Lincoln22
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« Reply #6 on: April 24, 2015, 05:11:39 pm » |
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I appreciate everyone's individual taste in soda machines, and yes I even think the "Orange Crush 81" looks very neat in its commanding presence and appeal to the eye. However, I am old-fashioned and personally only like original machines with confirmed manufactured status by companies such as Vendo and VMC, not fantasy machines. I may be wrong, but to date, I am unaware of any soda brand who manufactured an 81 outside of Coca-Cola, Pepsi, 7up, Royal Crown, and a Dr. Pepper (yes I'm aware of the Generic model, in which various decals may have been applied to cater a specific vendor's soda sales). Collectors within this very network are all aware of fraudulent practices on the parts of many, but if you make or alter a machine, then just be honest and sell it as a "fantasy" machine (like the seller is currently doing on the Ebay RC 81). Once again, I appreciate the visual appeal of any soda machine, even customized ones, but simply stated, be honest with yourself and potential buyers. I am very appreciative of a true original machine, so that it can be discerned and validated much easier. Today, we live in a digital world full of electronic access. I pose the question, why would you restore a soda machine (like an Orange Crush 81, Hires 81, or a Nesbitts 81 etc., without taking photographs of every single inch of the machine in it's original state? Every advanced collector on here (who has collected, networked, and done their own research is aware of what actual machines exist, based on known records/archived material, so one should know that their "prototype find" will be scrutinized, thus make it easy by simply revealing everything in the machine's original state, if in fact your machine is truly a scarce new find, as you believe. This message is not intended at any one particular person at all, and I concede maybe those three machines are real, and worth a fortune! I'm not an expert, but I do know I will only buy from reputable people if the machine is restored, or just buy an original if it can be found. I know it's long and drawn out, but I'd hate for people to be misled. Maybe time will produce documentation in a historical archive somewhere showing an orange crush 81 rolling off a factory assembly line, and we will eat our so-called "know all research" words. I am not here to judge these specific machines depicted, because I don't know their history, nor have I seen them in person. I have nothing bad to say about the Coca-Cola Cowboy, or anyone for that matter, I just hope he or anyone else conveys the truth as he or she knows it to be when selling a machine, that's all.
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