Tom told me about the book "collector's guide to early photographs", which I picked up from the library. Just out of curiosity, I searched for the book on ebay to see if it was available. There was one listing by Willow Tree Collectibles of Indianapolis, IN. Starting bid was listed at $17.75, if I remember correctly. It had a "buy now" option where you could buy it now for $25.00. Shipping was $3.75, which did not include insurance. In the description of the item, it said the price was wholesale, and it was a new book. If you bid at the starting bid ($17.75) and won the item, you paid $3.75 for shipping. This amounts to $21.50. If you bought it on the "buy now" option, it would cost a total of $28.75 (shipping included). The price imprinted on the back of the book is $19.95 U. S. Sooooo, if you're buying on ebay, you should know what the regular price of the item is that you are bidding on. By the way -- it's good reading, and there's a lot of excellent information. I think the price at Amazon.com was $13.95. If you should happen to buy it, don't forget to use the link from this site.

Ed

Originally posted by Ed_L
Sooooo, if you're buying on ebay, you should know what the regular price of the item is that you are bidding on.Ed, that's good advice no matter where you're bidding. I've seen some items on ebay go for way more than I can purchase them elsewhere. Great for the seller I suppose, but I have to wonder about the bidders sometimes. There are enough sites which will search the web for the best prices for items that it's easy to know what the going price is. I guess some people just get caught up in the bidding process. You definitely have to be a savvy shopper on ebay and other auction sites.
Jeanie

Here's something I just found on another site:

Greetings, I read your page on your website about e-bay fakes and thank you for taking the time to produce the page. I produce ambrotypes at Civil War Renactments and sometimes sell ambrotype copies of popular Civil War images on e-bay--Robert E. Lee,Hanging of Lincolns Assasins,Grant... Here are a few ways to tell a modern ambro/tin from a vintage one; I can tell you that most Reneactment images are usually of the 1/4 plate or larger size so I would be leery of any soldier image in that size be it a tin or ambro. Most modern wet plate Photograpers etch their initials and sometimes the date in the corner of the glass or tinplate. Check all images with a loupe for a fine dot pattern(I only copy images with a dot pattern for sell on e-bay) a sure sign of modern. Smell the plate--I can still smell the lavander oil varnish on plates I made two years ago. Check the "tintype" with a magnet- it may not stick as some modern wet platers use alumminum plates! I have seen so many fakes sell for high prices on e-bay that it makes me sick to think about it(Lincoln seems to everyones favorite followed by any Indian). You may want to check out the seller nugatoryman for a good laugh. Many of his items look very similar to the items you show on your website for spOOler. Every week there are fakes for sale and they are definetly on the increase. Hope this info helps some . Tim Parson-------AMBRO----on e-bay Parson's Photographic Studio Bowling green,Ky P.S. I have enclosed a scan of an original ambrotype taken by me in Feb. Of this year