Amberola III on eBay - a new Twist

[Raphael]

I've been buying & selling on eBay for almost 15 years. From personal experience, there is absolutely nothing eBay will do when a seller refuses to honor a deal. Just recently, I "bought" an item for $9,500, paid it in full via PayPal, and waited over 3 weeks for delivery, which was repeatedly promised during that time. Then the seller said he didn't like my attitude (?) and canceled the deal. And guess what, he immediately relisted the item for $14,500. Yes, I did get a refund, but my money was tied up for a month and eBay would do nothing. This happens to me about once or twice a year, and from long experience I have found out that it's easier to move on to another deal rather than convince the knuckleheads at eBay to do the right thing and either require the seller to honor the deal or be suspended.

[Lucius1958]

I don't use eBay for pretty obvious reasons........

Can this seller be reported?

[Larry Hawes]

Get the refund and walk. Put it out of your mind if possible. After 16 years on eBay things happen. Most folks are good and reasonable people. Those that are not do not deserve your thoughts. My two cents which in Canada would be worth nothing! Hawes

[Bill Cahill]

I have reproted dishonest dealers to ebay several times, and, they clearly don't give a rttt's .................
I remember well a few years ago a crook had an obviously home made "rare original Edison outsied horn disk machine " for sale.
It reeked false. It wouldn't even play records because the short plumbing pipe didn't even reach the back of the turntable spindle.
It was in a glass case with ball feet, and, a motor from a thirties portable.
It had a coroded brass tag on top that read something like, "Edison phonograph made by the edison phonographk and, graphophone companny of west orange, New Jersey, the United states of Amererica".
The musical note Edison reproducer tried to mimmich his signature. Would you believt that sucker sold for well over four thousand dollars??
I tried telling ebay it was a fake. They ignored me. Somebody really got screwed on that one.
Bill Cahill

[Valecnik]

Here it is-listed whole:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VERY-Rare-Ediso ... 23295da647

Amberola III.jpg

amberola III...jpg

Now the description reads, "complete working Edison amberola III WITH CASE." Generous to actually throw in the case this time.... but hey, it's all in one piece.

[Skihawx]

With the hoopla I wonder if the Amberola will get bid?? I will be curiously watching.

[Lucius1958]

With the hoopla I wonder if the Amberola will get bid?? I will be curiously watching.

If the page could be inundated with comments (on the order of "THIS SELLER IS NOT TO BE TRUSTED")......?

Bill

[barnettrp21122]

Well, the Ebay listing's over with no one bidding.
What next, I wonder?
The machine's worth a good deal, but not $3500.00 with a refinished cabinet, IMO.
B.

[TinfoilPhono]

I predict either of two things. Either the seller goes back to the original buyers, whose completed transactions she canceled, and begs to reinstate them -- which would be incredibly cheeky of her -- or she once again breaks it into pieces and relists them, where they are very unlikely to fetch the same prices they did in the first round. In either case, she will come out a loser. And the world will lose a nice antique since I think it's a given the cabinet will be firewood.

In my opinion, had she not been so arrogant in the first place, and put a reasonable starting bid on the complete machine, things would have worked out positively for everyone.

[FellowCollector]

but not $3500.00 with a refinished cabinet

I could not agree more with you. In fact, even with an original cabinet finish $3500 is outrageous (IMHO) for an Amberola III. I would be surprised if bidding reached $2500 for this if it were relisted at a competitive starting price of, say $1500. It's a nice machine without a doubt but come on, $3500? But who can blame the seller for testing the waters with a high starting price just to see if anyone bites. I thought it was odd also that the seller never included "Amberola" in the listing title. Lots of people looking for "Amberola" in their eBay search might not even find it. As I recall the listing title read "...Edison Diamond Model B 111...". An odd title for this item indeed and not really accurate.

Doug