Several days ago, I started watching an item on eBay. Not just any item, mind you. It was a wish list
item...a Rosenthal Studio Line
Porcelaine Noire kingfisher by Tapio Wirkkala. I already have one in white, and I've been on the lookout for its black mate at a reasonable price. For a few days, I thought I had found it.
Then, as so often happens, the price went up drastically in the last hours of bidding and sold for more than triple my bid. In my opinion, the high bidder considerably overpaid...or just wanted it more than I did.
The search continues.
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| ebay.com - hoboro99 |
Oh what a lovely piece..what a pity you missed it.....I haven't seen this one before. Studio Linie had such wonderful pieces. Hope you get one soon...eBay auctions can be such hair-raising things! often bargains, and at the other end often too much paid:)
ReplyDeleteYes, often people see something they like and don't research the going price. They get caught up in the excitement of the auction and keep raising their bids. I generally decide days before the auction ends exactly what my top dollar is and rarely raise my bid, no matter what. That makes me lose a lot of auctions, but it almost guarantees eventually getting the item at a good price. :)
DeleteI've had a lot of searches that ended like that, but I agree that you somehow end up with an iten at a good price. There must be a moral lesson somewhere. ( :
ReplyDeleteIt definitely pays to ask around or do your due diligence online and find what the going price is. I was all set to buy a typewriter that I found on Craigslist a while back, and you clued me in that it was priced about three times what it was really worth. I don't mind waiting for a good deal to come around.
DeleteBloody eBay! The only time the bidding war doesn't happen is when I have things for sale...good strategy to have your upper limit though, Dana. Another one will crop up before you know it.xx
ReplyDeleteApparently two of the bidders on this bird had no upper limits. The clock just ran out for one of them. I've seen crazy bidding wars at live auctions too, where it just becomes a matter of refusing to give in, no matter how much you end up overpaying. I'm way too tight-fisted to make it a pride thing! :)
DeleteAs Tom Petty says "the waiting is the hardest part" (husband "made" me watch a documentary on him this weekend). At any rate your bird is out there. Cheers - CT
ReplyDeleteWell, if Tom says it, it must be true. He also says, "Even the losers get lucky sometimes," so I know I'll get that bird one of these days! (I've been a Tom Petty fan for decades.)
DeleteOh, I'm sorry to hear, Dana! I hate it when that happens! I'm rarely on eBay, but I can see how easy it is to get carried away. I think you're very wise to stick to your strategy. I'm crossing my fingers that the gorgeous black kingfisher will find it's way to you soon!!
ReplyDeleteTo be perfectly honest, it's something I want, rather than need. Sometimes I'm less than diligent about watching eBay. Imagine my dismay when I found the bargain that I really missed. Back in November, two of the large white Wirkkala kingfishers and one of the small black ones like this sold together on eBay for less than $150!!! How could I have overlooked that auction???
DeleteHi Dana
ReplyDeleteThis happens to me, too. I am always looking for midcentury furniture and the only chance I have is when the two shop owners, that are always bidding more than everyone else, don't spot the item. This usually happens when it is listed in the wrong category, e.g. als old wooden table in "antique furniture" instead of France and Son lounge table in "design classics" (got that one in impeccable condition for 23 CHF (about 25 dollars us)). So being patient really helps. You chould also check out ebay.de. The vendors there often ship worldwide. I hope you find it soon. Good luck, Barbara
Yes, Barbara, if you have the patience to look outside the usual categories, you really can find some great bargains. Congratulations on your France and Son table. That's a fantastic deal!
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