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RUINING HISTORY!? WWII EBAY GROUPING


stealthytyler
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ViewfinderGyrene

Does anyone on this thread translate Showa-Era Japanese characters? I'm interested to know what some of the items from the suitcase are/what they say...

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ViewfinderGyrene

Another question, more important. Extremely important actually. How do you access the Veterans History Project for the Library of Congress online? I found an entry for Mr. Snyder, and it says two videos are available under his entry, but I don't see any way to view them? This would be fascinating to access obviously! Does anyone have an answer? :o

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ViewfinderGyrene

Mail is teh only way then? I contacted the school that did his interview for class, since it's the week maybe one of their techs or librarians would send it digitally :)

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Well, I guess I screwed the pooch on this one.....I originally posted the sale in the hopes that there might be a Marine collector nearby that could afford to get the whole shebang and keep it together (since I couldn't, although I'd love to have been able to put this on display since he was a local).....didn't expect to see it scattered to the winds!

 

As for looking for listings on CL...I search surrounding states for day drives....but from time to time I'll look across the country just to see what's out there, and in case I see something that would merit a "vacation".

 

 

Mark sends

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ViewfinderGyrene

The woman selling this lot on Ebay told me that she is a "Vintage Military Collector". Not much collecting going on here...

 

Lol...

 

But at least she's been pleasant to correspond, I've had much more aggravating communications, I'll bet we all have those types of stories...

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Thought about this thread a lot today. I think in the end it comes down to accepting that all the stories can't be saved. Money will trump history every time.

 

To that end, those of us who treasure the history more than profit do the best we can to preserve what we can. Even that is a real balancing act. Think of all the collections that get posted showing rooms of stuff. In so many ways those stories are just as lost as no one individual can give them the time they deserve.

 

One could just as easily argue that amassing such huge collections is just as selfish as breaking up groups just to make a few more bucks.

 

But as has been pointed out, in the end it's the choice of each individual in how they deal with this stuff. Thankfully there are enough stories to keep us all occupied :)

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Jennings Lane

While this may not be the case with this particular grouping, it's worth mentioning that if a dealer is selling something for the family or even for another collector, they have a responsibility to sell the items however they will bring the most money. If I'm acting as their agent, I don't have the right to decide that the historical importance of keeping the grouping together is more important than realizing the highest prices.

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It will be interesting to see if the seller made a good financial decision to purchase the entire lot. Already the collective bidding has this grouping at around $1,250 (which is a majority chunk of the reported amount the seller paid for the lot). This should be a good lesson to forum members about what it takes to keep a grouping together. The reseller was willing to pay nearly $2000 for the lot, while a lot of collectors here balked at the idea. I'll stand by the fact that typically large groupings with a diverse amount of stuff and many duplicate items do sell better when split up. However, in this case I feel the seller went a little too far, but nonetheless, they were the ones who put the cash on the table and it's now theirs to do with as they please. If I had to sell this lot, I would have approached it in a different way.

 

Splitting the negatives up is a very poor decision, as the historical context for each image is destroyed by not having the other related negatives with it. It will be like having only one page out of a book, and never being able to know what the rest of the book said. I hate seeing negatives and photo albums get split up, as it is quite literally impossible to ever reassemble the grouping of images (unlike named field gear, uniforms, and medals).

 

Hopefully, the different parts all find good new homes where they maintain some documentation to show where they came from. I personally like the idea of many people being able to own a piece of history related to a certain vet, and retell this vet's story to others to whom they show their collection. No need to be stingy with such a big pile of WW2 items.

 

If you want to keep groupings together, be prepared to lay down the money to do so. Otherwise, don't complain about a reseller who paid such a small initial amount that they can profit substantially from splitting it up. Simple as that.

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ViewfinderGyrene

& in this particular case, I am prepared to lay down large sums. Selfish to preserve a man's legacy in entirety? I'll be thrilled if I can find two or three large, complete groups in my lifetime that haven't fallen prey to this type of thing. It is a matter of ethics and respect. Prerogative or not, just because someone can do something, doesn't make it respectful. All are entitled to their view, of course :)

 

The negatives being split is an even great shame, but there are a few key images I plan to pick up [ i. e. pay more than I usually would]. When someone feels strongly about a group, they go for it.

 

Money hasn't trumped history every time. It has been in my experience and that of a close friend/mentor, that things like this and far more grand than even this group have fallen into our laps by chance. By the kindness of a family who would otherwise throw it all out. That is why I collect.

 

I believe I have enough in "reserves" to handle this group, but unfortunately the negatives are the only aspect I consider impossible to reassemble completely. The seller isn't working as an agent for anyone. They had a contact buy it for them and ship it to them. It is theirs, they only answer to themselves, and however it is sold is their decision and nobody else. I have of course heard of those other situations mentioned.

 

I'm not going to speak for stealthytyler, but I don't think this thread was created for the sake of argument, but to admire it in hopes of finding someone confident/prepared enough to save it. Thus he found me...& I am honored to take up the challenge.

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Be very careful of your statements in an open & public online discussion forum about how far you are willing to go to preserve the integrity of the grouping, and how you have a substantial amount you are willing to spend. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if such statements result in you getting run up by a shill bidder.

 

Go ahead and proceed however you wish with whatever auction strategy you choose, just be aware it may cost you in the end.

 

Our little hobby can sometimes be a bit too competitive.

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Be very careful of your statements in an open & public online discussion forum about how far you are willing to go to preserve the integrity of the grouping, and how you have a substantial amount you are willing to spend. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if such statements result in you getting run up by a shill bidder.

 

Go ahead and proceed however you wish with whatever auction strategy you choose, just be aware it may cost you in the end.

 

Our little hobby can sometimes be a bit too competitive.

agree with that , l saw some bidders with 0 feedback and 0% positive .....

olivier

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ViewfinderGyrene

I would never disclose an amount, but we all know the ballparks of this stuff in the general scape of groups, thanks for the tip, I'll keep my trap shut from now on :)

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Be very careful of your statements in an open & public online discussion forum about how far you are willing to go to preserve the integrity of the grouping, and how you have a substantial amount you are willing to spend. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if such statements result in you getting run up by a shill bidder.

 

Go ahead and proceed however you wish with whatever auction strategy you choose, just be aware it may cost you in the end.

 

Our little hobby can sometimes be a bit too competitive.

Again back to my original question of why not offer the tag/estate sale seller a higher offer than the one made?

If they were selling it as a group surely the would have taken a higher offer.If local pick up was the only option Im sure there would have been a forum member who would do it for reasonable compensation.Just seems to me if it was and is so important to keep it together as a group the best method would have been to buy it direct.

 

Then what is a complete group? There seems to be items that are not there to begin with his insignias we're already mentioned plus the metals and who knows what else. Seems the group was already fractured at least at some point either by the family or the passing of time. Items get lost or given to other family members loaned out etc. I'm kinda curious how the army backpacks all tie into this being a complete group. Where they found in the estate possibly purchased in the fifties or sixties as army surplus? There is no way to know that the vet actually used them or had them issued so how do you consider this being part of a Marine Group? To me some of this could have just been assembled from things they found at the estate or looking at it another way were there other family members that were in the military and the stuff all just got put together?not raining on anyone's parade here and it is commendable that people are willing to reassemble groupings that are being split up. My point is whats original to the seen group and without actually talking to the veteran themselves how do we know some of this was not actually military surplus. Granted the smaller items of Japanese origin and the uniforms and marked gear are definitely from the Marine but I see other things that just don't really talk in to the group itself. Speculation was made on the m1 garand earlier in the topic but I am sure it is something he just picked up way after the war as a memory or a keepsake.

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ViewfinderGyrene

Again back to my original question of why not offer the tag/estate sale seller a higher offer than the one made?

If they were selling it as a group surely the would have taken a higher offer.If local pick up was the only option Im sure there would have been a forum member who would do it for reasonable compensation.Just seems to me if it was and is so important to keep it together as a group the best method would have been to buy it direct.

 

Then what isa complete group? There seems to be items that are not there to begin with his insignias we're already mentioned plus the metals and who knows what else. Seems the group was already fractured at least at some point either by the family or the passing of time. Items get lost or given to other family members loaned out etc. I'm kinda curious how the army backpacks all tie into this being a complete group. Where they found in the estate possibly purchased in the fifties or sixties as army surplus? There is no way to know that the vet actually used them or had them issued so how do you consider this being part of a Marine Group? To me some of this could have just been assembled from things they found at the estate or looking at it another way were there other family members that were in the military and the stuff all just got put together?not raining on anyone's parade here and it is commendable that people are willing to reassemble groupings that are being split up. My point is what the state sellers and without actually talking to the veteran themselves how do we know some of this was not actually military surplus. Granted the smaller items of Japanese origin and the uniforms and marked gear are definitely from the Marine but I see other things that just don't really talk in to the group itself. Speculation was made on the m1 garand earlier in the topic but I am sure it is something he just picked up way after the war as a memory or a keepsake.

 

Thank you for the point, Doyler. As a matter of fact, since the Army gear isn't ID'd to him, I'd obviously pass on it. Same with the Army crusher and the USN Donald Duck. How a late-war Marine got a hold Boyt Issue M1928s, I don't know. IF it's not named to him I wouldn't bid. Uniforms, gear, souvenirs, a few paper items, and the negatives. We know that all was his. It's understandable to me if a family member kept a insignia or two, or even the medals which I know from talking to the estate auction people that the son kept the medals. But it is still a group, and a nice one. No vet deserves to be disrespected. What's here makes it very nice looking. Each group is unique because every vet is unique.

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normaninvasion

Has anyone made an offer that the seller couldn't refuse?? A big fat direct payment can sometimes work wonders.

 

On a side note, all that separate packing is going to be a nauseating.

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ViewfinderGyrene

Has anyone made an offer that the seller couldn't refuse?? A big fat direct payment can sometimes work wonders.

 

On a side note, all that separate packing is going to be a nauseating.

 

They said they would under no circumstances agree to a bundle offer, no matter how large or from whom. That was told to me right from the first PM on Ebay.

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normaninvasion

 

They said they would under no circumstances agree to a bundle offer, no matter how large or from whom. That was told to me right from the first PM on Ebay.

 

That's nuts. You mean to say if someone offered them $20k they would refuse? Can't hurt to give them a number to think about.

 

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ViewfinderGyrene

Lol I'm sure they'd do it for $20K, but they were pretty firm about their "letting everyone have a piece of history" philosophy...

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They said they would under no circumstances agree to a bundle offer, no matter how large or from whom. That was told to me right from the first PM on Ebay.

i wonder how they'd feel if someone offered them a group price and they said no only to have the same person go auction to auction and buy it all for a lower price combined than what they offered them lol, you think they'd stick to their policy anymore?

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ViewfinderGyrene

i wonder how they'd feel if someone offered them a group price and they said no only to have the same person go auction to auction and buy it all for a lower price combined than what they offered them lol, you think they'd stick to their policy anymore?

 

Good one man, time will tell...

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i wonder how they'd feel if someone offered them a group price and they said no only to have the same person go auction to auction and buy it all for a lower price combined than what they offered them lol, you think they'd stick to their policy anymore?

It happens. Happened to me a time or two on smaller groups, offer a price, they refuse, and I ended up getting the pieces for less than the offer

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