For New Collectors

(misc thoughts about getting started)

Two “experts” can disagree about the same float as to its country of origin, ease of availability, authenticity as a vintage float or reproduction, age, value, etc. Caution is advised in accepting at face value a floats attributes or authenticity unless its origin is unquestionable.

VALUES AND PRICING

There is no price guide for floats that is current, reliable, and the “going rate.” A float is worth what someone will pay for it. Float pricing is highly variable depending on supply, rarity, color, availability for sale, geography, country of origin, shape, among many variables. What a float is worth today can be significantly different if a new supply of what was once rare would be to surface on the market. Alternatively, as floats (both common and uncommon) are collected the number of any given type of float will decrease and prices will rise.

BE DISCERNING WHEN PURCHASING FLOATS

As a new collector, be cautious about what you pay for floats, especially until you see enough floats, their pricing and can assess what is common or uncommon, and a reasonable price. I would advise extreme caution in believing at face value what you are told by shop owners as to the authenticity or attributes of a float. Every collector I know have bought a float(s) believing it to be authentic only to find it is not what it was said to be. For example, many Chinese floats are labelled as Japanese in antique stores, while the value of Chinese floats is a unique topic, knowing the difference between a Chinese and Japanese float is a key starting point for collecting Asian floats. In addition, a bucket of small (2”-3”) $20 floats may contain floats with relatively rare marks that make the float much more valuable, alternatively, the same bucket may have common unmarked floats that are available down the street for less.

In general, floats can be divided into two main categories from a collector’s viewpoint, common (non-remarkable floats) and collectible floats. A common float would not be Kanji marked (have a manufacturers mark) and/or have distinctive colors. For example, a common float is some shade of green or blue and has no netting or the aforementioned manufacturers mark. An uncommon or highly collectible float would be relatively rare to find in an antique or nautical store, and/or rarely comes up for sale between collectors. For example, a large Japanese jumbo roller (of which there are several varieties) would be a relatively rare float and have a price that reflects its rarity. A 12” “blue dot” (blue sealing button), kanji rollers, opaque yellow or red 14” floats are other examples of rare floats, of which there are many.