david Chamberlain Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 Got another email from the fellow and he's sending me add'l close-up photos. He bought one of the End of Day marbles from Alan and the others he picked up at antique shops/events where he lives nr. the border of Switzerland and Germany and they were in groups of other obviously antique marbles. He also stated that there is no market for contemporary marbles where he lives. I'll email the email to you; that much I actually know how to do! I suggested that he Post the add'l photos directly to the Marble Board because it appears that he has been enjoying our back 'n' forth about the auction. The guy sounds like a straight shooter. I did tell him that the only problem he is probably going to have is in the area of condition definition. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david Chamberlain Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 Thanks Big John. I am going to study this over the coming year. First though since my printer is out of Ink Cartridges I will write down each of the ten steps so that I won't have to go back 'n' forth in an effort to remember what the next step is considering my limited mental memory bank(s). I really can talk the talk but when it comes to the hands on tech side I am well nigh useless. Put me out in the wood shed hand sawing and splitting wood I can go for hours but present me with computer technicalities and I go into lock down. I am duly impressed with your Lesson Plan. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JVVmarbles Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 The cloud he bought from Marble Alan is actually a very famous marble! It's on the cover of Everett Grist's Big Book of Marbles! See: It's just above the leather marble bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david Chamberlain Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 Well, I'll be hog-tied! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmuehlba Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 Here is David's picture he received I made it smaller any one wants the big one just ask . will try and add the larger size first and it was to big so here it is smaller . Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swissmarble Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 Hi everybody I think it is time to jump in here. I am the starter of this auction. And as somebody earlier already guessed, it is not my intention to sell it (I put a ridiculous high reserve on it). There are several reasons I started the auction: - I am sitting here in Switzerland with almost no idea how good my collection is compared with other collections. - I didn't know if there are any other collectors in Europe and hoped they would contact me (what worked out - Hi Jeroen !) - I somehow got bored because there are so many ordinary marbles on ebay lately and I thought it would be intersting to see the reactions if a collection like this is listed. And yes, the reactions are worth the $ 55.00 I had to pay for the listing - it was not a free listing !) - I hoped it will encourage others to put some nice marbles on ebay too, because it's just nice to see some great marbles there from time to time. - I picked up this nice display case lately and was so pleased with the photos - I wondered for how much this part of my collection will go. - And last but not least I wanted to prove that there are some nice collections outside the US too (for all these sellers who just sell to US Bidders...) Well, I now really hope that nobody is mad at me. If soo, sorry. If you still want to see pictures from the pointils of the end-of-day marbles I will gladly try to upload some the following days. Now go ahead and me Greetings from Switzerland Ron PS: The item location is "Weil, Germany" because that is the town in Germany I usually send my parcels from (I live right at the boarder and it's much cheaper to send parcels from Germany) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 Hello Ron. Welcome. You sure know how to get someone's attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sissydear Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 You could have posted them here free. Edna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swissmarble Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 Hi Edna Yes, you are right, but I didn't know about this board then But hey, it was like throwing a stone in a wasp's nest... but I will not do it again, promise. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sissydear Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 Glad to have you here, Ron. Edna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JVVmarbles Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 Welcome Ron! Good to see another European collector here! Best regards, Jeroen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Marbles Posted December 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 Ron, You sure have some eye catching marbles. How long have you been collecting??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mswitzer3 Posted December 21, 2010 Report Share Posted December 21, 2010 im high bidder at 15,2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swissmarble Posted December 21, 2010 Report Share Posted December 21, 2010 Ron, You sure have some eye catching marbles. How long have you been collecting??? Hi Mark, thanks. I started collecting back in primary school, I always played and traded for these swirls because they looked different from the marbles I had. But of course these marbles were very well used and pretty beaten up, but it was a start. And I always kept them, they were a real tresure for me in childhood. During the time I was able to get some more at local antique fairs and flea markets, but not the real good stuff. This came with the internet and ebay, but of course you also have to pay for it there. So from time to time I when I have to occasion I try to add something special to my collection. I am 41 now, that means I have been collecting for about 33 years now. But the marbles on the photos are all from the past ten years. Have a nice day and happy holidays. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swissmarble Posted December 21, 2010 Report Share Posted December 21, 2010 im high bidder at 15,2 Hi, you have about 2% of the reserve then...... Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba1 Posted December 21, 2010 Report Share Posted December 21, 2010 (that would be about $750,000ish then....) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swissmarble Posted December 21, 2010 Report Share Posted December 21, 2010 (that would be about $750,000ish then....) Yeah, about.. I said I don't want to sell it and if Bill Gates suddenly decides to start collecting marbles I am in trouble Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swissmarble Posted December 21, 2010 Report Share Posted December 21, 2010 (that would be about $750,000ish then....) sorry, I posted the message twice by mistake ---> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david Chamberlain Posted December 22, 2010 Report Share Posted December 22, 2010 I was just thinking that it would be a kind gesture to the people who are sincerely bidding in this auction and would greatly desire to own them if you ponied-up about what was actually going on and brought the auction to a close. There's a certain cruelty to what is transpiring. It would seem to me from the information you have received and how matters have so far progressed that you would have to have reached some surmise although I can't imagine how you can reconcile the lots value based on the world of difference between your stated description of NM to Mint and your later information about so many of the larger swirls and onionskins having dings and hits. You'd do best to take a blind stab at potential value or pick up a marble auction catalog with realized prices from one of the reputable Auction Houses (Morphy's). I hate to put it this way but your auction is a bit of a sham! David Chamberlain Edit: You even have people on Facebook talking about your auction as if it were the greatest thing to have ever come down the pike..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted December 22, 2010 Report Share Posted December 22, 2010 Ron wrote: Hi everybody I think it is time to jump in here. I am the starter of this auction. And as somebody earlier already guessed, it is not my intention to sell it (I put a ridiculous high reserve on it). There are several reasons I started the auction: David wrote: I was just thinking that it would be a kind gesture to the people who are sincerely bidding in this auction and would greatly desire to own them if you ponied-up about what was actually going on and brought the auction to a close. <snipped> I hate to put it this way but your auction is a bit of a sham! David Chamberlain Edith: You even have people on Facebook talking about your auction as if it were the greatest thing to have ever come down the pike..... David, Ron has already "ponied up". Calling his auction a "sham" now is restating in a rather harsh way what Ron has already explained to us. There seems no malice in the event. Ron doesn't owe Facebook posters or eBayers anything other than to follow through with the sale if someone does meet the reserve. He paid $55 for the listing. I don't see anything wrong with him letting it ride. I guess if he gets the feeling that the marble collectors of the world will somehow unite and hold this against him forever he might decide to pull it. My thought though is that he got our attention in a very effective way and I can hardly wait to see more of his marbles when he has time to share them with us. Oh and if someone did offer him $750,000 then wow. What a delicious dilemma to have that kind of money to restart ones collection ... or pay off a mortgage ... or whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted December 22, 2010 Report Share Posted December 22, 2010 p.s. Ron said he was willing to let people him, so I don't suppose he needs me stepping in. I am just a little confused to see you seem to accuse him of something which he already confessed to, as if there were more he needed to "come clean" about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted December 22, 2010 Report Share Posted December 22, 2010 Another case of some folks taking things way to serious. I can imagine a million things worse than someone having an auction on ebay with a ridiculously high reserve. And so what if folks bid and do not win. Good grief David, you really need to get out and smell some roses. Or do you just need a hug?, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david Chamberlain Posted December 22, 2010 Report Share Posted December 22, 2010 By the way, that "Edith" mistake was meant to be "Edit:" Duh. I'll go back and correct that. Yes, he has told us what is going on but the people who are bidding on eBay don't have the foggiest idea of what is happening unless they were eBay wise enough to do the trick of Bidding a ridiculous amount and then withdrawing it. And they are wasting their time in an auction of dubious marble condition during the Christmas Holiday and probably doing a major budgetary reorientation to pull this off. I realize that eBay is a major pitfall for marble collectors but this just compounds the mistrust that exists there already. I don't think 'sham' is too harsh a word and I did indicate that I hated to state it as such. The idea of $750,000 is, of course, pure fantasy, not that I don't Day Dream occasionally. Mine is a dig uncovering a metal box with gold coins. So far I've only found the occasional Mercury Dime, Buffalo Nickel, Indian Head, etc. Otherwise I find Ron to be a perfect pleasant chap but I'm afraid going at this in the wrong way and he has the opportunity now to bring it to a close and I see nothing wrong with suggesting it. David P.S. Re your add'l Post Steph. Ron has not confessed to the people on eBay unless you know something I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted December 22, 2010 Report Share Posted December 22, 2010 P.S. Re your add'l Post Steph. Ron has not confessed to the people on eBay unless you know something I don't know. Why does he need to? He put a reserve on it. If no one meets it, no sale. If someone does meet it, then hopefully he'll honor the sale. He has no other obligation. That's how auctions with reserves work. No foul has been committed. Edit to add: oh my gosh, if anyone is including that auction as part of their Christmas budget then wow. Doesn't seem prudent. Christmas Holiday Hug for David. And Edith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david Chamberlain Posted December 22, 2010 Report Share Posted December 22, 2010 I guess we will just have to agree to disagree about this one. The way I see it is that he put up for Auction marbles under false pretenses. He put up for Auction marbles that he has no intention of selling. His Reserve is ludicrous. Just because he's a nice guy doesn't mean that it is any less unfair what he has perpetrated on an unsuspecting marble collecting public. I just don't understand how this is so difficult to grasp. Also no matter what the Auction goes to it is not going to tell him squat about the true value of his marbles considering the disparity in the matter of condition as has so clearly been established in this back 'n' forth(Dings and hits sound pretty serious to me). David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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