eBay

This month on the UK eBay site the number of antiques offered for sale stands at 99,443 which is down by about 6% on January, but almost identical to the number in December 2009. On the US site the number of items listed as antiques has dropped to 239,022, which is down from 252,939 – a decrease of 6%.

What’s really interesting is to compare this year with last year. In the UK there were 65,010 items for sale in February 2009 – this means there’s been a massive 53% increase. On the US site the number of items listed as antiques was 209,687 – an increase of 14%. What does this tell us about eBay in the UK?

Anecdotally I’m hearing that there are more people offering things for a set price rather than in an auction. This could well be a part of the rise in items offered.

Now I am the first to say the things are worth whatever someone is prepared to pay for them but an item on eBay at the moment is just plain crazy. Someone is offering an 'antique' Nokia mobile phone for a mere $100,000. They are pledging $50,000 wll go to the ClintonBush Haiti fund, but even so!

So far it's attracted no bids and there's over 3 days to go. Anyone else think that they'll get a bid? I think they probably will because of the charity angle.

This month on the UK eBay site the number of antiques offered for sale is up by almost 6% on December, given that January normally sees a slowing of sales this is amazing performance and is the highest number of antiques offered on eBay. On the UK site there are items 105,976 compared to 99,909 items for sale last month. On the US site the number of items listed as antiques has dropped to 252,939 up from 282,271 in November – it’s a decrease of 10%, but given that last month there was a massive 15% increase this is very good indeed.

Well yesterday we were supposed to have docked at Djibouti, the country they call the 'one of the hottest place on earth." Unfortunately it was too hot in another sense as the political situation is not so good and we were forced to just sail by, looking at it from a distance. We are currently sailing for Salalah in the Oman. I'm told that Salalah has a decidedly tropical feel with its sandy beaches, coconut trees and banana plantations. It is often referred to as the perfume city of Arabia, thanks to its frankincense-producing trees, and the traditional markets sell plenty of the fragrant incense.

The tomb of the Prophet Emran, the father of Moses can be found in the city. Nearby, there is also the tomb of the prophet Job at Mount Eiteen, but this will prove a little tricky for my ankle unfortunately. The walls of the tomb are lined with verses from the Koran. This prophet has special appeal to Muslims, Christians and Jews, as the prophet’s life is mentioned in the scriptures of the three religions.

Being at sea it has allowed me to give my second lecture which is all about being an Antiques' detective. It's all about 'looking and learning', gathering the evidence that give you clues as to whether things are fakes or copies or the genuine article. Always remember, something that is an imitation or a reproduction is a copy, not a fake. A fake is where the maker has tried to copy something with the intent of passing it off as more valuable and deliberately profiting by their intent.

These Carlton Ware Guinness toucan advertising lamp bases, along with the toucan wall plaques have been much copied in recent years. The real thing typically have cream necks, and the graduation between the orange and red colour on the beak is gradual. Copies are too white on the neck and the head of the Guinness and the beak colouring  is either marked too clearly or is smudged. Originals typically go for £300-400.

Before I left home I had a look on eBay and there were a number for sale. With starting prices ranging from £100 to close to £300; one had a buy it now price of a penny less than £700. It is difficult to tell from pictures but at least one looked like it was rather too white.

Being so far away from home I nearly forgot to do an ebay update! This month on the UK eBay site the number of antiques offered for sale is up by almost 6% on November. On the UK site there are items 99,909 compared to 94,564 items for sale last month; this time last year there were around 85,000 items for sale so it's another big jump. On the US site the number of items listed as antiques has risen to 282,271 up from 246,414 in November – an massive 15% increase. This is by far an way the largest number of items offered for sale in the antiques catagory; in December last year, for example, there were a little over 233,000 items being offered.