Dear eBay Queen:

As a side job to my eBay selling, I do picture-framing.  I have hundreds of antique frames I’ve picked up over the years. It’s always been fun to find something interesting behind the print you see through the glass – something used for backing or some print or photo the former owner just decided to cover with a preferred picture. I’ve found parts of vintage posters, pieces of old boxes with advertising, family photos, rejected lithographs (misaligned colors), and so on. The other day, I disassembled a huge, c.1900 frame I’d gotten for just the frame and glass. The backing was wood and was covered with heavy white paper tacked around the edges. The print would have gone on top of that white paper. So I removed the paper to use for whatever and was delighted to find on the reverse a large, pencil-signed engraving! Fun!

I can’t read the signature. I tried a Google image search with keywords anyone would use to describe the scene, but no luck.

Do you know of a website, institution, or person who will attempt to identify works of art for free? The engraving is presumably a copy of a painting, so this would need to be an expert in Victorian-era painters.

David

Dear David:

I’ve never thought about looking behind photos or prints to see what I found.  Have you ever thought about writing a blog about your finds?  There is a really interesting blog I follow called:  http://www.missingbookmarks.com He is a book seller, and writes about the stuff he finds stuck in books.

Some good places I have found to research old prints and paintings are:

• www.artconversation.com
• ·         www.artcyclopedia.com/
• I’ve also contacted the Nelson Atkins (816) 751-1278, and they have helped me with research on old prints.

Dear eBay Queen:

I sell vintage albums, turntables etc, on eBay.  I’ve been doing this for around 5 years.  Recently, I had a buyer claim that the turntable I sent her is broken.  She threatened to leave negative feedback if I did not provide her with a full refund or a replacement but she has steadfastly refused to return the item.  I always double check my items are in good working order and condition prior to sending.  I do want to find out why there is a problem with this turntable. In my defense, I offered her a full refund once she sends the items back to me.

She opened a case with PayPal saying that the item was vitally important for her child and she needed one desperately, but went crazy once PayPal told her to return the item and then she will get her refund.  She now has admitted to me that she has 7 of these items, has received a few of them that did not work and the seller gave her a refund without returning the item. I checked out her feedback, and she has been buying these items for some time. She wants to send me a video of the console not working as proof of her claim – how am I to know if this is the console I had sent if she already has 7 others?

In her last email, she says that she wants to keep the player and still have her refund!!!  What would you do in this situation?

Colleen

Dear Colleen:

One of my crazy buyers from years ago taught me to always take a photo of the serial number of the electronics I am selling.  I don’t put this in the eBay description, but I do save the photo.  When I send electronics I put the serial number in the notes when I print the PayPal shipping. Then the buyer knows that you know which item you have sent. Then if a different one is returned it’s obvious.

I would call PayPal to talk to someone in resolutions. Ask if you can forward the emails where she says she has 7 of these and none of the other sellers made her return them.  I would also contact eBay about this.  PayPal is going to require her send the item back before receiving a refund.  You have a couple of options.

1. Let the PayPal claim expire on its own, and by doing this it will be found in your favor.
2. Escalate the claim, PayPal will investigate and find in your favor since the buyer refuses to send the item back.

The buyer could still give you negative feedback, but you can always respond: “buyer demanded to keep the item & get money back.”  This is a tough situation.  I wish eBay would put more safeguards in place for sellers when it comes to buyers.

Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item: 250992365252 How much would you pay to have Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley at your wedding? Check out this auction, Be 1st Couple Married at KISS “Hotter Than Hell” Vegas Wedding Chapel with KISS! Check it out HERE  SOLD $15,300.00

Suzie Eads is a nationally known eBay marketer and eBay trained Education Specialist. She lives in Rantoul, Kansas.