|
|
Post by wollastoni on Sept 20, 2015 13:26:40 GMT
Hello
I have spent one hour in Modena Insect Fair yesterday to look for some rare Delias. It was once again a nice fair, even if there were less major dealers than in the April Modena fair as some of them must focus on Paris fair which will take place next week.
I also took some pictures of some nice insects to share some of those beauties with you :
Hope you like these pictures.
See some of you next week in Paris Insect Fair ! Olivier |
|
|
|
Post by nomad on Sept 20, 2015 13:29:45 GMT
Super stuff, thanks for sharing, see you in Juvisy  |
|
|
|
Post by trehopr1 on Sept 20, 2015 17:24:10 GMT
Nice shots Wollastoni ! Many thanks for sharing them. Did the pricing of specimens generally fall within the parameters of what you are used to seeing ? Or, was the pricing a little down or up due to economics ? Was their any particular group(s) that were priced rather stiffly ? Idle curiosity on my part as to your observations.
|
|
|
|
Post by cabintom on Sept 20, 2015 17:29:51 GMT
Awesome! Thanks for sharing these pictures, they make me feel a little bit like I've had the chance to visit one of these fairs.
Did you get any pictures of any African species?
|
|
|
|
Post by Paul K on Sept 21, 2015 4:24:39 GMT
Great fair!
Does anyone knows about Montreal insect fair this year date?
I couldn't find any info about it. I believe last year it was in October. I will be in Canada in November but that might be too late.
Paul
|
|
|
|
Post by nomihoudai on Sept 21, 2015 7:34:41 GMT
Nice shots Wollastoni ! Many thanks for sharing them. Did the pricing of specimens generally fall within the parameters of what you are used to seeing ? Or, was the pricing a little down or up due to economics ? Was their any particular group(s) that were priced rather stiffly ? Idle curiosity on my part as to your observations. Nice question, let me answer this for you. I am a seller at Frankfurt insect fair since 2009, since a few years I take pictures of Lycaenidae to check for prices on "the market". I can't find my 2014 pics right now (because I have photographed the 2 drawers that Olivier shows too), but on pictures from 2012 from the same seller I can for example see that nothing changed in the price of Polyommatus juno juno. While it would seem logical to adjust prices and react to demand or anything, it will not happen. Especially not if the price tags have been printed out on your PC. The time that has to be spend rewriting and doing everything is just lost and wasted time that nobody will pay you. In any case I guess you are downgrading your specimens anyway because it rarely happens that a species demand and price explodes. So nobody is going to do it, they have time, they don't have to sell right away, they have to sell for the price they initially wanted and this might happen with patience at some point. So most people drag the same stuff for several years to the fair. I did the same once, a handful of my butterflies has seen the fair since 2010 until I got fed up by them and sold them elsewhere. The only difference to this rule are the guys that write their prices with pen on top of the glass lid. You can take the pen and window cleaner with you, check prices at the start of the fair, and quickly outperform your "opponents" if you really want to get rid of your stuff and you have the means to do so. But most people will not do it, they have a job, stuff to do, the least they want to do is to spend 3 days adjusting their prices. Each year I had a different approach with different stocks. I have seen it all, from barely getting back your table fee, towards people starting to insult each other in front of your table to claim who was there first and selling all of your stuff within half an hour. This year I do not have much time, and not a big car to carry most things, I will just bring 3 drawers with pretty nice Lycaenidae species that demand a certain price. |
|
|
|
Post by wollastoni on Sept 21, 2015 8:04:07 GMT
Agree with Claude. On Ebay, prices autoadjust with offer & demand law, this is not the case in those fairs. Prices in those fairs are somewhat higher than on Ebay for different reasons : - the "Japanese price" technique : rarities are offered at a very high price, because some Japanese and Russian guys make the trip to Juvisy, Modena and can pay high sum in cash. Once they have paid the plane ticket, they are ready to spend a lot for rarities ! - sellers have to pay a high fee to sell there + transport fees, this must increase prices - visitors also pay an entry fee (in Juvisy) and they also want to come back with something. I often buy some books or specimens I don't really need... I never do this on Ebay ! - prices don't really vary from one year to another as Claude has explained. I am glad you like the pictures. I will take more of them at Juvisy as I will be there for the whole day. |
|
|
|
Post by wollastoni on Sept 21, 2015 8:31:17 GMT
Be careful Peter, this one is the announcement of the 2012 Montreal fair.
|
|
|
|
Post by nomad on Sept 21, 2015 8:42:57 GMT
As a customer and never a dealer, I have seen a number of insects returning to the same fair year after year. The price for the real rarities never seems to change. If you want a rarity in A1 condition then be prepared to to pay for it. The selection at Juvisy is very great, so shop around, you may find the same bug cheaper at the next few tables, then again you might not and by the time you have made up your mind, that special specimen may grace someone else's box. Perhaps, especially later you may or may not get a discount, especially if you buy a few insects from the same vendor.
The state of affairs at the British AES, is that anything worth buying, seems to be gone before the mass gets in and it is a really big mass. Each insect specimen vendor at the AES takes in a crowd with him and with the insect vendors they tour the tables before the rather stupid 11am opening time and buy anything worth having. Another thing is that the specimen vendors at the AES are all British and some of their prices reflect that, any rarer exotics will be much more expensive than elsewhere and will be far cheaper at Juvisy.
Juvisy is much better than the AES for specimens, especially in the rarity and quality but that's not surprising considering at the AES butterfly conservation tables and the creepy crawly brigade far out number the insect vendors. What you do get at the AES is a massive selection of entomological books both new and second hand, especially from Pemberley and you have the oldest equipment suppliers in the world, Watkins and Doncaster and visiting the antique entomological cabinets of Atropos, even if like me, you can afford to buy them is a must. I really do see a time, when insect vendors at the AES will be outlawed and a thing of the past.
Juvisy has a huge range of Worldwide specimen vendors, so although specimens are probably bought before the opening, there is such a magnificent range of rarities and commoner fair, there is something to suit all pockets.
|
|
|
|
Post by nomad on Sept 21, 2015 8:45:52 GMT
Be careful Peter, this one is the announcement of the 2012 Montreal fair. Oops deleted. |
|
|
|
Post by Paul K on Sept 21, 2015 9:09:22 GMT
Be careful Peter, this one is the announcement of the 2012 Montreal fair. Oops deleted. Thanks Peter anyway, I think they may not organize this year insect fair in Montreal. Useally there are already some information in regards the time. I have found always info at Thorne Insect Shop site , by the way very reliable seller . I bought many Troides and Morphos from him and met him also at Toronto Insect Fair before they stopped doing fair there. I think insect fairs soon will not be profitable due to huge sale on eBay and Internet shops and slowly disappear. Paul |
|
|
|
Post by wollastoni on Sept 21, 2015 9:26:07 GMT
Paul, I will ask some Canadian friends in Juvisy and will let you know.
I confirm that Thorne is a great vendor and friendly person.
Insect fairs are great places for vendors to find new customers. I don't think they will disappear, at least in Europe, as they are everyyear totally FULL of visitors.
In Modena on Saturday, it was difficult to walk inside due to the number of visitors. I am sure it will be the same in Paris next week end.
|
|
|
|
Post by Paul K on Sept 21, 2015 11:50:36 GMT
Thanks Olivier.
In Europe there are more people and collectors, also distance between cities is not that great.
I am sure that the interest is bigger and the fairs are the great place to meet.
Toronto fair is no longer happen due to not enough visitors and sale.
I hope it is not the case of Montreal cause that is the closest place I could go to.
Paul
|
|
|
|
Post by trehopr1 on Sept 21, 2015 23:00:28 GMT
Thank You very much nomihoudai, wollastoni, and nomad for all your wonderful insights and observations regarding insect fairs ! I appreciate both the sellers viewpoint as well as the buyers perspective.
|
|
