Not chicken feed

[Chris Webster]

An Overland poultry palace car just sold for $950:
Ebay #193450218786, Overland Models Brass O Scale Palace Poultry Car Era 1920-1940 PPKX-709

It's lettered, but I actually can't tell if it is painted yellow or is still unpainted brass. I'm guessing unpainted brass because I can see the edges of the decals.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Saw that was wondering if it would sell for that much....most I've seen one listed for or sell for yet.

BTW, painted: "Painted with decals in excellent condition"

[E7]

The appeal for that car would be diminished a bit for anyone who has ever been within a couple hundred yards of a chicken farm in the summer. There is definitely a market for anything that is just a bit different, for sure! Right around $600 seemed to be the standard as my memory goes, but they were bare brass. Whatever turns you on!

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Right around $600 seemed to be the standard as my memory goes, but they were bare brass.

Yes. Seems a significant increase.

[Erik C Lindgren]

In this day and age $900 is chicken feed; I am happy to see it sold.

This is a unique piece and the buyer more than likely could give a hoot what someone thinks about paying $150, $600, or $1000. I know you guys would never give over whatever for it. That’s ok, really! Your opinions and mine do have value. In the meantime, let’s step aside and let those who will pay this much do so. . I say congratulations to the buyer and the seller and to the rest of us that cherish our trains.

I for one have found a renewed passion for my brass being locked up in my house since March. I just went through an estate now on hold; widow can’t be exposed to COVID, period. But anyway in February I had a kid (30 year old from California) offer me $175 a car for a 7 car complete PRB Prospector set that was dead mint because it was missing some of its original boxes (replaced with ReBoxx). Surely boxes are not worth $500 a piece!? Too him maybe so.. his opinion, that’s fine... I politely declined and he stormed me, in an authoritarian manner, telling me “I don’t rush to buy, I will be buying all these dead guys trains in 5-7 years... at .10 on the dollar, just look at that last Stout auction, blah blah blah, I know because (1) of the brass sellers on eBay told me so...”.

I told him in a stern tone, not from my dead cold fingers you won’t, I’ll melt my brass before my widow gives it away to a snotty millennial with a trust fund. Despite that I’m 44 and don’t plan on dying anytime soon unless I get COVID of course.

The chicken box car is a great looking model and rare treat, wish I had one.

Oh and that PRB Prospector sold for exactly what I wanted to see out of it. $675 a car and they were bid up to that amount I started them at $500 a car and buyer a 50 something from Colorado is absolutely thrilled with the set he’s wanted one since they were offered in 2001. Point being it’s not a $1500 set. Good grief.

[bob turner]

Not that I am buying, but I missed your auction. Not eBay?

Pricing, buyers, sellers - it is all good entertainment. Fair game for a forum. The record was John Dill selling a really bad Varney ten-wheeler for $750. He bought another for $75 and kept right on going. I think he sold a Lobaugh Pacific for $1100, not running. Yay!

[De Bruin]

Erik, that is undoubtedly a VERY weird experience, and not to doubt your narrative either as I add to it with this aside;
a good friend of mine in our hobby warned me many years ago that for all the good guys you meet in it
you will also have to sift through a lot of egoistic sociopaths, choo-choo bozos, and infantile losers,
to paraphrase Obi-Wan Kenobi, all the scum of galaxy.
Your point is well taken, viva la commerce.

[Erik C Lindgren]

Not that I am buying, but I missed your auction. Not eBay?

Right here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/143541433427

[up148]

I told him in a stern tone, not from my dead cold fingers you won’t, I’ll melt my brass before my widow gives it away to a snotty millennial with a trust fund

Excellent response and the fact the set sold for what you expected validates your statement completely. He's a bully buyer and I only hope he isn't bullying widows into selling good items at scrap value. He has the tactics of a used car salesman.

His comment about buying cheap might be true in 7-10 years, but his attitude really sucks. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion of value or beauty, but I've never liked opportunist in any way, shape or form. You've forgotten more about brass than this neophyte knows or might ever know.

Congrats on the sale!

[Jay Criswell]

Maybe a little different take. I looked at the car and the first thing I noticed were the decals. Not good at all.

Just my opinion.

Jay

[Chris Webster]

BTW, painted: "Painted with decals in excellent condition"

Thanks for pointing that out. When I first saw that auction I was using a laptop and I couldn't tell if it was unpainted brass or yellow. After looking at it again with my color calibrated monitor I can see that it was indeed painted.

I looked at the car and the first thing I noticed were the decals. Not good at all.

Maybe those could be improved by applying decal solvent and overspraying with gloss or dullcote?

I came across pictures of another OMI mode on the Trainmaster by Werner Meer site: O Scale: Overland Models # 0055.1, Palace Poultry Car, F/P by OMI, 7/85-run, used, added 9/10, PDI-17, sFr. 450.- consignment sold out 9/10

I'm not familiar with the prototype -- I assume these are 2 level cars, so shouldn't they have a 2nd interior floor? Also are the stainless steel etchings supposed to represent (wait for it...) chicken wire?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I'm not familiar with the prototype -- I assume these are 2 level cars, so shouldn't they have a 2nd interior floor? Also are the stainless steel etchings supposed to represent (wait for it...) chicken wire?

Actually they were many layers stacked up shelves that held chicken crates (or turkeys or others...) with a center aisle with a compartment for a caretaker who was responsible for water & feed; got paid based on delivery of live birds. Pretty interesting history behind the use of these cars and how it all operated.

[Chris Webster]

I had a kid (30 year old from California) offer me $175 a car for a 7 car complete PRB Prospector set

Hold my beer.... Erik, I could have done $200/car for the RPO-Baggage, the Baggage, the Diner-Lounge, and Buffet-Lounge but no higher since I would've been buying those four cars in order to repaint them into D&H blue and yellow...

One of the other members of our club acquired a PRB ATSF coach during that Stout Auction you mentioned. It is for his ACL train and, fortunately for him, he only needed to change its lettering -- no repainting needed.

PRB imported some really nice brass models. Most of them seem to keep or appreciate in value. The only exceptions I've noticed are the war emergency gons and GP15-1s-- those don't seem to sell that well.

[bob turner]

I have passed up steamers with fixable problems at the $150 range. Do not like to work on models made from very thin sheet.

[Jay Criswell]

For the money asked, and the description given, you shouldn't have to do anything to the model. If you don't agree I have some $2000.00 models I will sell you. Decal setting solution won't work well on decals that have already been clear coated, have turned yellow from age, and are crooked.

Also, look at the damaged wire mesh along the top of the roof. No way is this thing in great shape.

Jay