The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I too had sent the seller an email during the auction with no reply. I live within a moderate driving distance, and even though I had doubts I thought I would take a chance with a modest bid....then figure out a safe way to pay and pick up if I were the winning bidder. I ended up being the 2nd underbidder, and earlier today received a 2nd chance offer.... to my surprise properly sent through the ebay message center. The duration of the 2nd chance offer was 5 days. Believing something wasn't right and having even more doubts, I replied I was interested in pursuing the sale if I could arrange for pick up. Within a couple of hours of my reply expressing interest, the seller cancelled my 2nd chance offer. Although the 2nd chance offer was sent properly through ebay, I'm now certain this was a scam.

David Boruff

One last thing I just discovered....below is a link to the original auction where the GG offered on ebay sold in 2005. Ebay description and pics were lifted from the 2005 sale.

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/1036052

David

Like I said, NO DOUBT this was a scam. Very easy to spot. So now this scumbag is trying to see how many he can dupe into sending Western Union checks.

Glad to hear you didn't lose any money David.

I had hunted for a previous sale from which this might have been listed but failed to find it. Thanks for finding the evidence. I only hope that some poor collector hasn't been scammed out of $5300.............. If I'd found that link earlier I would have reported the auction to eBay as fraud.

As for the 'second offer,' if (as I'm sure happened) the "seller" phished a dormant but legitimate account, he could easily send messages through eBay. He now owns the stolen account of someone inactive for almost 3 years.

I am sorry that it proved to be scam. Nevertheless, if I have the opportunity to pick up an item personally, I will take the risk.

briankeith wrote:A great machine at a great price - that's the free market at its best.

... at its best perhaps if you're buying, but I don't think a seller/owner would necessarily agree. I should think that such wild fluctuation in pricing - when the same thing sells one day for half what it sells for the next - is hardly emblematic of any market functioning at its best.

Nice detective work, Dave! I guess this was one of those "unforeseen surprises" that I worried about. Too bad - it would have made a great story for some lucky buyer.

Unlikely bargains (genuine ones) do occasionally pop up on eBay. An 1896 Amet Echophone sold for just over $900 ten days ago.

George P.

phonogfp wrote: Unlikely bargains (genuine ones) do occasionally pop up on eBay. An 1896 Amet Echophone sold for just over $900 ten days ago.

George P.

Yes, and also a weighted feed screw, brass mandrel Edison Home serial number 981 went for 350 dollars back in October.

Good detective work everyone. I was the under bidder on this machine, and you've all fit the pieces together perfectly. The machine's pictures and description were stolen from a previous auction, as well as the "sellers" ebay idea was stolen. It seems as though every bidder was given a second chance offer. About a month ago another GG sold on ebay I was also the under bidder on that. It was an attic find, and a steal at about $5,600. I have yet to hear any bad reports on that sale so i believe that sale went through legitimately. I thought this was my second chance at a very beautiful machine. Wish i won the first one!

Aaron

Well,I'm sorry you didn't get a GG -- it's a great machine -- but I'm very glad you didn't get scammed out of some significant money. Keep hunting!