mid 1980s you could purchase a D’Angelico New Yorker jazz guitar, also considered a holy grail, for around $6000.00 or the Marshall figure for $2500.00. The reason why I wanted to also show the guitar is significant.
 
The Selmer Sax was a mass produced instrument albeit being hand finished. The D’Angelico guitar was a totally hand crafted instrument. The Marshall ventriloquist figure was hand crafted as well. Now I will get to my point. With the advent of eBay the availability of certain items became readily available. One of them is the Selmer Tenor Sax Mark VI. At any time, on eBay, you can find a Selmer Mark VI, and because of that, the price of one has dropped remarkably from the 20K to under half that price.

Even though it is still without question the sax every pro player wants the price is much more acceptable and affordable, especially with the drop in price and the value difference of the dollar from the 1980’s to now. The D’Angelico guitar went from a price of $6000.00 to over 30K for a great example. Why?? Because they were hand built and very few are available for purchase. There have been only 2 D’Angelico’s listed on eBay as far as I know in the past year. The price for a Marshall has gone from $2500 to ?????depending on the model. Why? Because they were limited in production, even though Marshall was prolific, and again they are very rare on eBay. You can count on your hand how many have been on eBay in the past 5 years.
 
EBay is a great vehicle for sure for both buying and selling but eBay has devalued many items that before eBay’s existence sold for quite a bit more money. If you were to obtain a Warman’s Antique Price Guide from the 1980’s you would find that an original 1930’s Effanbee Charlie McCarthy listed for around $800.00.  Today on eBay they are listed almost all the time and you can purchase one for around $150.00 in very nice condition. Ebay made it very easy for everyone to list items that before were near impossible to find and caused prices in general in the antique market to fall. Those items that are unique, or hand built, will always command high prices without question and collectors will always pay a premium for a great example.
 
I said I agreed with Al and I do as far as new items are concerned. There are many new saxophones or guitars that play very close to the holy grails and the same goes for ventriloquist figures. There are many fine examples out there today that will fill any performers’ bill and do the exact same job but…….there is nothing like the old vent figure, sax, or guitar!!!

Click here for Al Steven’s Blog…

Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com

***************************************************

All writings here are copyrighted by Dan Willinger and Ventriloquist Central. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts.

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Sometimes you really have to put it out there to find something and so today I decided to ask everyone if they know of anyone who has a Doug Anderson ventriloquist figure. Mr. Anderson did not produce figures for a very long time.

To this date I have not been able to find one for the Dan Willinger Figure Collection. So please take a look at the attached pictures from Doug’s catalogue and maybe you will recognize his work and can possible direct me to one of his creations.

Dan

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I found these four pictures of a William Kirk Brown ventriloquist figure.  Last I heard, Chef Jim Willard owns this particular dummy.

Enjoy.

Dan

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Back in the mid 1950’s there was a figure maker named William Kirk Brown who made some pretty interesting paper mache ventriloquist figures. Paper mache was not being used very much by this time with figures now being carved from wood or done in wood dough.  

William Kirk Brown was inspired by W.S. Berger who gave him a book from England showing some puppets and Mr Brown copied their look. Although his figures are rare today (I have only been offered one of his figures) they are not too valuable and you can purchase them usually under the $700.00 price range.  

I myself think that is too much money but these will sell to the antique dealer as folk art which takes them out of the ventriloquist world and place them on a different level. Below is a sales brochure for your viewing pleasure (click the thumbnail for a larger view).

Dan

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Collecting ventriloquist figures has been such a joy for me especially because of all the wonderful people I have met since I started. Everyone has been so nice and has given me such positive feedback on my quest. I never would have expected this because in other antique fields that I previously worked in and collected, this type of friendship just didn’t exist. The jealousy was just so fierce that friendships were impossible. In the vent world everyone is so happy when you acquire another figure and this has just shocked me.

This is why this web site has grown so much. Everyone who comes to Ventriloquist Central has seen how much Steve and I have made available for you and then we are given material, from you, to share with everyone. I seriously do not think there is any other venue where you would have seen this happening. It has been great and I want everyone to please continue send in this great ventriloquial material. 

I have purchased another great Marshall figure and will be posting pictures of him very soon for you all to see.  Also happening very soon is…..I have hired a videographer and in just a few weeks I will be doing a full interview showing my entire collection, in depth.  We will be making this available in the future for everyone to see. Pictures are great but this will be showing everything from the head, mechanics, bodies, period clothing and so much more.  

So stay tuned !! 

Dan 

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I am constantly asked ,” How do you find these incredible figures?” The answer is simple, I search for them everywhere. I ask everyone that I come into contact with if they or anyone in their family was ever into ventriloquism or magic. You see magic is a very close relative in the world of ventriloquism. In actuality as a ventriloquist you are doing an illusion. Making an inanimate figure talk. So asking if a magician has an old ventriloquist figure is not a far fetched idea and it has worked for me many times. It is true that most of the time they are toys because the magician never really got far into the science of the art so never upgraded the figure, but every now and again a great old figure will surface.

Dan

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