Rare, Vintage, and Antique

Some of the folks that use these words, well...



You might as well be this guy -



Here's a rant that's short and sweet. If any of you here use ebay you probably know where this is going.

Why is it that anytime I go on ebay to find ANYTHING I have to run across 10,623,321,907.1 listings claiming that they have what I am looking for and it is RARE!

Rare I tell you. It doesn't matter if there has been enough of that item made to supply the entire world's population 15 times over... There is a seller on ebay who has a VERY RARE ONE. It truly doesn't matter what it is or even how long it has been out. Someone, somewhere has a limited edition, rare, vintage, antique, Disney Frozen Doll or something equally as ridiculous.

They will let you have it though for the regular (but a specially benevolent and magnanimous of course) price and only charge you $5,721 dollars for shipping and handling all the while swearing that's what their supplies to pack and ship actually cost. They aren't making a dime on shipping costs lol.

Your Holiday Farbie from china dated for the 2014 Christmas season is not an antique. It's not one of a kind and you're not shipping it from china for $30, you're shipping it 2 streets over from where it needs to be delivered.

And no. I didn't order a Farbie Doll... I ordered the Fen Doll (remarkable resemblence and anyone under 3 shouldn't be able to tell the difference) lol.

I got the Farbie last year for 8 easy installments of $999.95 plus $1,099.50 S&H.

But seriously folks. Quite using those words if they aren't true. It's like those PT Cruisers that came out a while back. All of them said "Limited Edition" on the back and you would see at least 10 of them on every street you turned down.

Those words obviously don't mean what you think they do.

Please quit using them.

I feel better now.

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

No no silly...

What they mean by the word "rare" is that once they've called it a vintage antique, you've a rare hope in hell of getting it at a good price.

a reply to: CranialSponge

Lol... See I can usually get the good price but then get shafted by the $80.00 S&H charges for something that could be shipped in an envelope.

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe


Remember, Americans are stupid...j/k

Well actually, gullible comes to mind!
Although I like CranialSponge's answer too


I tried Ebay once, ONCE I say, and that was enough for me!!

typo end line = 'quite' should be 'quit'

moving on...

I never win ebay bidding and don't even bother anymore. It is very deceptive. Might have started out getting a bargain and a good thing...but now...it is not.

I bought some things from ebay and eg: if you buy anything from china... the sizing is different. Size 8 in Au is about a size 1 over there.

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

See ?!

You get it at a (cough) "good" price (cough) and then they suck every last penny out of you with all the 'side' charges.

a reply to: Thurisaz

Yeah... Thanks for pointing that out. I don't buy tons on ebay, but when I am looking for things here and there, I always run into it regardless of what it is I am on the hunt to get.

It's weird.

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe


Hey Kanga, I got some HD Visors you can buy
They're vintage and you can actually see in 1080p........really!!!

a reply to: snarky412

How much? Can I get expedited shipping?

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

Hey, don't laugh.

I've been paying through the nose for expedited shipping over the past few days because I left my Xmas shopping until the last minute and I'm too lazy to drive into the city to do my shopping.

originally posted by: Kangaruex4Ewe
a reply to: snarky412

How much? Can I get expedited shipping?

Sure, you even get a 2nd set for free....just pay separate S&H

Just make sure to give us your credit card number...(((mwahahaha)))
*rubs hands together*

[gotcha now.... a $9.99 item will end up costing $50 plus another $40 for that 'free' set]

So roughly $90 on what probably costs a total of .60 cents to make. HA!!

originally posted by: CranialSponge
a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

Hey, don't laugh.

I've been paying through the nose for expedited shipping over the past few days because I left my Xmas shopping until the last minute and I'm too lazy to drive into the city to do my shopping.

I definitely can't laugh about that, as that's usually what I have to do every year. It sucks, but what can you do? Sometimes it's impossible to shop early enough (not always just procrastination). They make a killing doing that!

a reply to: snarky412

The best part about that kind of stuff is that a year later you will see a mysterious charge on your credit/debit card and wonder wth? When you finally track down what it was, it was the yearly subscription fee for keeping those nifty glasses RFID chipped (or something equally ignorant) for your convenience should you ever lose them lol.

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

On the plus side, I did get this awesome handmade toque/scarf/mitt set for my daughter from Etsy (it's all funky/hippy looking so it'll be right up her alley).

And at a good price too !

a reply to: CranialSponge

How much for shipping?

I love etsy. I do. They have some absolutely amazing stuff on there!

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

To be declared a Bonafide Antique,
an object must be One Hundred Years Old or more.

In comparison, a "Vintage" item is legitimately from
an Era.
My expertise is with United States Historical items
so I will submit to you
For example:

WW1 Era
WW2 Era
Roaring 20's Era
Prohibition Era
Great Depression Era
Korean War Era
1950's,1960's Era
Vietnam War Era

1970's Era
And so forth.
The are sub groups within theses eras , particularly with art.
For Example Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Pop Art, Minimalism,and a myriad of other forms.

But that is the limit of my scope ,
for their are Dynasties,Era's,Periods,
Reigns , Etc. that refer to items available
that originate globally from different regions
and time periods.

The older the item, the more important
and difficult it is
to discern and actually verify its origin.

Scientific and Cultural "proof" is mandatory.
As the market is laden with counterfeits.
One must research carefully and be wary.
Particularly with Middle Eastern and Asian Objects.
European and South American Objects are subject
to counterfeit as well. Clay/Ceramics in particular.

With Early American Objects (to the current)
the challenge to identify the objects timeline
and origin is somewhat self explanatory.
Most Fakes can be identified by careful examination.

But not always, there are objects that overlap
with those of European origin that were either
brought over from the old world or reproduced
as a matter of convenience.

There is also the over abundance of Chinese
counterfeits on the current market.
So much so, that I am concerned that
there is a weakness in Political and Diplomatic
confrontation of this issue Worldwide.

Most difficult of all are the "one of a kind"
objects. Even the Experts are at a loss to
place these type of items historically.

Incidentally, these particular items can prove to
be the most valuable of all.

Once someone smart enough comes along to
figure out their mysterious origins and place
in history.

At any rate, with all things remember "Caveat Emptor".

I've got to log out now,

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

How much for shipping?

If I told you, I'd have to kill you.

I love etsy. I do. They have some absolutely amazing stuff on there!

Isn't that place awesome ?! I'm forever surfing through the site getting ideas for myself in terms of making things for around the house - ie: saving money by being a do-it-yourselfer.

This is my first year for doing any Xmas shopping on Etsy and I've found some fantastic stuff so far !

If you just go with regular shipping, the costs are actually very reasonable.


But alas, I wouldn't know anything about that.

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

Ha ha . i bid on some fishing lures from Hong Kong . I bid on lots at 80 cent max bid and won 5 which i received individually . Free postage . I cant send a letter next door for that .

I go to garage sales and stores like Good Will to find a lot of those "rare" and "vintage" items. No shipping. The only downside is that you have to frequent them often to happen upon a really good find. It's fun for me though, so no complaints. I get it from my mother, who has spent years of her spare time shopping this way. She has the coolest things in her house that she purchased in a thrift store and repaired or fixed up. It has been a hobby that she really enjoys.

The only place I regularly shop online is Amazon, and yes I have a Prime account, so... no shipping charges!

I did get some great home made soap from Florida. I got a whole box for 50 dollars and the soap was/is the best. Only have one left now. I like some of the People who are making really groovy stuff and selling it.

sort of screws the big shops...yanno? I would rather support locals.

a reply to: Thurisaz

Yup, I agree.

That's what I like about places like Etsy, you're buying goods that people made with their own hands and by purchasing from them, you're supporting their little homegrown businesses.

It's a win-win.