Rob you are missing the point. The LAW Vice has been out of production for several years. Lawrence retired - he stopped making vices quite happily and went fishing. Last time I saw him he was just back from Los Rochas. Meanwhile the value of the small number of vices he made had gone up. Important point that, he made a limited number of vices - I'd have one now but stupidly was unwilling to wait 18 months.
I'd take issue with describing the price Lawrence charged for his vices as retail. If he had worked as a manufacturer, setting a proper profit margin, selling his products to retail shops, based on the workshop costs and a realistic hourly rate for his time making each vice, the trade price would have been higher than the £400 to £460 he charged. That would have set a retail price maybe double the price Lawrence charged and no retail shop at that time would have dared try and sell a vice for £800. The reality is Lawrence did not make vices as a business, it was a hobby, he enjoyed the design challenge and the people (actually I think he got a bit bored making the same thing time after time.)
Thing is, since Lawrence retired a couple of LAW vices sold at auction over the past year or two and fetched £1400 and £1600 - I hear one sold privately for more. So £2000 per vice was the retail price needed to get Lawrence back in his workshop, making vices which are accruing in value - like rare old wine or books - like the copy of an old edition of Kelson selling for £350 at Coch Y Bonduhu - you really think that should be selling at the original cover price? And the proof is that within a week those few vices on offer were sold.
Oh and if you want a realistic rod comparison a £600 factory made rod is not the right one. A fine rod made by a top named builder in a small workshop is a realistic comparison, so check the retail on a Barder or a Sweetgrass as examples, both sell for more that £2000 and there is a waiting time for both.
Magnus
