October 2, 1998
Greetings Accumulators!
Summer's definitely over in NYC. It's not exactly
chilly, but we didn't
make it to 70 degrees today.
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF THIS IS WHY I WAS WARNING YOU
Here's a great example of what kinds of fraud is
possible using eBay and
other online auctions. A Collector from Canada won
a rare 1960s Barbie
doll on an online auction, paying $1,800 for it.
He/she claims it arrived
without hair, and is suing the seller for breach of
contract. The seller
has posted feedback at the auction stating that the
buyer tried to dye the
doll's hair, which made it fall out, and has refused
to refund the money.
With $200,000 at stake, it will be interesting to
see what happens in
court. Either one of two scams could be taking
place, and either one of
these individuals could be the culprit. I wrote
about all of this in my
article, "Judith's Laws Of Online Auction Commerce", an article that
could save you some money and some heartache. To
read it, go to Judith's Laws Of Online Auction Commerce.
BUT, WHO'S WEARING THEM NOW? DEPARTMENT
The Huntington Library of San Marino, CA is mounting
one of the most
extensive exhibits ever on the life of George
Washington. Entitled, "The
Great Experiment: George Washington and The American
Republic", it will
continue through May 30, 1999, after which it will
move to The Pierpont
Morgan Library in New York City. The exhibit will
include personal
manuscripts, letters and portraits that trace
Washington's development from
frontiersman to general to president. Washington was
part and parcel of
"the great experiment", the attempt to create the
first successful
republican government. Among the factoids brought
forth through the show
are these: Washington became a landholder at age 11,
when his father died.
His inheritance was tiny, so he successfully made
his own way in the world,
relying on ambition and strength of character. As a
soldier in the King's
Army, he became an internationally known hero in the
French and Indian War,
but complained bitterly of his treatment while in
the service. The exhibit
looks to be interesting and thorough. And the
famous wooden dentures will
show up during the last three months of the exhibit.
For more information,
call (626)405-2141.
REPRODUCTION ROUNDUP
Some current reproductions hitting the market:
Insulators: plastic copies of old glass insulators are being produced by a company called Impostulators. They're at this site. Remember plastic is lighter than glass, and feels warmer to the touch.
Old fruit and vegetable can labels: Many are being sold glued onto cans. Made by Desperate Enterprises, 620 E. Smith Rd, Medina, OH.
Hatpins: There are reproductions of Victorian ones everywhere, and lots of people are making their own by gluing everything from old buttons to costume earrings on pin shafts. Examine carefully before buying. A mail order catalog is selling the Victorian ones. Victorian Papers, (800)800-6647.
R.S. Prussia porcelains: Chinese and Japanese reproductions are on the market. Look for chocolate sets, bells, covered eggs and hatpin holders.
Okay, Accumulators, time to sign off. Artie and I
will be spending the
weekend with our dear friends, the Fergusons. We'll
be attending another
auction at our favorite auction house in
Cuddebackville, NY.
You may not hear from me next week, Accumulators.
For those of you
panicked the last time I skipped a Newsletter, and
assumed I had died,
please don't worry. I'm just leaving for San Diego
on Tuesday, along with
my beloved sister, Evelyn (yup, just the two of us.
Look out,
California!), to see our brother and sister-in-law,
and meet the newest
addition to our family. Even though writing to you
is a very pleasurable
thing for me, if Miranda Lauren is one tenth as cute
as she looks in the
photos my brother keeps sending us, there won't be a
newsletter while I'm
gone. You understand, I'm sure. I promise to write
when I get back,
though. Have a great weekend, Accumulators. Happy
hunting!
Best,
Judith
© 1998 Judith Katz-Schwartz. All rights reserved.
Antiques and Collectibles Newsletter #59
U.S. Library of Congress
ISSN 1520-4464
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your comments, as always, are welcome. If you have something to say, write to me.
you like, I'll subscribe you to the free short weekly email newsletter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RETURN TO INDEX OF NEWSLETTERS
TWIN BROOKS HOME PAGE
© 1999 Judith Katz-Schwartz. All rights reserved.