January 30, 1999
Greetings Accumulators!
Having been flat on my back with the flu all week, I am happy to be back
amongst the living this morning, so that I could type with you.
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CHANUKAH WITH MONICA
Media of every stripe have been rife with Monica sitings, as the notorious
Ms. Lewinsky enjoyed a sociable holiday season at various New York
hotspots, accompanied by, alternately, her mother, her ghostwriter and her
bodyguard. The tabloids simply amused themselves by reporting what and how
much she ate. But, what about the other patrons in all the trendy
restaurants, bars and clubs patronized by La Lewinsky? Well, some of them
just stared, others surely must have jeered (there's no underestimating the
capacity for bad taste and bad behavior of some folks), and still others,
thinking ahead no doubt, were busy lifting a souvenir or two. The New York
Post reports that Lewinsky paid for her drinks one evening at the Soho
Grand Hotel with an American Express card, and that someone at the next
table swiped the credit card receipt, presumably with her signature on it.
I imagine that item might be a hot commodity right now, but thirty years
hence, most people, when offered such an item for purchase, will respond by
furrowing a brow and saying, "Monica Who?".
MAKING SURE YOUR NAME STAYS BEFORE THE PUBLIC DEPARTMENT
Oh dear. Such sturm und drang. eBay and other online auction venues,
while pulling in millions in business every day, have been pulling in
something a great deal less desirable - con artists and frauds. This is
not news to us, is it Accumulators? But the media, especially television
news programs, have been floating the story that the City of New York has
been "investigating Ebay for fraud". Puh-leeze! No one who knows anything
about how the online auction houses work would accuse any of them of
fraudulent practices. The truth is that fraud is happening, but that eBay
and the others are not party to it.
The nature of the marketplace is such that con men can hide behind the
anonymity of the computer screen (just like those nasty people who snipe at
each other in chat rooms or newsgroups), and honest people have been their
vistims. But the auction houses themselves have been working to protect
their customers against the cons (and also, let's be perfectly honest, to
protect themselves against liability - see eBay's newly revised User
Agreement), and have cooperated fully with all investigations. So, where's
the news? Well, for one thing, the FBI is now involved in the
investigation - a good sign I think, that the government is taking the
situation seriously. And for another, there's a message to us all that
television execs, as purveyors of an occupier of your time and arbiter of
your taste, are getting a bit nervous as they see you spending more and
more time in front of the PC screen instead of their screen. So, it is to
their advantage to make that brave new world seem treacherous. I say
buckle up your seat belts, folks. It's going to be a bumpy night. Stay
tuned.
I STAND CORRECTED
In an earlier newsletter I reported that Sotheby's.com was about to become
the first traditional auction house to launch an online auction venue.
Fellow Accumulator Reyne Hogan of www.justglass.com was kind enough to let
me know that Butterfield and Butterfield beat them to the keyboard, having
joined forces with Live Bid (www.livebid.com) some weeks ago. While we're
on the subject, I must tell you that Sotheby's has announced their new
online auction venue will concentrate on the "lower end" of the market,
dealing in items under $10,000. Those of us in the deep trash pit of the
market (WAY under $10,000 per item) think that's amusing.
WHAT'S HOT
Women's history items, especially suffrage items
Beauty product advertising items
Cameos
Star Wars collectibles
Lalique
So, Accumulators, I'm looking forward to seeing the outside world again.
Tonight Artie and I are planning to attend an auction by Roberson's
Auctions in Pine Bush, New York (highly recommended, not just for the high
calibre of their merchandise, but for their honesty and charm as well).
You bundle up (or not) and have a great weekend. Happy Hunting!
Best,
Judith
© 1999 Judith Katz-Schwartz. All rights reserved.
Antiques and Collectibles Newsletter #71
U.S. Library of Congress
ISSN 1520-4464
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