Posted by KMA on December 28, 1998 at 22:34:46:
In Reply to: Re: Ebay Auctions posted by John Fiorillo on December 28, 1998 at 15:11:17:
I do agree that caution at Ebay is necessary, and that some of the sellers are very creative in their attributing of dates. But what better place is there to find prints at such bargain prices? If you bid wisely, and ask questions before you do, you can get some fine items at a fraction of the prices you'd spend at a gallery.
I've bought dozens of prints at Ebay. A few have been disappointing, sure, but if I don't like a print I can always put it up and sell it myself! And where in the world else could I have found an original Hokusai Tokaido print for $30?? Toba-e for $5?? 1811 Toyokuni I for $75?? Not on any of those "official" auctions, that's for sure.
I also don't agree that the "official" auctions are necessarily safer. I've received prints from these that look completely different than they did on the scans. Sure, you're guaranteed that no one is going to take your check and disappear, and prints are usually returnable--but then, if you take the time to talk to an Ebay dealer and develop a relationship, you usually get the same treatment.
In short, bid wisely, and be careful. But with a little knowledge and some good communication, Ebay is a potential goldmine.
: Response from JF:
: In regard to buying at internet auctions, I would urge caution unless you can afford to amuse yourself while buying at a risk. What I have seen at non-specialist internet auctions suggests that very little ukiyo-e is of high quality. Having taken a quick look at just some of the current eBay listings for Hiroshige, I find various reproductions plus a badly faded and damaged late impression of an original Nihon Embankment at Yoshiwara from the series Meisho Edo hyakkei worth very little but absurdly reserved at $3,000 !!! Clearly many sellers are uninformed and though they may not intend to deceive, their use of terms like "original" or "authentic" or "old" demands much of the English language.
: If you are concerned about quality and authenticity you would do better to buy at specialist internet auctions where the dealers are more knowledgeable and more likely to be reputable. Prices will, of course, be higher. Even these sites vary a lot in terms of what they offer (one should realize that the best stuff is reserved for direct sales, not internet auctions), and even they make mistakes (I have seen some old deceptive reproductions offered, probably unknowingly, as originals).
: One other opinion: I often see or hear comments about "old reproductions" having some value, as though their merely being old bestows monetary or aesthetic value on the prints. If a print is a copy from recarved blocks, it is a copy whether it was made yesterday or 100 years ago. Yes, an old reproduction in very good condition can have some value as a decorative piece (but nothing compared to an original print) and it might have a more "authentic" look due to the older paper and pigments and the aging process, but don’t be fooled into thinking you’ve got something like an original. Buy such prints accordingly.