| In the world of collecting one of the most important | | | | was stored away in a basement and when you |
| factors in the valuation of an item is originality. Just | | | | touched it, the dummy literally fell apart. It had to be |
| because a ventriloquist dummy has a head, body, | | | | totally disassembled and put back together and is |
| hands and legs does not always mean you are buying | | | | now a wonderful example of a Mack figure, but is it |
| a complete figure. As with any other collectible if | | | | worth the same as a totally original figure? In most |
| parts have been changed or replaced with parts from | | | | cases the answer is no. This particular Mack figure is |
| something else devaluation occurs. If you have a | | | | such a premium figure that after the restoration it still |
| Frank Marshall dummy and then the head is placed | | | | has a great value but the restoration costs far |
| into a Finis Robinson body automatically you have a | | | | exceeded the value of the figure. This is also a fact |
| devaluation which occurs. Yes it is a complete | | | | you must take into consideration. Restoration cost by |
| ventriloquist dummy but not correct. | | | | a real pro can be very costly and take a lot of time. |
| If you purchase a Jaguar automobile but replace the | | | | You must make sure that the ventriloquist dummy is |
| Jaguar engine with a Chevrolet engine, yes the car | | | | worth the cost and time before you proceed. |
| may run much better, but it will never be worth what | | | | All this kept in mind will bring you a clear |
| it was prior to the engine swap. Now in the | | | | understanding of the true collector's aspect of buying |
| automotive world when a car gets reupholstered, | | | | antique ventriloquist dummies. Not everything you |
| new paint, new chrome, and engine rebuild etc., you | | | | find for sale is correct and to make the dummy a |
| certainly bring back the value and sometime, more | | | | correct representation of the original builder can |
| often than not, the vehicle will become more valuable | | | | sometimes be a real challenge. But the love of the |
| than the actual value of the antique car. With | | | | hunt is the same for ventriloquist figures as for any |
| ventriloquist dummies just the opposite occurs. When | | | | other true antique. By the way, the true definition of |
| you take an original dummy's paint and redo it you | | | | antique is 100 years old with the automobile being the |
| will lose value automatically. Originality is the key to | | | | only exception. It is 25 years and then it is an antique. |
| greatest value. A ventriloquist dummy with original | | | | Most of us in, the vent collecting world, will consider |
| paint, wig, body, hands even clothing will command | | | | any ventriloquist dummy made prior to 1970 an |
| the highest prices in return. | | | | antique although it truly is just collectible. |
| I have myself purchased a ventriloquist dummy that | | | | |