Last week I posted a notice about restoration work I was doing for two
separate clients who had brought improperly linenbacked posters they had
bought off Ebay. I pointed out that this was two separate buyers from two
different sellers on Ebay. I described what I believed to be questionable
if not archivally incorrect procedures and certainly substandard restoration
I have received several private emails asking for the names of the sellers
and who did the restoration work. I discussed this with friend who is a
collector as well as an attorney and he suggested that if I put forth any
names I might as well dump my restoration studio and open a pan-Asian
restaurant and call it SoSueMe.
If I was in court as a sworn reliable witness I could relate what I knew
about the client buying history but all of that would be hearsay. I could
be quite specific about the condition and archival quality of the posters
that were brought to me for restoration. The poster on my restoration table
is much like an autopsy body and I am the medical examiner. In both cases
the so called linen backing was a hack job and the restoration looked like
5th grade art class.
But otherwise, hey, Ebay quite cleary makes a point of buyer beware. It is
after all the biggest garage sale in the world. The sellers on Ebay are
learning the jive. If the description says, "some tape on the back," that
could mean 3 different types of tape on all folds. "Slightly lesser"
condition could mean it was once soaked in water and dined on by silverfish.
"Rare style" could be a Mexican or Australian product. Digital enhancing
can turn an impossibly browned poster into a nice white presentation. The
vivid descriptions and cyber backup have indeed created an entire new way of
selling and buying. Not too much different from the old days of snake oil
and carney hackers.
Ebay is still the game and as I suggested to my clients, if it looks too
good to be true then it probably isn't! But if you want something specific
ask the seller with copy back to you. If the seller does not respond or or
does not answer the question to your satisfaction--then pass.
Danny / Seattle
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