Topic: Puzzlement about maker?

[Simone]

I see that the seller of the butterfly weight has updated the listing to correct the attribution. It is now rightly stated as a Strathearn weight.

Simone ... you may have more competition for this one than if it was a Baccarat!

Kev, there might be some competition, but I'm ready for it... I made the first bid of £100, just so as I'd know I had to bid on it... it's a butterfly, and a really pretty one, which I adore.

It's nothing to do with the maker by the way... it's just the butterfly.

Adam, as far as Scottish paperweights (especially butterflies) goes, yes, that's me...  :lol:


I'm also selling a few more weights, amongst other things, because there's some fantastic butterflies coming up for sale soon...

It just takes so long to photograph and then list everything on Ebay.

btw, does anyone know who made this vase?

[David555]

I will look out for Butterfly paperweights for you Simone, there are also some beautiful paperweight pin dishes out there, etc.

I have had some beautiful W Manson, Vasart & Italian ones in my time

I probably won't bid on this knowing you want it, I don't get in the way of others true passions LOL    

The vase - Ivo knows about the really good Spanish ones, I think this is Italian or Czech with cold painted enamel c1960s to present - I have a few similar ones in my collection I didn't pay a lot for.

Adam P

[Simone]

Hi Adam,

Thank you so much for your offer of looking out for butterflies. They really are my passion, and one which started in my early teens. When I was 15 I got a Saturday job in Portobello Road and collected all the old butterfly brooches I could afford (they were all 25p at the time) - and the dealers used to save them till I got there at 7am to see which ones I liked before putting the remainder out on their stalls... in turn, I used to give them discounts on shirts and jeans.

As for the vase, I'm sure it's older, because I remember thinking how kitch it was - back in the 1950's... and they'd had it for a while then with all the accessories to match.  :?

I'm slowly going through the boxes I've stored things in to make more space and am putting everything on Ebay that I don't display or use.  
 
I found a lot of Victorian and art deco glass that I painted in the 70's, 80's and 90's that I got from different markets where they were selling them for about 10p at the time, but I don't know how to get the paint off...  :oops:

[David555]

Hi

Ref the Strathearn

I see Richard has given the seller all the information he needs to sell it for what it really is - generous as always ..... and why not.

I have been talking to the seller called Angus and well no one can explain it better than him (permission gviven to post)

"My father ran an art gallery in Cornwall in the 70's/80's. This and a Baccarat I sold last week were part of the stock that was bought for the gallery but were held onto as he always said they were not the norm. I knew nothing as I was only a wee lad. With the divorce of my parents and subsequent death of my mother my brother and I split the estate and he being disinterest in art wanted to sell them at local auction but I refused having seen some of the best pieces in the house go for 50pence. I have been holding them since in their boxes. I assumed it was a Baccarat due to the box. Your research and thoughts have been enlightening.

Yes please do get any of your friends or colleagues to contact me as I am interested as well as trying to sell the piece. It would be nice to think it is going to people that appreciate it. You can get me direct on ......." (email given but withheld)

I can't give his email - I will invite him to join the board


Adam P

[Connie]

I can't remember if Simone's high bid at 100 had met reserve.

The other bids look like 1 or 2 bidders seeking the reserve.  But if they had paid attention  and looked at the retracted bid history, they would have known the reserve  :roll:

[David555]

Hi

I put in the second bid after Simone but retracted it, I realised tactically that is not my way of bidding - I like to wait until the very end. I put in £150.00 and was then the highest bidder Fonter56 - at that point.

Since then someone (a usual suspect LOL) has put in a large bid, although the reserve has been met no one knows how much that second bidder is prepared to go to.

So a potential buyer has used two dormant but active names to test the water up to a certain level. It is perfectly legal and different from shill bidding on your own item. I see they have stopped at what is probably their limit - if it had gone to them, they would just retract the last bid - sounds a bit silly, but its some peoples way of finding out how hot an item is at a certain point, they may or may not be back later - I would say under their active name for sure.

I had this happening to me from time to time when I was eBaying, I can't say it annoyed me - it just caused fervour early on and the item usually sold really well.

That is my opinion anyway.

Simone - this was the Baccarat weight seller sold last week eBay_link

I see the s73 in question is at £175.00 now - 3 days still to go, I fear it is getting away from me.

btw - I wish he would join and we could see all his other weights    but that is up to him

Adam P

[David555]

Hi

They look like ghost (mirror) accounts - you can have as many as you want I guess and each attached to a different email address. I think the recent activity (bidding on same items, same seller) shows they are linked and used by an eBayer to test the water on items, why they have suddenly decided to bid up (test) on this paperweight when there is no other paperweight bidding in the 'bid history' is something we will probably never know - I have talked to eBay about this in the past and none of the activity is illegal unless you bid up your own items (shill bidding) - I am sure the seller of the s73 isn't doing this - he doesn't fit the profile and looking at the dates these accounts were created makes it pretty well impossible.
 
decobuster23  29-Nov-03  Present
sezzion9collector  04-Jul-04  Present  
 
I think they are mysterious accounts and there will probably be a lot more, I don't know if I would call them bad as I don't think they are affecting the outcome of the auction IMHO

I have asked eBay to investigate shill bidding accounts (other accounts used to bid up your own item to the reserve and then on to force the highest bidders limit after reserve is met) but they came back with ‘investigation found no impropriety’ (Ha!)

I am not bothered in this case as I am positive the seller is not responsible, that’s really all I worry about.

On another note - Kev – do you think the flea bite will affect future value of this item, I mean if I go bankrupt and have to sell all my worldly possessions?

I think I will ask the seller to send me a picture if he can

Adam P

[KevinH]

On another note - Kev – do you think the flea bite will affect future value of this item, I mean if I go bankrupt and have to sell all my worldly possessions?

Sadly, I am unable to divine the future. A flea-bite now affects the present assumed value according only to the perceptions of those interested in the item - but if it's unobtrusive on the base or low on the edge, it won't matter that much, except to those who only wish to own, or deal in, "perfect" items.

Who knows what the future will hold? I certainly don't. I had no idea yesterday that my car battery would be dead by this morning. And I also had no idea that I would not be able to remove the battery by myself and that I would therefore have to call out professional assistance.

Such is life ... one day at time ... that's the only way I can handle it comfortably.

[Simone]

As for bidders using "shadow" accounts... why can't they bid in their own names?

Isn't that a little bit shifty?

[David555]

Thanks Kev

I know you get asked these questions all the time LOL - it's just you know so much we can't help think of you as having supernatural qualities LOL - it is unfair to put pressure on you like that.

What ever the future holds - a thing will only ever be worth what a person is willing to pay for it at that time - even regardless of price guides and auction room prices - I have been buying and selling long enough to know that is true - I have a items (signed grey-stan) I tried to sell on eBay and zilch, yet look at the guides.

As you often say if it speaks to you buy it - so I have some thinking to do over the next three days

Simone - I agree ref the other accounts, many dealers do not have as much moral intergity as you - if someone is hyping their goods then all the better. Like you I used to block - but it is difficult to know after all they look like genuine accounts and I can't say no to all zero feedback bidders - the way I could tell was if they withdrew bids all the time like a cat and mouse game (bahhh)

I will ask the seller for pictures and see if he lets me post them on GMB - nice detailed ones of the weight with the base marks, and the flea-bite (I will give him full copyright), he can only say no!


Adam P