Collectors' Most Desired Current survey

[kgehring]

Please explain why you think the Royal Mistral is the most desired.

[1969ivan1]

I don't know, but the Spaco is most rare and desirable hands down in my opinion. The USD Royal Mistral is not even second place in that selection?

In fact I will gladly trade my USD Royal Mistral for any Spaco or CG45.

[swimjim]

I think the Royal Mistral is kind of a rare bird which does make it collectable. The most collectable? That's a good conversation for a cold winters night around the fire place with a few cocktails. LOL. Perhaps we should have a poll for the most collectable piece or maybe a top 5 or 10.

[Ron]

I think the royal is most coveted because of its fragile design. Any of the two stage regs can be rebuilt and used. They are only collectible on rarity. The royal is the hardest regulator to get in seaworthy shape, which makes many of us want it the most. I for one am actively looking for one. Anyone can pay 2 grand for a Spaco if you have a wallet with enough twos from the strip club, but not anyone can design a solution to get the royal working. That's the difference between collecting and diving.

[Bryan]

Perhaps we should have a poll for the most collectable piece or maybe a top 5 or 10.

Check the main page survey That ice diving has numbed your brain Jim!

[Bryan]

From the info we have the Biosystems might be the most rare of them all....

[YankDownUnder]

I have seen a number of Biosystems regulators on ebay, but admittedly, not many. How many of these have you seen?




And of course these......



Admittedly the Lawson Lung was a small production run and there is only one working example known. They were used in Australia's first underwater movie. As they were not in mass production, they may not qualify in the eyes of some collectors. On the other hand, the Heinke Mk II comes from a company that was was in business for about 100 years and made many types of diving equipment. Desirable equipment tends to relate to a person's personal experience. I know of three Heinke 'horns', but there must be more. Just being rare does not make something desirable to me. The CG-45 would be my choice, but I know they are not as rare as the Porpoise, and I have several of those that I would trade in a New York minute. Phil pointed out that while Porpoise made 12,000 regulators, US Divers made that many in a month. I suppose that is a good thing to some of us. Something I have noticed is that prices don't always reflect rarity. Perhaps the collectors simply don't know as much as they would have us believe. The view is different depending on where you sit. Steve

[swimjim]

Perhaps we should have a poll for the most collectable piece or maybe a top 5 or 10.

Check the main page survey That ice diving has numbed your brain Jim!

My Bad. Pretty good excuse though. LOL. Lord, I'm ready for Spring!

[mistral]

Another rare double hose regulator....Desco AIRMASTER...I can recall, reading an article about 10 yrs ago... that maybe a dozen or so were made by Desco, before they discontinued the regulator

[JES]

... The USD Royal Mistral is not even second place in that selection? ...

Are we sure that all of the voters were thinking of the USD Royal Mistral? It's quite possible that they might have been thinking of the Royal Mistral from La Spirotechnique (like the CG45).

[sthtxdiver]

LOL Love it thanx for posting (los cuernos) horn. Chute that is so cool .how does it function ? hopefully it breathes as good as it looks that is truly unique .someday if its not a cg45 its gonna be a horn .did i just say that? not that i need it but something that id like to have .(wish list) .Im telling just when u think uve seen it all best regards

[kgehring]

I would love to acquire a Heinke Horn regulator. Finding a Desco Airmaster I guess would impossible. I know of 1. If someone wants to work a deal on a Heinke Horn for a USD Royal Mistral, Let me know!

[Aileron]

I have seen a number of Biosystems regulators on ebay, but admittedly, not many. How many of these have you seen?




And of course these......



Admittedly the Lawson Lung was a small production run and there is only one working example known. They were used in Australia's first underwater movie. As they were not in mass production, they may not qualify in the eyes of some collectors. On the other hand, the Heinke Mk II comes from a company that was was in business for about 100 years and made many types of diving equipment. Desirable equipment tends to relate to a person's personal experience. I know of three Heinke 'horns', but there must be more. Just being rare does not make something desirable to me. The CG-45 would be my choice, but I know they are not as rare as the Porpoise, and I have several of those that I would trade in a New York minute. Phil pointed out that while Porpoise made 12,000 regulators, US Divers made that many in a month. I suppose that is a good thing to some of us. Something I have noticed is that prices don't always reflect rarity. Perhaps the collectors simply don't know as much as they would have us believe. The view is different depending on where you sit. Steve

I think you just upped the ante...I was thinking Porpoise, but sadly, I have nothing to trade to you for them. I would say my car, but the Porpoise is worth so much more than that...

[eskimo3883]

If we are going to dream is there a Le Prieur device in private hands?

[Phil]

Interesting post on rarity/want~ability ! I think that the 'Coca~Cola' Spaco is probably the rarest north american production reg, There are a few one-off, pre-production prototypes of what went on to become well-known production regs in private hands and they are certainly, by definition, as rare as one can get - but hardly seems like they count since it is unlikely that any serious collector would part with these (unless they croak or go tits-up on the stock market!(G)The european sets that are pretty darn rare would certainly have the GC42 and it predecessors at, or near the top of the list.(The 'Cousteau-Gagnan CG45 was a 'play' on the Commeinhes GC42)
BTW, the number of Desco 'Airmaster's'produced was much more than 12, but still pretty rare. Likewise, the bronze-body Divairs. Bill Arpin told me he thought there were about a hundred produced, give or take - so where the hell are they?? I have one, Bob Rusnak has one and I know of maybe half a dozen more - where's the rest?
Just back from Secaucus, NJ, for the 'Beneath the Sea' show. They themed the show around a celebration of the 100th anniversary of JYC's birth (last year) There were a ton of Cousteaus there - Jean-Michel, Celine, Fabien, Pierre~Yves, and so on. Jean-Mich got the 'Diving Pioneer award and showed a condensed version of his one hour tribute special called "My Father, the Captain". J~M did an interview at our storage facility with all the old French gear last year! The show airs in Europe on April 17th - No airing date for North America yet. Check in at 'Ocean Futures' website - they'll post when they know which U.S. network was succesful getting the show.