FROM A DEALERS OR COLLECTORS POINT OF VIEW GOOD TRUSTED CONNECTIONS OR HAVING HANDS ON THE ITEMS IS TRULY THE BEST WAY TO GO. ONLINE AUCTIONS ARE A RISK AND OFTEN THE PICTURES ARE TAKEN BY AMATEURS OR TOO SMALL SO NO GOOD ASSESSMENT CAN BE MADE. THE COST OF SHIPPING IS OFTEN HIGH USUALLY BECAUSE OF HIGH SHIPPING CHARGES BUT SOMETIMES MADE INTENTIONALLY HIGH BY THE SELLER TO BEAT EBAY OUT OF SOME CASH AND ENHANCE THEIR PROFIT. IN THE EARLY DAYS OF EBAY MOST DEALERS DID NOT BID BUT SOON HIGH END ETHNO ART GALLERY DEALERS GOT IN THE GAME AND LATER SOME AUCTION HOUSES AS WELL. ONE PARTICULAR AUCTION STOCKS UP REGULARLY AND IS EITHER OWNED BY OR EBAY OR OWNS IT ? I OFTEN AM OUT BID ON A RARE ITEM AND LATER SEE IT ON THEIR AUCTIONS PRICED WAY OUT OF MY RANGE . THEY ALSO BUY UP ITEMS AND PUT THEM TOGETHER AS A NICELY DISPLAYED COLLECTION FOR SALE IN NATURAL HISTORY AUCTIONS. ITS FUN TO LOOK EVEN IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO BID , OFTEN THERE ARE SOME UNIQUE
ITEMS.
AUCTION HOUSES HAVE GOTTEN GREEDY WITH THEIR COMMISSIONS AS THEY CHARGE BOTH SELLER AND BUYER. IF ITS 25% FOR EACH THEY TAKE HOME HALF OF THE MONEY FOR EACH ITEM. ITEMS THEY BUY ON EBAY AND PLACE HIGH RESERVES AND ESTIMATES ON ALSO LINE THEIR POCKETS AND STILL BRING IN A 20 TO 25 % COMMISSION FROM THE BUYER AS WELL.
THE ITEMS I BID ON IN THIS AUCTION WERE INCOMPLETE BUT RARE AND WITH SOME PROVENANCE.THEY WENT HIGH FOR INCOMPLETE ITEMS BUT REASONABLE IF THEY HAD BEEN COMPLETE. I HOPED THAT DEALERS OR HIGH END COLLECTORS WOULD NOT WANT THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT COMPLETE. BUT SOMEONE EVEN FINDS THE CRUMBS TASTY
EBAY HAS BEEN GOOD FOR ME AND I HAVE ONLY GOT SCAMMED AND BURNED TWO TIMES AND NOT FOR A LOT OF MONEY. MOST ITEMS I WIN ON EBAY THESE DAYS ARE LOW END ITEMS OR NOT OLD ANTIQUES BUT ARE AT A FAIR PRICE. THERE ARE FEW ITEMS AT THE LOCAL GUN SHOWS SO EBAY AT LEAST LETS ME KEEP MY HAND IN AT COLLECTING AND I OCCASIONALLY GET A GOOD TREASURE.
