From Bloomberg:
Sotheby’s Corporate Credit Rating Is Cut One Level by Moody’s

So. Moody’s dropped Sotheby’s rating from Ba2 to Ba3. On the other hand, Moody’s feels the auction house “will successfully weather the current downturn.” And Sotheby’s did manage to show a quarterly profit even if net profit fell. So goes life in the tumultuous auction world.

From Bloomberg:
Williams Sisters Portrait, Riggs’s Jacket Lead U.S.T.A. Auction

Tennis collecting has long labored in the shadows of other sports. But if you’d like to own a 1992 Yonex racket autographed by Pam Shriver (estimate $250 to $350) or memorabilia from the 1975 exhibition match between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King dubbed the “Battle of the Sexes” (estimate of $10,000, but it includes Riggs’ warm-up jacket), head on up to the U.S. Open in Queens. Guersney’s has 500 lots from which to choose. The auction is set for September 11 and 13.

From The Art Newspaper:
Politically sensitive art to be exhibited at sea

Things being what they are in the Middle East, it’s understandable that Arab artists might not want to exhibit in Israel. A group called Ex-Territory has found a solution. A ship in neutral waters will be used as a floating gallery. The first offering will be videos projected on the vessel’s sails.

From NPR:
Bid For Crypt Above Marilyn Monroe Falls Through

And now for some creepy news. In 1986, Richard Poncher was laid to rest in the crypt above that of Marilyn Monroe—face down on his request. Fast forward 23 years, and his widow decided to move her husband and sell the crypt above Monroe. (Hugh Hefner, should he ever die, will be interred in the crypt next to her.) So what did Widow Poncher do? She turned to eBay.

When the bidding ended, some guy in Japan was the winner, coming in at $4.6 million. But wait a minute, Widow Poncher will have to wait to pay off her mortgage. The check was not in the mail or PayPal. The Japanese fellow bowed out. “I need to cancel this because of the paying problem.”

From The New York Times:
So Surreal: Thrift Shop Art May Be by Dalí

There among the secondhand clothes and tacky jewelry in a Houston Salvation Army store are some possible Dalis (with Dali, it’s almost always “possible” since fakes are all over the market) that might be worth $76,000. For real. People are writing bids on a clipboard, and the highest so far is $8,000. Really.

From The Los Angeles Times:
State’s EBay sales strategy poor, auction expert says

California may be broke. Still, you’d think it could have found someone who could take decent pictures of items it was auctioning on eBay. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called cleaning out state warehouses and selling on eBay and craigslist, the Great California Garage Sale. The president of Auction Cause criticized the execution of the sale. For one thing, he said, “A 12-year-old could have taken better pictures of jewelry and cars.” In addition, buyers would have to pick up cars in the Golden State, reducing the potential buying pool.

From The Philadelphia Inquirer via ARTINFO:
Painting Bought for $4 Contains Million-Dollar Document

Sigh, in the Why Couldn’t It Happen to Me? Department, a fellow took a liking to a frame at a Pennsylvania antique market. So he paid $4 for it and got the painting, as well. When he removed the picture, what did he find but an old document. As it turned out, a very valuable old document—one of the first printed copies of the Declaration of Independence in very good condition. How valuable? Sotheby’s is thinking in the $800,000 to $1.2 million range.

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Here is a sampling of what readers are saying. Please don’t hesitate to send us your thoughts.

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Lots of children make presents for their mothers on Mother’s Day. Lots of the gifts have a flower theme. Christopher Kent’s recounting of what his mom did with flowers in “A Mother’s Day to Remember—1965” elicited more than one comment.

Thank you for sharing that heartfelt story about your mother. It reminded me of those halcyon days of the 1960s and the structured lifestyle we all lived. Sadly, the humor of those days is passé, and we are hard pressed to find a good laugh anymore. Thanks again for a laugh and a tear.

Robert

You painted a picture so vividly, I could imagine being there. Brought great memories of my mom and dad. Thanks so much.

Alison

This brought tears to my eyes. Thanks, Christopher! I think I would have liked your folks!

Lisa

What a wonderful story, Christopher, a great memory of your parents on Mother’s Day. Thank you so much for sharing it!

Barbara

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As you’ll learn by reading “Chris Hughes—Seeking a Collectible’s History,” Chris is real treasure seeker. And the treasures he most likes to find are military items and the stories that go with them. But he has lucked out this time. It was Jack who came seeking him.

We have one of those WWII uniforms in our garage. It is a Canadian uniform worn by an American who enlisted to fight Germany. George Knowles Sr. thought the American politics of the time were alarmingly wrong not to get into the fight. So he enlisted in Canada’s armed forces. He never received any pension or post-service benefits from either country since he was serving outside his domain of origin.

We would gladly send you this uniform for the cost of shipping just to have our garage space available. George Senior went on to achieve 17 patents for Coors. One of which is the aluminum pop-top beer can. Quite a man!

Jack

To which Chris replied:

Jack,
That is greatly appreciated . . . This uniform sounds like it would be great fun to research and author an article on!

Chris

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Steve found the profile of Worthologist Christopher Kent, “Christopher Kent: A Man for All Seasons,” a “gem.” We’re glad because Christopher himself is a treasure.

This brief summary of Christopher Kent’s career is a gem. The ability to identify a pivot point like this lunch box sale in the market and explain how such a sale was a catalyst for market transition to a new parameter is true wisdom. There are book-learned people being turned out of colleges like factory farming right now, but here is an example of a man with a career who has genuine talent enhanced with common sense and a dose of “book-learning,” which didn’t ruin him. Thanks for this wonderful story.

Steve

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The insights and observations in Harry Rinker’s story, “With Gold Sale Parties, It’s Caveat Venditor, Not Emptor,” hit home with readers. And the reaction in the following comments serves to reinforce the importance of the WorthPoint mission. As Will Seippel, founder and CEO of WorthPoint, said after reading the responses, “That is why we are here—to help people learn the value of their items and how to sell or buy them!”

I loved your article. In 1996 I, too, was taken to the cleaners out of desperation. My chiropractor husband got Alzheimer’s, and we were losing our home. I went to an antique shop and sold off most of my sterling Tiffany, brilliant period crystal and diamond jewelry. I think I got around $1,200. The jewelry alone was worth double. The crystal also double.

But I knew resale was always less . . . or so I thought. I told the antique dealer I had more stuff, so he came to my home to look. Well, I had a dirty Waterford vintage crystal stemware on the kitchen counter. He saw it and asked if I had any more. I opened my cupboard, and he saw my 32-piece set in four sizes. He said he would put those on his buy list. We then go to the living room, and he spots an antique, very small Persian rug on the floor and a 1918 watercolor above the piano. He examined all the items and made them out to be “So So.”

He pulled out $200 for the rug, painting and crystal. I, like a desperate fool, accepted it thinking after he paid me $1,200 the day before that he knew his prices. He said he would be back. After he left with all my treasures, I got a weird sinking feeling in the pit of my gut. The next day when he returned I told him NO THANKS, I was finished selling. He hesitantly went on his way, and that was that. I to this day could KICK myself for being taken. Now again we are in desperate times, but I have learned and will be Caveat Venditor. Thank you for your article.

Linda Rowan

The irony of the situation is that I was having a discussion on the vulnerabilities of those who find themselves at a disadvantage because they have to sell precious heirlooms to satisfy their financial obligations.

I’m extremely grateful that you wrote this, and it further reinforces the fact those who have chosen this profession are not all thieves and predators. I have sent this to friend and foe alike. It should be printed as a public-service announcement in all publications.
Once again, thanks.

James Adams

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Not surprisingly, Lt. Lawson Reichard’s World War II diary has generated much interest. It is one man’s experience in the “Good War” in his own words as he made his daily entry. A reader sent a comment about a project to preserve the real story of the conflict as seen by someone not in the upper echelon of command or leading daring raids. Rather a relative working with the Red Cross in North Africa.

I am working on my aunt’s letters from Africa and Europe during WWII when she worked for the American Red Cross. I am also searching for other events that were happening at the time of each letter. When Lt. Reichard’s was still in the U.S., my aunt was in Casablanca with the Red Cross. I am hoping to form all of her letters and corresponding events into a book for her nieces and nephews.

Tobey

Hi Tobey, That is wonderful that you will work to preserve that part of your family’s history. We really are the last generation to have firsthand accounts to learn from. I hope you continue to follow Lt. Reichard. He does eventually get overseas. It might be fun for you to track them together. Please write back as you get into your aunt’s letters, and keep us informed about how your project is going.

Alison Harder

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After reading “How to Repair Vintage Fur Yourself,” Annie had a question for Sharon Maxwell-Yamamota, WorthPoint’s vintage-clothing and accessories Worthologist. The answer may not have been what Annie was hoping for, but some novel Christmas decorations could be in the offing.

I have a beautiful jacket that I have barely worn that I can peel the fur with my fingers. Is there any help for restoring the fur? It’s an old jacket. Thanks.

Annie

Hi Annie,
I’m sorry to tell you that if you can peel it so easily with your fingers, it’s too far gone to do anything with. That is best used for crafts, like making Santas and such, using glue, since the skin would never hold a needle and thread at this point. Sorry!

Sharon

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And many thanks to prh for catching an error in a headline, no less. He noticed that the date for the Weekly News Roundup was 2006. We always welcome corrections.

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Kathy sent this question after reading “WorthPoint Offers a 14-Day Free Trial,”and Marci responded, a great example of the WorthPoint community’s give-and-take.

I would be interested in finding out how to buy and sell antiques. How do I become involved?

Kathy

Kathy, you “could” accumulate antiques and hang your shingle, but there are far better ways.

Be certain that you have knowledge first. How do you receive it? Well, by taking antiques classes, reading everything you can get your hands on, visiting antique stores and shows, attending auctions, checking auction results, etc. Speaking with seasoned dealers and asking questions. Then you must get a tax number to file sales tax.

Selling antiques is a lot of hard work, but if you have the passion, you won’t mind the work. Good luck with your endeavor.

Marci of The Way It Was Antiques

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It’s always nice to get positive feedback. In this case, it’s on Harry Rinker’s positive story, “Good News for Dealers—Finally.”

Great article. I am having success in my antique/gift shop even in the downturned economy. I am the “face” of my shop and work to serve the customer. I also take items on consignment from local folks and enjoy helping them out, too. It gives me a great variety in my shop. (Tickled that you used my picture of the pink Depression glass perfume bottle that I have listed on goantiques.com!) Thanks for the positive article

Carolyn of Memories Past and Present

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The Internet has brought the world closer and as evidenced by this comment to “Wooden Carousels: Historic Collectibles’ Worth Preserving,” spans the generations.

I am the granddaughter of E. Joy Morris. Thank you for recording his importance in carousel history. He often gets lost because of being over shadowed by PTC. I agree that the Kit Carson County Carousel is the finest American carousel in existence. One of my goals is to be able to visit one day. I have yet to see it in person.

– Morris Cook

I do hope you have a chance to ride this carousel. The craftsmanship is remarkable, and it really is a ride back into the past.

Here’s the next best thing to being there—a link to the video about the Kit Carson Carousel. Click here to view it.

— Mary Brenneman

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I am so glad you put all these wonderful comments in one place! I love hearing what other members have to say, and sometimes their thoughts point me to an article that I might not have otherwise read. Hope you make it a regular feature.

— Alison

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Barbie’s turning 50 and a number of you commented on Sandy Stuart’s story on Barbie’s birthday.

I am a collector too, and I hope Barbie stays around for a long time for other generations to enjoy. I still have my Barbie from 1969. My granddaughter also loves to play with Barbie. I have started a collection for her.

— Debra

Personally I think that Barbie should be retired. The vintage dolls would escalate in value on their own merits. Barbie is doing a burnout and it shows.
Thank you and good-bye Barbie.
I am a collector with lots of Barbies, but only #3`s.

— Mary

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Worthologist Christopher Kent’s story of a pint-sized antiques expert also garnered a number of comments including some from his fellow Worthologists.

Oh the adrenalin of the chase, and my you found a corker.
What happened to the cobra in the end, and is that gifted child still in the business?
You have a way with words, and have perhaps missed your calling. More please!

— Maria

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Hello Chris, Great article! I look forward to your articles, knowledge mixed with a bit of wry humor. I will do my best to emulate you! May I ask…who is this mysterious and precocious 7-year-old?

— David Mycko, Worthologist

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Christopher added this postscript to his story.

It is with great sadness that I report that after 71 years in operation Merritt’s Antiques will be closing their doors as of May 2. With a possible on site auction of the remaining contents. The reason, reports general manager Randy Westley, ”It’s not just the economy but it’s difficult to find good antiques.” The company will concentrate on its internationally known clock shop as well as the doll segment of the business. It is indeed the end of an era and the passing will be mourned by many.

— Christopher Kent, Worthologist

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Another Christopher Kent article, “How To Clean Silver–Buyer Beware,” brought this question from a Ina.
I purchased some 1847 Roger’s Brothers flatware to replace some missing pieces. Unfortunately the seller had “dipped” the pieces and the detail has lost much of its color.
Can that be replaced?

— Ina

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About Sandra Lee Stuart’s story, “What’s Hidden in Your Attic?“, a reader wrote about some of the oil paintings she had inherited.

I inherited many framed oil paintings of southern settings by Georgia artist, Pamela Renfro. They are typical of her work in that they are well executed, nostalgic depictions of country homes, stores and landscapes with great detail including animals, quilts, antiques, etc. I believe they were done in the late seventies and early eighties, before her work was commissioned by Coca Cola and other corporations.

I have been unable to find her work for sale anywhere on the Internet and wonder how to price the paintings for sale.
Do you have any suggestions?

— Katherine

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Writers also wrote in with comments about two of Worthologist Fred Taylor’s articles including this one from Pete about using a cupboard for a stereo cabinet.

Mr. Taylor, I had not thought about using my family’s older furniture for anything other than what it had been intended for. You gave me a great idea on how to use an old cupboard for my stereo equipment. Thanks for the insight.

— Pete

And in response to Fred’s article on locks, Ken wrote about an old china cabinet that he can no longer unlock.
Thank you for this wonderful article! My wife and I have an old china cabinet with a full mortise lock. It has worked fine for a few years, but now the key will not open the lock. The key is notched. As the key is turned, it seems to get stuck before it engages the bolt. Based on you terrific diagrams, I would guess that the security ring may have been bent slightly and that this denies the key the ability to turn fully. Is this a reasonable guess in your opinion? Do you have any suggestions as to how we may overcome this problem? Thanks again for the article.

— Ken

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Our latest fly-fishing video by Worthologist Steve Ellis received this comment about selling chewed up in poor condition fishing lures. Fred’s response is interesting too.

Garage sale time just around the block!
I’ve sold the chewed up missing eye, rusty hook lures to artists. Buy em cheap and sell em cheap… the lady’s love them. Your going to pay for better lures there are so few around. He’s right about the word “MINT” with lures… I think of it as “Un-fished” with the BOX and Label. Garage sale time just around the block!

— PickerBrad

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And finally on one of Comic Book Worthologist Matt Baum’s articles, we found this sad question from one of our readers. Do any of you have advice for Travis?

I just lost 100s of old comics in a fire. I didn’t have issues listed and saved for protection. How do I place a value on them for insurance purposes?

— Travis

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What’s On Your Mind – March 5, 2009

On Linda Stockwell’s story on Mary Alice Hadley pottery, one writer is looking for seconds—those less-than-perfect and therefore less-expensive items.

I am seeking “seconds”… there used to be a source in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin where I could purchase Hadley pottery ware at a discount price. If these sources are still available, please direct me to the nearest one. I live on a farm; I do not collect this dinnerware as an investment; I use it for everyday enjoyment. I have no concern for rejects due to color, mismatch or small chips. Thank you,

—Mari

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Worthologist Chris Hughes wrote back to a reader who commented on his story on the good old days of antique collecting, which to Chris are the late 90’s!

Carol,
Thank you for reading. I agree that a deal can be had when bartering in a shop with a dealer, but I’ve also found that online dealers create opportunities for a bargain. Two weeks ago, I bought an item online that was unknowingly priced at least 2/3 below market value. There are deals to be had everywhere, especially in this economy! I also like to recall the items that got away because it keeps me charged up, hoping to get a second chance if a comparable item pops up.

–Chris

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James Taylor’s article, “Your First Coin Show? Eight Tips for Success,” garnered a number of comments, including this one from an appreciative reader. James is the president of ANACS, the oldest coin grading service in the United States.

That helps me a lot. I have many vintage silver coins, which were in my great-aunt’s estate, we didn’t want to sell them but with these economic times my grandpa really needs the money. Appreciate the info.

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“Simply put, people aren’t going to buy collectibles from athletes with tainted numbers,” says writer Eric Brantner in his article on Alex Rodriguez collectibles. One reader wrote:

Let’s just see what A-Rod does this year. He is one of the best players to ever play the game, with or without steroids. You can blame the players, but I would blame the amount of money these players are getting for all the steroid use. If there were a cap on what players could make, like $1,000,000, players would stay with the team that drafted them and would not take all these steroids. A-Rod has had some great years with the Yankees while not taking steroids, so just how big of a part did steroids really play in his numbers?

—Tim Meyer

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Worthologist Liz Holderman wrote back to two readers who commented on her series of articles on collectible book terminology.

Ron: You are right, book terms are often used loosely and interchangeably, which is why they are sometimes so confusing. Technically, “hinge” is supposed to refer to the inside junction of the spine with the binding and “joint” to the outside. But many sellers don’t make that distinction. “Gutter” (another duplicitous term) can either refer to the outside indention made where the boards and spine are joined (like a bowling gutter), or the inside indention where two facing pages meet.

Jacqueline: Thanks for your excellent response on the definition of “tipped in.” Part V of this series will cover illustrations and that is one of the terms that will be discussed. I’m thrilled and impressed to learn that the Boy Scouts have a merit badge in book binding! Book repair is always an option of course, and it can save a beloved book for shelf value. I had an old family bible fully restored for just that reason (although it was very expensive). If important pages or the covers are missing, restoration will not improve the retail value very much, but it can certainly bring new life to a family heirloom.

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Sharon Maxwell-Yamamoto, our Vintage Clothing Worthologist, is an opera singer who enjoys her glamorous vintage furs. When she paid good money to a furrier for a repair that she found inadequate, she decided to do repair it herself and she’s sharing what she learned with our readers. Perhaps it is our less than robust economy, but her article “How to Repair Vintage Fur Yourself” that is bringing out the DIY attitude in many of our readers

Dear Sharon, Thank you so much for generously sharing this information! I am just beginning to use fur and would appreciate any other information or ongoing email exchange with you. I have purchased two eBay furs that need some work and the furrier has gone out of business so I am on my own. I have many years of experience sewing… but not on fur. Can you recommend any books, pre”fur”ably with detailed pictures? Again, thank you.

—Thula

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Chinese Counterfeit Coins

By Ed McDonough

According to an article in the November issue of Coin World magazine, producing good quality counterfeit coins has become a very lucrative dream business in China, since it is not illegal to produce counterfeit coins and paper money there. Both Chinese and American coinage have been reproduced, many of them “slabbed” in what appear legitimate American coin grading company reproductions. Due to the finer quality of these operations, the average collector can be in a quandary unless they take special precautions.

A Chinese coin reproducer named Liu Ciyun is a large distributor on eBay and goes by the name “Jinghuashei.” If one goes to this site, one will see the reproduced items that are now labeled as “reproductions” since eBay has strict regulations regarding these types of products to alert potential buyers. The coins themselves are also stamped as reproductions, but how would all of these other exports be monitored, and what becomes of these items after passing hands? There are approximately 100 manufactures that produce about 100,000 fakes a month for Chinese-type coins alone.

ANACS, America’s oldest coin grading service, says that one way to tell the different is that these fakes are produced done with black gaskets in the slabs, and the slabs and do not properly fit the coin, while ANACS’s legitimately graded slabs are produced without black gaskets. The counterfeiter denies copying any PCGS slabs because they are “real trouble,” yet a 1916 Chinese silver coin has surfaced as a PCGS graded slab.

The collector’s only recourses are experience, knowledge, and when unsure, check with the local reputable coin dealer in the area. I have been a coin collector and dealer for more than 40 years and yet I still make mistakes and can be duped on occasion.

Coin World magazine is on the web at http://www.coinworld.com, but you must be a subscriber to access its articles online.

WorthPoint: Get the Most from Your Antiques & Collectibles

In the beginning I was willing bid what it took to get it. But after the bidding got closer to 500.00 I though to myself. Yikes!

What if was coin silver and not sterling. The seller could not offer any additional information. I do know much of the older Native American stuff is not marked for silver content.

Squash Blossom necklaces are not exactly a rare item. They are very abundant on line. So I figured it would be better to back down unless I knew for sure it was sterling. Of course weeks later I am still wondering if only I had hung in there that piece would have been mine!

In other words I am wondering what determines the value of these pieces. The silver content? The workmanship? The size of the turquoise stones? The signature?

Gee in today’s economy I am surprise that there is any bidding competition.

With us dealers and collectors the urge to obtain, to have and own is a strong.

If Debbie and Randy Coe (coesmercantile.com) lived down the street, I would be privy to an endless supply of “Rinker on Collectible” column ideas. Alas, they live in Hillsboro, Ore. Whenever my travels take me to or through Portland, I make every effort to visit with Debbie and Randy, at the very least to share a meal together.

Linda, my wife and provost and vice president of Academic Affairs at Western Connecticut State University, Danbury, Conn., attended a NASH conference held at Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, Wash., a 40-minute drive from Portland. Her conference ended at 2 p.m. on a Tuesday, and our red-eye flight back east departed Portland at 10:10 p.n. Pacific Daylight Time. Debbie and Randy agreed to meet us for dinner.

Debbie and Randy are among the shrewdest dealers in the collectibles trade. They sell on eBay, at general and specialized antiques and collectibles shows, and at antiques malls. Randy maintains a detailed analysis of their selling patterns. They constantly adjust their merchandise to reflect the latest buying trends. At our dinner, Debbie and Randy shared the proofs of the 15th book they have authored for Schiffer Publishing, a book about Corning ware.

Our conversations are staccato and freewheeling. Stories flow fast and furious. Every collecting category and aspect of the antiques and collectibles game is fair game. By the end of our conversation, I have made notes for several future “Rinker on Collectibles” columns. Usually, I allow the ideas to germinate for a few weeks or months. Not this time, I had roughed out this column in my mind before I boarded the plane.

After exploring a number of topics, Randy, Debbie, and I started telling customer-service stories. Customer service is a scarce concept in the antiques and collectibles trade. Buyers are so used to the lack of customer service that when encountered, it is a shock.

Randy talked about two experiences at an antiques mall. He had bought a large quantity of material and noticed a pile of cardboard boxes in a corner behind the sales counter. “May I have one of those cardboard boxes to transport my purchases?” Randy asked. “No,” replied the sales clerk, “We use them for our eBay customers.” There stood Randy with cash in hand to pay for his purchase. He was a customer, just not the right kind.

Although Randy and Debbie deal in a wide variety of material, they specialize in glass products. Randy had selected and paid for several dozen glass pieces. As the sales clerk was handing Randy his change, he remarked, “I suppose you want me to wrap them, don’t you?” Well, duh! Randy certainly knew better than to throw his glass purchases in a box and trust God or who or whatever that the pieces would arrive home unbroken.

Randy’s stories inspired me to launch into one of my pet peeves regarding eBay sellers—their abject failure and desire to make the “second” sale. I buy on eBay. I do not sell antiques and collectibles. I keep what I buy. My eBay feedback is more than 1,200. When I send payment or use PayPal, I specifically indicate that I collect “x” and that I welcome direct quotes. I can count on two hands and maybe a toe or two the number of times an eBay seller offered me additional items. Occasionally, I receive an e-mail indicating they have posted an item for sale on eBay which I may be interested in buying. This is not what I want. I offer the seller a chance to deal direct, to sell an item quickly and without any extra added sale expense.

I was in a soapbox mood by this time. “The only customer service eBay sellers care about is getting their money as fast as possible and padding their profit with excessive shipping costs,” I protested. I decried eBay sellers’ failure to build long-term customer relations. eBay sellers, like so many antiques show dealers, adhere to the philosophical principle that if I do not buy it, someone eventually will come along who will. I need them more as suppliers than they need me as a buyer—so much for the old “money talks” cliché.

Randy sat there with a Cheshire cat grin on his face. “Okay,” I said. “Let me have it.” Without hesitation, Randy responded, “If it was not for the bad customer service, you probably would never buy anything from eBay sellers.” And, you think I am blunt.

The more I thought about Randy’s remark, the more truth I saw in it. Suppose every dealer/seller in the trade did give a damn about customer service and “second” sales. As soon as they acquired merchandise for which they had customers, they would be on the phone or sending e-mails attempting to sell it “on the spot.” The merchandise would never appear in their booth or be offered for sale on eBay. As much as I would have been a willing buyer, I was effectively removed.

I trust you see the irony in this. Bad is never good. Okay, there may be exceptions. When I was a bachelor in the early 1960s, I was not looking for “A Few Good Men” like the Marines, but “A Bevy of Bad Women.” I wasn’t a hippie in the ’60s, but in my early 60s . . . well, that is another story.

Sellers often confuse standard service, i.e., what a customer has a right to expect, with good customer service. In the case of an eBay seller, the buyer should expect an accurate description, one that includes a list of all defects, a sufficient number of photographs to allow proper inspection of the object, a clear indication of payment and shipment terms and cost, a prompt response to e-mail questions and purchases packed properly to avoid breakage during shipment. This is standard service. Good customer service is when the eBay seller goes beyond this.

One example is method of payment. I am not a fan of the eBay Payment Nazis who accept PayPal, money order or cashier’s check. I have read numerous articles, letters to the editor, e-mails and lengthy diatribes in the listings as to why they do this. Life is so much sadder when you lose trust in your fellow man.

I prefer to pay with a personal check. Most eBay Payment Nazis spell out their dictatorial payment terms in their listings. Hence, if I do decide to bid, I do so knowing full well what I am facing .

However, given my feedback, the relatively low cost of my purchases (yes, I am cheap) and my position in the trade, if I am the successful bidder, I e-mail the seller asking if he or she will make an exception. As a good customer, I make it clear that I have no problem with them waiting until my check clears before sending the merchandise. I credit those who respond, no matter what their answer, as practicing good customer service. I accept their right to refuse. The eBay sellers I detest are those who never respond and then send dunning e-mails asking why I have not paid. The answer, Stupid, is that I was waiting for a courtesy response to my e-mail.

An example of good customer service is when an eBay seller only charges for postage plus the cost of packaging material when adding shipping and handling charges to the bill. I keep careful track of what I pay versus the service I get. In a majority of cases, the cost of postage (including delivery confirmation) and packaging is less than half of what I was charged. Those sellers who think the buyer should pay for their packaging and trip to the post office are mistaken. These are part of the cost of doing business. Whenever the cost of postage and supplies is less than half of what I paid, I make a point to click the “unreasonable” star when leaving feedback.

I am looking for a few funny bad customer service stories, such as the two Randy told me, for use in lectures. Send your contributions to harrylrinker@aol.com. Thanks.

You can listen and participate in “WHATCHA GOT?,” Harry’s antiques-and-collectibles radio call-in show on Sunday mornings between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Eastern Time. If you cannot find it on a station in your area, WHATCHA GOT?” streams live and is archived on the Internet.

“SELL, KEEP OR TOSS? HOW TO DOWNSIZE A HOME, SETTLE AN ESTATE, AND APPRAISE PERSONAL PROPERTY” (House of Collectibles, an imprint of the Random House Information Group), Harry’s latest book, is available at your favorite bookstore and via Harry’s Web Site.

WorthPoint—Get the Most from Your Antiques & Collectibles

www.harryrinker.com.

Since the beginning of civilization, jewelry has play an important part in society. It has been used to signify status, highlight beauty or to distract from homeliness.

Favorite pieces have been buried with the dead, and have been worn to mark the passing of the dead as in the case of mourning jewelry.

A wonderful piece of jewelry is probably the most often received gift item.

It’s no wonder then, that antique jewelry would become and endure as one of our favorite collectibles.  The same could be said for antique jewelry as a a real estate agent might say about a piece of land,”they ain’t makin’ anymore of it”.

Not only are they not making any more of it, but much of it is being destroyed, melting it down makes it even scarcer than it already is. During the 1980s when the price of precious metals were high, thousands of people sold off antique gold and silver jewelry to be melted down for quick cash. The same thing is happening now.

Recently gold hit as high as $900 per oz and I believe I saw silver as high as $18.00 per oz..  Both have come down a bit, but remain relatively high.

There’s an old saying, gold loves bad news, meaning that when economic times are tough people turn to gold as an investment. What we have is another period now when a lot of people are selling off gold and silver jewelry for quick cash.

That makes two “gold rush” periods in recent history which have caused a lot of antique jewelry to be destroyed. This affects the value of all antique jewelry, gold, gold filled and plated etc., because when a collectibles market fluctuates, it does so in a permeating way.

Antique jewelry is a classic, and classics are very safe long term investments. The value of a physical thing can never go to zero as with a stock or a bond, thus investing in good quality gold and silver jewelry at the right price is about as safe as it gets.

Can you think of any collectible or antique that a friend or even you yourself might own that is worth less now than it was 10 years ago? Beanie Babies don’t count. I’m talking about good quality, time tested antiques. I’m guessing you’ve answered no, but the same cannot be said for many stocks and bonds.

Of course like any investment, you have to buy right, because “well bought is half sold”.

Starts $9.95 no reserve. 14kt w/ 14k chain.

My favorite way of buying any antique as an investment is through the auction method. There are some basic rules  to follow to make sure your getting investment quality grade collectibles at prices that will reap rewards in the future.

Here are those rules, they apply whether your buying at an online auction, or a live auction:

• Don’t bother with auction items that have “reserves”, you are wasting your time, you will not get an item at an investment price there. That’s not even an auction really, it’s a store item, you just don’t know the price yet. Don’t play games with these jokers, there are enough real auctions out there to patronize.
• Pay very close attention to the description, be careful for terms that are vague and imply that the seller is not really sure of what they have. Term such as “style”, & “revival” “such as” all imply the item in question is not an authentic period piece.  Some sellers are just legitimately not sure of the item, some sellers are shady.
• If in doubt ask questions. I  put my phone # in my eBay auction listings for higher end items, it’s on my web-site and everywhere else I do business. If your considering a high end auction item and the seller doesn’t have easy access, ask yourself why.
• Many antique items are engraved,  this can deplete the value a bit in most cases. The value loss is not as much if the item is only engraved on the inside or back of the item. It’s also easier to sell an item that is only marked with a common single initial as your likely to find a buyer with a first name who can use it for themselves or as a gift.
• Set a price threshold which you won’t surpass when bidding. This is the best way to insure you don’t get caught up in “auction fever” and grossly overpay for the item. Nothing is a good investment if you overpay for it.

This stunning antique 14kt bracelet also starts at $9.95

I can almost hear you saying, “yeah, good luck finding pieces like that which are really auctioned with low starts at no reserve”!

Well I can assure you, great quality auctions of antique jewelry do happen every day by reputable sellers online and offline. You just have to beat the bushes a bit. No worry though, to start off with I’d like to introduce an antiques estate from North Admas MA which I’ll be auctioning off on eBay starting this Monday evening!

The auction will consist of many lots of  antique gold, silver and costume jewelry, porcelain and much more. Every lot will fall into the criteria of a real auction as listed above!

There is so much, that the entire estate should take about 2-3 months to get up on eBay. Some of the items will be sold by the piece, some will be sold in lots. All of it will be sold no matter what the price!

Most items will start at $9.95 or lower and every one is an investment quality collectible.

The estate, (technically, it’s a revocable trust as the benefactor is still alive) comes from an Audrey Dearing Sweeney who was president of the North Adams Massachusetts Historical Society. If you have any interest in a chance at getting quality antique items for far under the money, you will not want to miss these lots as they are being sold on eBay.

Besides the antique jewelry there are many other items from just about every category of antiques you can think of. I’ll be listing the contents as fast as I can get them up on eBay. The auctions will all start and end on Sundays until the estate is completely liquidated.

Everything featured in the pictures here, will be up for auction on eBay starting Sunday evening. All auction items are guaranteed to be as represented and start at $9.95 with NO RESERVES and free shipping for the holidays!

Can you think of a more beautiful gift than a piece of antique jewelry? Why not give one nice thing that  will increase in value rather than lots of disposable gifts that will be forgotten about before the New Year rings in?

Your thoughtful selection will be revered for many years.

Thanks for reading.

You can click on any of the pictures or links below them to see these and many other items from this estate starting Sunday evening.

A signed art nouveau Geo Jensen sterling pin  starts at $9.95

People all over the internet are finding that it’s ultimately more profitable and much less work in the long run if they learn to market their products and services on their own websites. By building a trusted community of customers aka “friend marketing” it’s possible to avoid the tiresome wheel spinning activities and learning curves of the corporate online selling sites. Once you’ve built a good foundation, you’ll never have to worry about anyone upping fees or taking privileges away.

The first post here in this community will therefore contain the appropriate content “Steps to Selling on Your Own”.

I never consider ANYTHING to be the last word on a subject, and I welcome community members to weigh in with tips and suggestions to this and any post. Please note that as I myself think of more steps to apply here, I will edit the post and add them.

Here in no particular order are Steps to Selling on Your Own.

-If your on eBay already, take the best of what you’ve learned from the site and apply it in anyway you can to your own marketing system. Why try to reinvent the wheel?
- Again, if your already on eBay and you have a good feedback rating, get a screen capture of that rating so you’ll always have it to use as a reference no matter what happens. If you keep it active, a link to it can help lend credence to anything else you do.
- You MUST get your own website or a blog to market your own products.
- Keep and maintain a house list.
- Listen to podcasts and read blogs that keep current with subjects your interested in. It’s a free education.
- If you don’t already, look into getting an online shopping cart or storefront.
- Grow your community by commenting on blogs and podcasts. There is nothing that will get you quicker recognition than adding value to the conversation of a blog or podcast, it’s the lifeblood of those mediums.
- Focus on ONE THING ONLY, customer service. The reason your probably reading this is because your fed up with customer service at some corporate site with lousy customer support. In the online world, very happy customers become evangelists for your business.
- Get a Mentor or a few. A Mentor need not even know your their apprentice, but follow someone who is going along the path you want to go and learn from their shortcuts and mistakes. Just remember that it’s important to do it in your own style and flavor if you want to stand out.
- Be different, you must have a USP (Unique Selling Proposition)find something in your product or service that you do better than anyone else and make that the focus of your pitch.
- Find what your passionate about and work in that field, it’s what you’ll be the most successful at and you’ll enjoy doing it. There will still be hard times and obstacles along the way, but they’ll be much easier to overcome if you use this approach.
- Help others to be successful, this is and has always been the key to becoming very wealthy, and it gives you a nice warm fuzzy.
- Have fun, don’t take anything too seriously and come back here often!

Thanks for reading.
AW

You can also find me at www.auctionwally.com

I’ve been an eBay seller going on 11 years, I love what the company has helped me do with my business and it’s largely responsible for the success of my Internet presence. One could argue that I owe eBay a lot.

I’ve paid back a lot over the years, and not just in fees. I wrote pro-eBay articles and talked up the company in my podcasts. In short I was as much of an evangelist for the site as anyone. And I do hope the company can get back on track, but I have to ask:

eBay, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?

I just got an an automated call this morning from eBay, “seller Auctionwally, eBay would like to make you aware that it is making more new changes to make listing more affordable and instill buying confidence in eBay.” Uh-oh.

eBay, for the past two years you’ve rolled out a multitude of controversial changes that have made people who sell unique items, such as antiques dealers, furious. You’ve confused those that sell new stock, and sent a stampede of booksellers over to Amazon.com out of frustration at their items not showing up in well in your search engine.

Nothing stays the same, I realize that. But those of us who sell online are bombarded with changes we can barely keep up with.

To roll out an enormous amount of changes is risky practice at best, to roll out so many CRITICAL changes, is risky and confusing to all who would use your site. To roll out so many changes and announce that more changes are coming after your base is begging you to stop, is risky, confusing, and smacks of desperation.

Let’s look at other changes and what I see as the problems with them.

• You’ve stripped one of the core features that eBay was founded on, the duel feedback system. When you did this, your response was, “Well everyone else has only buyer feedback.” Exactly.  The results, sellers are disgruntled and look for other platforms to sell on. There are none as good as eBay. Not a big loss yet.
• Last year you announced a fee decrease for sellers,..Yippee! The results, it was a PR nightmare for your company when sellers found out that you were only decreasing listing fees, and taking more on the back end, in effect, rewarding those who list junk that doesn’t sell and whacking successful dealers with higher commission fees. I personally didn’t mind the higher commission fees, but it looks like the move is clogging up eBay’s search engine with junk. And don’t try to sell a fee increase as decrease, we’re not stupid.
• You put in place a very complicated DSR (detailed seller rating) system that no one, even eBay by it’s own admission, can figure out. This tool has had major crashes and has not been able to accomplish it’s goal. The results: Everybody says, “Huh?”
• After much user angst and public outcry, the leaders in your company, John Donahoe and Lorrie Norrington, announce that we should get used to changes, more are coming and we won’t recognize eBay in a year from now. The results:. More eBay sellers leave the site, and still don’t find a better platform to sell on. BUT, sellers start  building their own sites! They are taking what they’ve learned from eBay and using it to brand themselves. They’re using sites like Worthpoint.com, EveryplaceIsell.com , The Vintagelist.com and  The Auctionwally Network to get advice on how to become independent sellers.
• eBay announces that in the near future, it will only accept electronic payments. OUCH!  The results: eBay gets a two-fer on this one, they manage to tick off sellers AND buyers! Not only is there blowback about having to cowtow to PayPal, but there is potential for a disaster as sellers with a huge ammount of listings have to scrape other payment options that may be referenced in each description. While it’s true that a seller can change payment options with a flick of the switch, they will have to delete manually any reference to those options if they are in anyway referred to in the item description. For example, I have in my desrciptions the following statement, “A check or money order will need to clear before shipment.” This statement is a violation of this new policy and will have to be scraped from every listing, or I lose the listing.  What about the poor sap that has 100-500 store listings they have to edit?!
• eBay announces yet another price change is in the works, I’m not kidding. They say the new fee structure will encourage sellers to list more items with the fixed price format. The results: The   blogosphere lites up with rumors and speculation that eBay is doing away with it’s eBay stores. Is there any truth to this? Who knows, but it could very well be as the company has gained a reputation for being a loose cannon with it’s willy-nilly site change attitude.

Don’t get me wrong, I still sell on eBay, I will always maintain an eBay presence and wish the best things for it. But I’m an old school Yankee Auctioneer, you can’t hardly shut me up once I get going, (ask my poor wife about that).

The way I see it, I have a responsibilty to call ‘em as I see ‘em. I’m a passionate evangelist for brands and services that go above and beyond, but I’ll never stand by and cheerlead for any one that so obviously seems to work against its users’ best interest.

I often get asked, “Who do you think will beat eBay?” I reply, “eBay is the only one that can beat eBay, and these days it looks like they’re doing a pretty good job of it.”

Thanks for reading,

AW

In the Stone Age days before the Internet Revolution, you had to travel to auctions. Otherwise, you had to buy and sell locally. Long-distance communication within the art world depended on phones, letters and faxes, and information about upcoming auctions or one-of-a-kind items could be gleaned only through dealers, other collectors, trade publications and trade shows.

Ahh, the age of snail-mailing when you often missed superior art and collectibles because you found out too late they were available.

Now, thanks to the Internet, you can get the latest updates from a whole swath of auction houses, stumble across treasures you would never have encountered in your area and do business with anyone anywhere in the world. It is quick, cost effective and with search-engine researches, just a click away, satisfying.

Be cautious

As in the nonvirtual world, collectors should take precautions when making a purchase online. Use due diligence. Check the seller’s online reputation and record of previous and ongoing sales. Does he/she have plenty of positive feedback?

Research, research, then research some more

Research artwork and collectibles thoroughly. This can’t be said enough. Find out everything you can about the item—when and how it was made, what its past online or regular-sales history was, the background of the artist and his/her career. Consult art experts, art historians and art dealers before you buy.

Examine the photographs of the item and ask for closeups of details if necessary. Check signatures and labels.

Description once-over—better twice-over

Read the item’s description carefully. Is it an original work or a reproduction? Is there a clear mention of condition and of any repair or restoration work? If it is described as “original,” “antique” or “rare,” is this claim backed up by valid documentation—receipts, sales records, art catalogs, published news articles, etc—and by the opinion of reputed experts?

Always check where this documentation originated, and contact the experts personally to verify the claim. Ask the seller for names and addresses of previous owners, if any, and contact them to check on provenance.

Back up dealings with the seller

Get answers to any questions you have before you bid, and save all e-mail correspondence with the seller. Also keep a record of chats, phone calls, faxes, etc.

Make sure there is a written, money-back guarantee. If after you buy and get an expert appraisal, the work doesn’t measure up to the seller’s claims, you should be able to return it and get your money back.

And don’t forget shipping charges and policies.

Pay with a credit card. Then you can dispute the charge if you are not satisfied with the purchase.

Other things a buyer should know

Bidding at online auctions is fast. Many people engage in auction sniping, and the only way you can win against such bidders is setting up sniper software of your own.

If “exceptional” collectibles are bunched with ordinary ones that have similar descriptions or are offered at exceptionally low prices, either the seller is clueless or making inflated claims. Be cautious. Watch out, too, for low-priced “exceptional” items with few or no bids. Given the abundance of well-informed buyers, such works are usually inundated with bids.

Following this advice, you should be able to successfully buy and sell art and collectibles online.

WorthPoint—the premier Web site for art, antiques and collectibles

I recently had a phone conversation with Will,you can see the details of it here: http://www.examiner.com/x-312-Auctions-and-Antiques-Examiner~y2008m8d22-A-phone-call-to-Will-Seippel-of-Worthpoint-on-eBay-competitor-GoAntiques-acquisition

I was also able to get Will to commit to a meet and interview when I catch up with him at the Brimfield Antiques Show this week and will have a a report on that which I know you’ll want to read.

Tying right in with this meme is episode 27 of The Auctionwally Show which airs live at 2pm EST on Sunday afternoon, August 31st.

I’ll be having Ina Steiner of Auctionbytes on the show as a special guest to talk about here recent launch of EveryplaceIsell.com EPIS is a directory for online merchants who sell in multi-platforms, so I know it will be something Worthpoint users will be very interested in hearing about.
Here’s a link to the upcoming show. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/auctionwally/2008/08/31/The-Auctionwally-Show-ep27-w-Special-guest-Ina-Steiner-from-Auctionbytes-and-EveryplaceIsellcom

Of course if you miss the show as it airs live, no worry, you can listen to any of the past episodes at any time by going to this page –> http://auctionwally.blogspot.com/2008/05/auctionwally-show-archive.html

Thanks for reading, I hope you tune and and pass the word!

AW