Sunday Fleabay Picks For July 6, 2014

July 6, 2014

Disclaimer; I am not a pen expert. I know just enough to make me dangerous. These are listings *I* find interesting or potential deals I think May happen. I do Look Closely at the Same pics and listing descriptions You can see before I include them on the list. I would not Knowingly put a pen on the list with serious damage or damage not noted by the seller. Generally, not at all knowingly. If you feel I missed some damage to a pen Please post what you think you see here and I'll gladly go back, look it over again and make any necessary edits to the list.

If you yourself find a Sunday listing and notice it's Not on the list here and wonder Why, feel free to ask me either in a post or backchannel if you wish.

If during the weekdays Between Sunday Fleabay Pick listings, you find an item on Ebay that you wish to attempt to keep "under the radar" and wish to have Excluded from possibly being Included on the Sunday's Pick list, please forward it to me via PM and I'll Gladly keep it OFF the list for you.

So of course, the same usual Fleabay Caveat Emptor applies here. At the very least you're looking at listings that 4 more eyes from someone who isn't a complete pen idiot has looked pretty closely at first.

For a good portion of the list, you may very well have enough time to dash a quick question or two off to a seller and maybe get an answer back prior to it closing if need be. It wouldn't hurt to try.

As always, it's Really Nice to hear back here if you are able to get something from this list.

Good Luck!

Bloody Brit Burgundy P-51 Mk III set, user grade, UK pen set 1259PM
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Vintage-Parker-51-Fountain-Pen-Pencil-set-Excellent-Fully-Serviced-/261519189220

15. Smaller Sheaffer Black Flat top, needs restoring, 1st restore effort? 103PM

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Sheaffer-Flat-Top-Fountain-Pen-/360975132068

26a. Michel-Perchin-Year-of-The-Dragon-Limited-Edition-Blue FP 206PM

51. Parker 75 Ciselle Flat tassels, Minty 335PM

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wancher-Ebonite-Cigar-RED-Urushi-Makie-Art-Fountain-Pen-Body-the-KOP-MONT149-/360975592339

88. Neat Black and Cream Conklin will need restoring 702PM

So there we have it sports fans, another early end time wise but there was still over

850 listings gone though that netted 100 good ones.

See ya next week! And again, Good Luck! if you're going for any new toys.

PS Post a post here if you find any listing gone wonky and I'll get it all unwonkified.

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

Edited July 6, 2014 by OcalaFlGuy

July 6, 2014

Thanks for doing these, Bruce! I find them quite helpful.

July 6, 2014

Just a heads up -- #14 appears to have been pulled by the seller (there was a notice at the top of the listing say the item was "no longer available"). So I guess it was sold privately. Can't tell whether there was a BiN option for it or not.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

July 6, 2014

Thanks Ruth. I made an editing note to that effect.

It Was There when *I* saw it. Oh well. Dang, nice set too.

There's still 100 goodies anyway as you can see this Georgia Watermelon Picker has 2 #26s

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

July 6, 2014

Thank you again.

I have to question the 'High Shipping Charges' so often quoted from the UK. No 38 is deemed high at £8.99 whilst No 51 is not at £8, so I am assuming that is the benchmark.

But Royal Mail dictate the cost, and it is not possible to send a pen to the US, signed for, for less than £9 (so £10 or less has to be reasonable after ebay / paypal fees)

Why I make a point of this is because there have been plenty of sellers who weigh the postal charges unreasonably, and these should be challenged. But Whilst £15 + is unreasonable £10 is not.

July 6, 2014

I can understand the question.

The Duofold I estimate to be around a $100 pen. 15% added to that to me is excessive. Pen #51 will be closer to a $200 pen and more difficult to find (first series, flat tassel, in That condition). Thusly, $15 U.S. shipping would be Somewhat more palatable to me.

Both are really moot points as IMO, signed for (read high dollar) shipping for both of those pens is overkill. Were I bidding on either one of them, I would send the sellers messages via Ebay and implore them to allow me the winning bidder (if that were to happen) to accept full responsibility for the shipments arrival (or not) in exchange for them sending them the cheaper unsigned for way.

The paid for tracking only works for 1/2 the "voyage", the country it's mail in.

IMO, the chance of your recouping your loss from a postal payout for a lost item (international) is remote. BOTH countries will just blame the other for losing it.

The package is just as likely to arrive (nearly 100% certain) the cheap way as the expensive way. I think a pen can still be shipping overseas for around 3 GBP (plus a bit).

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

July 6, 2014

I picked up #11, Parker Vacumatic Golden Pearl, for the starting bid !

Bruce, - Thanks for all the work you do to make this easier and more fun.

July 6, 2014

Thank you again.

I have to question the 'High Shipping Charges' so often quoted from the UK. No 38 is deemed high at £8.99 whilst No 51 is not at £8, so I am assuming that is the benchmark.
But Royal Mail dictate the cost, and it is not possible to send a pen to the US, signed for, for less than £9 (so £10 or less has to be reasonable after ebay / paypal fees)

Why I make a point of this is because there have been plenty of sellers who weigh the postal charges unreasonably, and these should be challenged. But Whilst £15 + is unreasonable £10 is not.

I would actually question this because according to ebay rules, P&P can't include ebay /PayPal fees. Those have to go on the start price. P&P is actual postage plus actual packaging cost.

The actual stamp price tracked to the US for 100grams weight is £8.80. If I charged £10 as a seller, I would expect to get a poor P&P star rating. As a buyer I wouldn't give a 5 star rating.

July 6, 2014

Thank you Bruce for your extremely helpful post and for all of the hard work you put in to find us these.

July 6, 2014

The actual stamp price tracked to the US for 100grams weight is £8.80. If I charged £10 as a seller, I would expect to get a poor P&P star rating. As a buyer I wouldn't give a 5 star rating.

With all due respect. IMO, the vast majority of low volume sellers Don't do the fully auto from your computer for pick-up BY the PO (U.S.) shipping method. I sure don't.

Are you saying that the approximate $2.00 difference in your example for the seller to go to the PO, complete the Customs form and stand in line to mail the package is Excessive? If so, you may very well have found A Reason why Some sellers balk at overseas shipping.

[EDIT] And of course, Thank You and everyone for your kind words.

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

Edited July 6, 2014 by OcalaFlGuy

July 6, 2014

I looked at a few of the (very tempting) listings even though I'm trying to save my $$ for the Miami Pen Show next weekend.

July 6, 2014

Are you saying that the approximate $2.00 difference in your example for the seller to go to the PO, complete the Customs form and stand in line to mail the package is Excessive? If so, you may very well have found A Reason why Some sellers balk at overseas shipping.

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

I'm not saying that. I'm saying that at least as far as ebay UK is concerned, expenses like those have to be included in the item price and not added onto the P&P. I assume that's why ebay UK now charge final value fees on P&P as well as item end price. Many UK sellers just baulk at shipping abroad to anywhere.

Edited July 6, 2014 by Chrissy

July 6, 2014

I got #62 for $43 shipped. Pretty good for a Victory. Thanks, Bruce.

July 7, 2014

Thanks for taking the time to compile this list every week, Bruce. It means a lot to me because, besides coming across some good deals, it's been teaching me about pen pricing.

I picked up #100 and it's nice to buy a pen and (hopefully) not have to fix it.

-Drew

July 7, 2014

I watched that close Drew, you did just fine at that price and it looks clean to me. It's an easy pen to wok on too if you ever need to. Just your 14k nib is worth what you paid for the whole pen. ($28.50 shipped) And your pen has supposedly been restored, at least resacced for sure. It looks ready to rock to me.

Thanks for the kind words.

I saw several nice deals go down. There was a family unloading their Sheaffer salesman Dad's NOS 3 piece Targa sets. They weren't cheap but they were NOS and one hell of a lot cheaper than they'd be found at a retail site.

Several UK Duofolds went for peanuts. Someone got the Golden Pearl already restored Vac Major with the Very light personalization that I've listed twice for $90 shipped, that's a decent deal.

The Esties, even the nice Copper one went for pretty low prices. The cloisonne Black and Pearl Duofold pIn will look very smart on someone at the next pen meet or show for a whole $10 shipped. A couple really clean Black Sheaffer flat tops went for Cheap. The Super clean Sterling cap 51 AND the black Duofold for $125 was a Steal. The restored Parker toothbrush for $98 shipped, pffft, WINNING!, Very decent deals on several vintage Pels. A mint P-61 Flighter for $37 shipped? Wow. A clean Man 200 for $92 shipped? Another Wow. What looked like a NOS 51 for $90 shipped? Call the cops on that thief. A NOS Cross Gray Century Classic I in box with stock goodies for $45 shipped was a heck of a deal too.

I was Shocked not to see someone pick up the Mint Crusader set for $37.50 shipped. That's a $60-75 retail Pen alone. I will almost bet money you see that again next week on the list. Even more Shocked to not see Anyone go for the restored pastel blue Saratoga Snorkie for a whole $50, heck of a deal right there. I wouldn't be surprised to see It again next week. (No one wants a restored Clean Snorkie for $50? Man, tough crowd. )

Maybe the sleeper deal of the week was the cheapest. A really clean Sheaffer 1st series Blue clear school pen for $6 shipped, the price of 2 Varsites? Deal! If it had been the squared off Blue on for that price it'd be coming home to Moi!

It was a fun week.

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

July 7, 2014

I would actually question this because according to ebay rules, P&P can't include ebay /PayPal fees. Those have to go on the start price. P&P is actual postage plus actual packaging cost.

The actual stamp price tracked to the US for 100grams weight is £8.80. If I charged £10 as a seller, I would expect to get a poor P&P star rating. As a buyer I wouldn't give a 5 star rating.

I do not really want to turn this into an ebay mailing issue, and I will make it clear I offer free postage on my own listings...... but...

The basic £8.80 postage to the USA is for a lighter item, and will only insure up to £50. For a higher value pen, or with a heavier box, the cost increases up to perhaps £11.

Since ebay have now started charging a 10% fee on postage costs, I believe it is valid for any seller to include this in the calculations they make in determining those postage charges.

OcalaFLGuy mentions sending items normal untracked post as insurance is only for half the journey. This is not the case, Royal Mail will always settle the cost: as that is whom my contract would be with, I would not get into any discussion with an overseas agent.

I also think a seller can reasonably be expected to want to use a signed for service, they otherwise have no defense if someone claims non-receipt (and lets be frank, there are as many rogues in the US as anywhere else on the planet).

Finally, I purchased 4 items from the US this weekend, average postal cost quoted to the UK was $42; i.e. far more than the average charge from the UK. Also far more US sellers refuse to ship to the UK than the other way.

All I ask is that a decision on what constititues High Postal charges is based upon reality, which might vary from country to country, but which from the UK should not be a charge of anything less than £9.70

Edited July 7, 2014 by northlodge

July 7, 2014

OcalaFLGuy mentions sending items normal untracked post as insurance is only for half the journey. This is not the case, Royal Mail will always settle the cost: as that is whom my contract would be with, I would not get into any discussion with an overseas agent.

I also think a seller can reasonably be expected to want to use a signed for service, they otherwise have no defense if someone claims non-receipt (and lets be frank, there are as many rogues in the US as anywhere else on the planet).

Your point 1. Can you back this up with an Actual Factual instance where you have received reimbursement for a lost Overseas shipment? If you can't you are only guessing just like I am. (But my guess makes more sense to me. ) If so, you would be The First FPNer I've seen in 6 years of these discussions to say they were Actually reimbursed.

Your point 2. Correct Right Up To The Point where the PO delivers to the WRONG address. DELIVERED to the PO doesn't necessarily, Technically, mean to the Correct address. Yes, you can extract yourself from that hole, but it's a Deep hole.

I will grant that many sellers Aren't going to allow the bidder to assume the risk. They won't take the risk themselves that the bidder won't renege in the event of a lost item, but some Will. It May Be worth at least asking for to cut the cost in Half. (Or more.)

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

July 7, 2014

Your point 1. Can you back this up with an Actual Factual instance where you have received reimbursement for a lost Overseas shipment?

I will grant that many sellers Aren't going to allow the bidder to assume the risk. They won't take the risk themselves that the bidder won't renege in the event of a lost item, but some Will. It May Be worth at least asking for to cut the cost in Half. (Or more.)

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

I have had two overseas shipments go astray and have successfully claimed for both (USA & HK). As far as Royal Mail go the process is consistent; Claim, Claim refused as original receipt not provided, appeal to independent body on grounds that pen is an antique, offer to accept similar item if they can find such, cheque arrives, time consumed 5 months. Generally the same process applied for inland losses.

Damaged items are far more problematic. I did sell a Skyline to Mexico which was damaged in transit. A claim was not possible and so the (FPN Member) ebay buyer agreed to split the cost of my financial loss.

I will agree to cheaper postage to someone I know / have dealt with previously, and I do provide free postage as standard within the UK.. Unfortunately having an ebay account is not a certificate of honesty, so a request from Twyk49 / awaybee in Hong Kong is not likely to be well received

July 7, 2014

Interesting. All the US sellers I have personally contacted have been more than willing to offer First Class Int. mail at around $10 - $12 to New Zealand. I think that is perfectly reasonable. However I do have an ongoing problem with a seller (in the US) who offered this option and now is having difficulty sending my a revised invoice to reflect the change in cost. So the item is just sitting on my list unpaid - I am not obliged to pay the original shipping estimate as an alternative was offered, and they are accepting of that, but Ebay is making it difficult for him to change the invoice. May just have to ask for a Paypal account and take a risk.

Edited July 7, 2014 by Cryptos

July 8, 2014

Well, I'm now watching one of those eBay items you noted as passed over. This is getting worse than collecting basses was. Pens are so much easier to store.

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Sunday Fleabay Picks For July 6, 2014

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