Perceived Value

We are in the thick of the Woodworking Show Season having finished the first six shows leaving seven more to go. I love this time of year because I get to see so many folks I know from over the years. I am amazed at the pictures of their work and the stories of how I have had some small influence. There are many stories to share and sights to see. America is a truly great and diverse land and Sweet Janice and I are getting to see much of it in all of its winter splendor. Although winter was very late in arriving this year, it did finally get here with snow and ice covered roads, travel delays and our share of slip and slide at highway speeds. Only one mechanical mishap so far this year and it wasn’t too bad. I am very thankful that we have yet to be stranded beside the road waiting on a tow truck in sub–freezing weather.

I would like to revisit perceived values of some of the items we make. This past weekend we were in St. Louis at the sixth woodworking show of the season. You need to know that I spent many hours gluing up about twelve Laser Cut Kits into Christmas Ornaments as examples for the show before the season began. They are complete with genuine ebony finials and are finished with my finest time consuming CA finish. The shine is brilliant. None of them are for sale and I am very proud of every single one. A customer approached me holding one of my finished sample ornaments in his hand having taken it down from its place on display asking where he could pay for it; an easy mistake. I told him they were samples and not for sale then he dropped the bomb.

Here is the ornament he was holding:

He said “What do you mean it isn’t for sale? It clearly has a price right over there. It is priced at $19.95!!!” When I let him know that he was holding an ornament that would sell in a gallery for $200 he seemed incredulous and handed me the ornament with some hint of disgust. Obviously his perception of value and mine were on very different levels when it comes to handmade Christmas ornaments of that quality.

Allow me to paraphrase one of my good friends, Chris Stott from England now living in Southwest France. I owe much of my technical prowess on a lathe to Chris. In his book “Turned Lidded Boxes – 50 designs” Chris tells about overhearing a couple of older lady customers at a craft fair discussing his offerings. They were heard to say “We’ll not go in there. There have only things they have made themselves.” Certainly not worth of much in their eyes.

Whether it be a simple or elegant pen, bottle stopper, bowl, goblet or other turned item, the perceived value will run the entire scale from worthless to priceless. The perceived value truly is in the eye of the beholder. Don’t be offended if someone doesn’t understand the value of your item or appreciate the many hours and level of skill required to produce such an item. Also don’t believe your own press when someone tells you an item you have made is worth hundreds of dollars, unless they are actually willing to hand over the cold hard cash! (And they are not your momma). Grow a thick skin and be happy with the making. Turning is more about the journey than the destination. Because wherever you go, there you are.

Here is my inspiration for this week’s message:

Prov. 20:14 NIV “It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer— then goes off and boasts about the purchase.

Prov. 18:2 NIV “Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.”