posted 09-16-2005 01:09 PM            

In my experience, eBay is as good a place as any (and better than many) to buy silver. One may not get a "steal" in terms of the price one pays, but if one has a sense of the genre of the items that one is bidding for, one will rarely go wrong. This is especially so where a "recognised" silver dealer is also in the bidding.

Of course, my comments presuppose that one has a basic knowledge of silver and that onbe will inspect hallmarks pre-purchase and, if necessary, ask the vendor questions - including requesting more and better pictures.

I have bought a number of items from eBay. I am far from displeased. I like Irish silver (and English too) but the retail price of Irish silver in Ireland is exorbitant - probably because of the economic boom here. (Do you know that Ireland is now one of the dearest places to live with one of the highest GDP in the world and with one of the highest standards of living is rated in the top 3 in the world - this is a late phenomenon due to what the economists refer to as the Celtic Tiger).

On eBay, one will certainly encounter competition and there are always buyers to bid against for whatever genre one wishes to collect, but the market is generally, not manic, and in my experience there is an opportunity to at least buy at a fair price. So, unless I REALLY KNEW that an item was worth, say, $500, I would not push up the bidding to that amount against an eBayer with, say, 2 purchases under their belt!

Members' comments on the foregoing would be appreciated.

Warm regards to all.

Tom

posted 09-16-2005 01:50 PM            

In seriousness, I too have found that Ebay is a good place for finding certain types of silver, particularly items that don't show up in the auctions and antique shops. I think the tendency to dismiss Ebay is sometimes due to people's discomfort with the electronic marketplace, and clearly there are risks. The considerations you have listed (being educated, knowing your competitors and doing your homework on sellers) are all key to the process. I have found that it has been worthwhile to regularly study the closed auctions to understand the market. I also found it helpful when I first started buying on Ebay to set a maximum that I felt comfortable losing outright, and did not go above that amount on any item. I now make exceptions to that amount if the item is being sold by someone that I have become comfortable with (either through past purchases or because of their sales history and inventory), but still stick to the maximum otherwise. My only negative experiences can largely be blamed on my own foolishness-not reading the descriptions adequately or not bothering to ask for more information.

posted 09-16-2005 02:02 PM            

We are ad idem (as us lawyers say). The only difference is I am a buyer for private purposes only; I buy for my collection and have not contemplated selling. An anecdote. Some months back I posted a photo of a fountain pen I purchased on said eBay. Czechlovakian from 1930. Paid euro100 and was offered euro700 by a retail pen shop in Dublin - I use it every dayt and wouldn't part with it for 2,000!

posted 09-17-2005 01:09 AM            

In years past, I would buy things because they were beautiful in the expectation that I would eventually find a buyer. Most of the time I would. But there were some things that I carried for years and years.

In the late 90's, when I finally gave up the show circuit for good, I still had a number of things I had been schlepping for over 20 years with no prospects in sight. On eBay I found ready buyers, and a number of them, in days. Patterns like Mystic, Aldine, Nenuphar and Raphael were suddenly saleable.

This cuts the heart out of the dealer system. The old time dealer sat with things for years waiting for the right person to come along. Now via eBay, that person can appear in days.

posted 09-17-2005 04:46 PM            

As a curator, it would be difficult for me to buy on Ebay, simply because anything that was a major purchase would be impossible without being able to handle it. The odd sugar tongs or rare NJ spoon might be OK, because you can see a lot in pictures, and even ignoramuses can describe things and answer questions. Of course, there are fine and knowledgeable dealers who offer things on Ebay; but I'd use this as a way to contact them and pursue a purchase in a more orthodox manner (for a museum, remember).

posted 09-21-2005 02:27 PM            

I too have bought many items but do so with Tom Mockaitt's advice of bid only if you are prepared to accept you have bought a fake. I watch closely, but have not to date been tempted by more expensive items, for the common sense reason that the more expensive they are, the more likely it is that it is worth someone's while to fake them.

I look forward to more responses.

Kind regards,

posted 09-21-2005 05:08 PM            

As a full time dealer and part time collector, I find, that currently, I get my best buys on ebay by bidding on items that have a 2 line description and one semi focused photo.

Usually, the listing says "probably silverplated" and the photo is of a handful of spoons or forks. My imagination kicks into high gear. English marks.. perhaps Paul Storr?.. "Doesn't say sterling, but has a name". What! What name?.. But you don't dare ask. When you ask they either don't respond, ask a friend to bid it up, or god forbid pull it and list the reason as "mislisted" .

Using the maxim, "you get what you pay for", I never bid more than I would spend on a blind date ($35.). And in a sense, bidding like this is like being set up on a blind date. A vague description and in this case an out of focus photo (rather than a photo taken 10 years ago) and "voila"... What could go wrong?

Now in my favor, I have kissed a number of frogs (on ebay) and most of them have been keepers. The ones that I have come up short on, end up at the mall, or given to chairity.

A little more later on the "touchy feelee" vs "virtual" shopping.

posted 02-09-2014 06:28 AM            

Regarding ebay - I collect, and have never sold anything. I have had a few good buy on ebay. And I love to scroll among the fine and expensive silver. Most of it I would not buy but I like to see. Also sometimes I write to a seller explaining what he has.

I hate one thing - ebay is sellers - me as a buyer is treaded as a nessasary evill. Unwanted but nessasary. Sellers are permitted to stop auktions - where I am highest bitter - no reason at all, they just remove item. That has happened to me - and i swer that I never will bit Again.
I hate when I put a max bit. Say 10$ or £. The highest bitter is 1$ I put a max bit of 10 and I am highest bitter with 2$ Now I would like to reduce my max bit to say 3$ but no no. The 10$ cannot be redrawn. WHY whats the problem? I would stick to my highest bit of 2 - but no no as a buyer I cannot reduce. But only wait for someone to bit against me. Or seller to descide that he cancel.

If you think 10$ is nothing - add 00 yourself. Principle is the same.

Regarding the seller I have been in contact. Fine people, most are on ebay for the fun of it.

I have bought way to expensive silver. but Again where to find 2 spoons dated 1681. They where Danish and I just had to have them.

I have bought (my first purchase) a punch spoon baleen with silver tip and 2 coins for making bowl. Very good Price a fine buy.

I bought a Danish baroque beaker - 1750ties - to expensive, but I got an idea of what Price would I pay Next.

I bought a German schlangenhaut becker. Misdescribed as much newer than actually was. On sale a few times before I descided to give a bit. Also 1750ties and prices in the lowest end I ever has seen one. No interest and when I finely descided to buy I was the only one. I have had it on my observation list for 3 auktions before purchase.

ebay - is good scrolling. You get an idea of pricelevel. And you can see good items.
I know what I want & I have never met a dishonest seller.

BUT I HATE the sellers that redraw their items.
And I HATE the not being able to REDRAW my max bit. WHY should I not have that option? as long as I remain the highest bitter.

I request more balance between the seller as customer of ebay. And me being the only reason that sellers are customers of ebay.

posted 02-10-2014 09:15 PM            

As for Ebay, I have to agree on the nature of purchasing; I rarely buy silver there. I have, however, resurrected my selling efforts, and have been able to move some of my much too large collection of single coin spoons.

posted 02-10-2014 10:20 PM            

But if you hunt patiently, especially among the grandma's attic stuff, you can find nice things for melt value or less. I found some excellent sets of 18th century sugar tongs sold as silver plate, some very nice aesthetic period calling card cases and perfume/vinaigrette flasks and oyster forks and demitasse spoons sold for melt value, and so on.

posted 04-22-2015 03:28 PM            

I think my biggest beef with ebayers is that they don't take the correct pictures. I want pictures of marks on the bottom or on the rim of the boxes if they are English. I also want to see the condition of the inside of the box. I like as many images as they will provide so I'm assured nothing is a mystery.