Look at what I just bought for £14.99 plus P&P

[mariok54]

There is a Premier Match, or a Cup Semi Final match, or something on this afternoon/evening... and people are travelling for their Easter break .. I suppose. Went into town and the Supermarket was almost deserted and did our shopping in 10 minutes! And Ebay seems to be a little quiet as well.
These were  listed as 'collect only', but I contacted the sellers and they were happy to post and combine. It'll cost me about $30 - $35  postage and packaging, but even then I think I've got a great deal!

This is what I bought....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140534373292&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_500wt_949

and ....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140533475453&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&autorefresh=true#ht_500wt_949

But this is interesting ...


http://cgi.ebay.com.au/A-Chip-Off-Old-Block-Fred-Davenport-Bates-1904-/320663563728#ht_2392wt_698

and .. probably the same person as the previous seller ..

http://www.paintingsandprints2.co.uk/message-board/topic.html?id=27

I think that I'm quite happy ....  

[waywardangler]

Good deals for you, mario, but not so good for the sellers! 

[mariok54]

Indeed, Wayward ... I think that what didn't help them much was saying 'collect only' when they were obviously happy to post out. Offer Postage and the option of pick up for free is always the wisest move.I almost felt like telling them this after he bidding was done, but didn't want to offend them... 

[Oceans64]

Nice buys Mario!

[mariok54]

Funny how people forget to mention things on Ebay. The Bed warmer and framed print arrived safely. It is a very big frame, and will look good when I've finished cleaning it up. But the glass covering the print was not there (other than a couple of old slivers), and as a consequence the print had suffered a couple of scuffs over the years. But I'm still very pleased with it, and the price, even with postage, was still very good.

The bed warmer? Well, it seems to have had oner of the most major repair jobs that you could imagine for such an item (how did they miss it?) ... but it was done a long while back, so even that is probably vintage (sorry Wayward!)

[waywardangler]

Mario, I like old repairs if done right, especially to 'vintage' pieces.    What some people see as significant, others see as insignificant so those little details were probably overlooked.

[mariok54]

I think the term is ... 'adds character'! 

I don't mind old repairs such as this .. even if they've not been done by an artisan. Adds to the history as well. 

[talesofthesevenseas]

My bedwarmer has old repairs too and that is part of its charm!

[waywardangler]

As a moderator, I have to exhibit some restraint and so I am just going to leave that last line alone, Tales.

I can only hope my wife feels the same about me. 

[mariok54]

 

[talesofthesevenseas]

Ha!!!!! I walked right into that one!! 

[mart]

Yes, you did !! LOL 

Wayward I am sure your wife loves her old bedwarmer !! 

[mariok54]

Well .. I sold on the bed warmer for a nice profit, only because I've managed to pick up 2 more this week .. both Victorian and both incredibly cheap! So that means that the print + P&P cost me about $18 ....

But I'm not sure what to do about it. I've started to give the frame a bit of a clean and its had one coat of wax already. I am thinking that maybe I will remove the print and replace it with a nice piece of mirror, and it would look really quite nice over the fireplace. It is BIG and yet quite delicate. I'm sure that I could pick up an old frame for the print and either keep it or even sell it on (and get my money back even if I don't make a profit).

I am pretty sure that the print is from c 1904, as that is when Harrop's had the copyright for it, but the frame looks to be a bit older, and the mirrors are very 'crazed' in places almost like old porcelain.

Any thoughts?


ps ... anyone notice the error on the label?

[waywardangler]

Mario, the brass tag seems to suggest the picture is the same age as the frame to me. I am not sure what label error you are talking about as I find over the pond English to be a bit different from American in spellings, language, and use. Are you referring to "of" instead of "off"?

I, personally, am not fond of the print but that is just me. Someone else may absolutely love it. For a cost to you of $18, the whole thing is a bargain. If you want a framed mirror over the fireplace, I would go for it.

[mariok54]

Hi Wayward ... I'm not over-enamored by the print either, but I think that I could easily sell it on at the 'right price', and so get my mirror frame for free.

Yes, the mistake was 'of' instead of 'off' ... not a very good advert if they were printers.  

I'm still unsure about age of the frame though, for two reasons, and you can't tell from the photos.

The first is that the small brass plate sits on top of the beading and hasn't been bedded into it. Secondly, the pieces of hardboard tacked onto the back don't fit the individual sections of the frame. There is a 3" gap over the bottom mirrored section. I think that the backing may have originally been in one piece, but when replaced it was replaced with sections. Or I could be completely wrong!