The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Well, thank you, John - I should know better than that.
I grew up in Vermont near the Bowl Factory in Granville, VT. They manufactured the BEST quarter-sawn oak for many years - will update the listing.
Hey kids, I can change anything until somebody makes a bid ! Keep talkin'. !
Thank you,
Heather

You might see that I did lower the opener a tad - we'll see how she goes.

and...Jerry - I have been listing on eBay for many years. Absolute honesty is the only way to keep the best rating and reputation.
When I know that the market is strong for something (a rare papier mache doll or antique lace shawl).. I can start nice and low which generates a lot of fun bidding.
When it is an item with a narrow market, my opening bid actually acts as a sort of extra bidder in the auction. It helps to educate the clients and manage their expectations. My stories and history also helps to raise customer awareness, and thus their willingness to pay the opening price.
THEN - if the item doesn't move in the first week to 10 days, I'll re-post it as a BuyItNow - at the opening number I already set - and let educated or hopeful consumers make offers..
So - with this listing, I jumped the gun a little with the opening price...but no harm done... your feedback in this forum helped me to manage the customer's expectations as to what they can actually do with this Victor E. We'll see if they bite - and maybe I got you all a prospective client to re-fit it!
(Even as a Vermonter, I now can say 'you-all' cause I reside in Asheville NC)
Best,
Heather

Well, heavenly days - a bidder in Italy opening the bidding at $580.
Seems he buys gemstones, fossils and sneakers. Go figure. I guess this qualifies as a fossil. It certainly can be argued that it's a gem. Gee, might be tough to have to get this thing safely to Italy.

Thank you for all your assistance to date!

Smiles,
Heather

I can stand the "Tiger Oak" description, it's at least understandable. What drives me crazy is the amount of sellers who can't identify mahogany- "Cherry" is what they usually call it. Still, I guess real mahogany furniture has been absent from furniture stores so many years that the average person might be pardoned being clueless.

I had a woodworker friend as a neighbor once - when I had an antique store in Vermont. I usually asked him to identify the type of wood in new pieces as they arrived in my shop. He was singularly unhelpful - usually seemed to type the wood based on the age of the item. We had wonderful millwork in our 1914 house in that town - built by a local carpenter - it appeared to be butternut, according to my neighbor (it grew locally when our home was built). That was a fun ID, but one of the few I think he got right.

estott wrote:I can stand the "Tiger Oak" description, it's at least understandable. What drives me crazy is the amount of sellers who can't identify mahogany- "Cherry" is what they usually call it. Still, I guess real mahogany furniture has been absent from furniture stores so many years that the average person might be pardoned being clueless.

ikeawood is pretty easy to spot.

I think the best is "Fruitwood" which meant any bland wood with a spotty brown finish. It was one step above the soft pine stuff stained mediterranian brown, which was one step above particle board.

ikeawood is pretty easy to spot. [/quote]


Yeah, they call it particle board. Just tap it with your finger and it falls apart.

I used to go to a local auction and people would often call out from the audience asking what type of wood was the object being sold. Without fail the auctioneer would reply "treewood". I loved his answer.

This ebay seller describes a mahogany Silvertone machine as "Chestnut colored"
http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-Silvertone- ... 4156921b81