Gene isn't in the Christmas spirit ...and neither am I.
I know this sort of thing is customarily reserved for journals, and (of course!) it's also another of my (in)famous woe-is-me posts ...but I don't do journals; this is my preferred way to vent (and I need to).
Let me preface this by saying I despise auctions, especially eBay auctions. Even more so is the despise I have for ignorance, esp. on the part of sellers. Not just any ignorance, but willful and possessive ignorance that doubles down against facts and reason.
The TL;DR is an eBay seller misprized one of their lots, and refused to hear any words to the contrary. Consequently, the item sold FAR below its value ...and I wasn't the winner! XD
Now, losing an auction isn't a big deal---for every auction I lose, I win five more. Additionally, I don't typically bid on items that are irreplaceable, unique or terribly high-dollar (with a few exceptions), as I'm both not rich and not THAT big into pencils (it only seems like I'm obsessed because most of my readers know me only for my art stuff, so it's easy to presume that drawing is all I care about. Truth is, I don't like drawing that much! XD).
Now, I don't expect there are many pencil nerds watching me (...which is odd, considering), so the significance of this lot may not be obvious. In short, the Hardtmuths are very, very, VERY early! These date back to when America had a Whig party ...and possibly even before! D: The absolute most recent the Hardmuths could be is the late 1840's, based on their region of manufacture: Vienna.
Like many sellers these days, this seller cared more for the box than the items inside it (ie, the pencils), so most of the listing's photos were of the box (this seller should invest in Lego).
Despite this, I knew what it was I was looking at, but had to be sure. I shot the seller a note, asking to see a photo of the pencils' cores. I received this photo (among a few others): https://sta.sh/01h9rithlslg
Oh... My... GAWD! D:
Those are, without dispute, the most beautiful SQUARE-CORE pencils I have ever seen ...and, lo! A hex-core lies among them! D:
I caught this auction before anyone had bid on it. I informed the seller of the value of these pencils, as briefly (and politely!) as I could (despite wanting to scream at them)---that the lot was worth a considerable amount of money, and that they (the seller) had not described the listing properly.
How had the seller described the listing? Get ready to laugh!
"This auction is for four vintage L.C. Hardmuth drawing pencils in their rather rare original wooden box. Also included is one A.U. Faber pencil. The pencils are from an artist estate. We believe the pencils date back to the 1930's or 40's. All are in good pre-owned condition. Some use is as seen. Please feel free to message any questions"
First of all, sweetness, that's not their original box: you have mixed brands and vintages here. Second, 1930s/1940s? These are NOT WWII-era pencils! Hell, these predate THE CIVIL WAR by AT LEAST twenty years! D: Last, a simple Google search would tell you what you need to know,
"L&C Hardtmuth was formed in 1790 by Josef Hardtmuth in Vienna, Austria. In 1802 he patented the first pencil lead made from a combination of clay and graphite, and in 1848 the company was moved to the city of Budweis in what is today the Czech Republic"
These pencils predate the move from Vienna to Czechoslovakia (which, again, was in the 1840's). As for the box, based on some vintage ad-scans I was able to find, it's no earlier than the 1880s.
My findings, also, concur with the box's inscription, "Celebrated Drawing Pencils", as well as the fact the box is nailed together with round nails.
Yeah, I worked with antique furniture for years---I know how these things were made. If nails were used at all, their heads would be rectangular ...but most likely, the box would be dovetailed or (better, but less likely) pegged together (if we're talking about an 1840's vintage).
How did the seller respond to this?
Silence. Dead silence. They didn't even add their photos of the pencil cores to the listing (which, at the time, had no bidders, hence it could've been revised). What this tells me is they couldn't give a fig less about the item or their customers.
Now, I have to accept some blame here as well. Though I did place a very high bid on the listing, I did so knowing the seller had been informed as to what they had (because I told them), and I have been the victim of my own honesty several times. In short, I held back for fear of being shill-bid, and (consequently) lost the auction.
I'd have paid a high price either way, but it's different when the format is an auction. My long-time readers know I have a very specific way of thinking, conducting business, and interacting socially (like, I don't do faves, give watches, etc---normal things everyone else does, that I do not).
Whether it makes sense to the reader or not, in this scenario, I'd have paid $500 or more for the pencils had the lot been presented as a BiN (ie, a 'Buy-it-Now'), but couldn't allow myself to bid more than $225 in an auction format (make fun of me if you like, but the mystery, anxiety and past experiences of auctions affects my autism).
The winner got the pencils for $321 ...an amount which helps validate my dislike of auctions---it wasn't a sincere bid, like say a rounded number would be: the buyer just swiped their keyboard a few seconds before the auction ended (I was present; I saw it happen).
After receiving my initial note, I feel the seller should have suspended the auction to double-check what I'd told them. After all, most people want to make money, and the information I provided was that the pencils were of greater value than the seller realized. If a thing one is trying to sell is revealed to be more valuable than originally believed, the least one can do (and should do), is look into it (it's obvious the seller did no such work to begin with).
And this wasn't the only instance of willful ignorance I've encountered recently.
Check these out: https://sta.sh/01sy9zfi309h (with notes in description; seller's name redacted for privacy).
An incomplete set of ruined Aeternal pencils. What's the big deal?
The seller listed these as circa 1700-1800s, and had almost $300 as their starting price. :p
I had no interest in buying these, but I felt morally obligated to inform the seller as to the reality of their lot (ie, a novice collector may believe the pencils to be hundreds of years old, and buy them ...only to be very, very disappointed).
There is some irony here that can be appreciated. The Hardtmuth seller believed their lot was much later than it was, and underpriced it, whereas the Aeternal seller egregiously overpriced their lot and overshot its vintage. :p
Anyway, I told the seller their pencils were no earlier than the 1930s (which is true). Now, though coloring tools have been around for centuries, coloring pencils developed specifically for use in art weren't available until the early 1920's.
For fun, here's the oldest colored pencil I own (effectively a wooden china marker; it can write on glass): https://inkbunny.net/s/2574225
Additionally (and much more telling) is the logo on the Aeternals (as well their box). The logo is a scale with two weights inside. This logo was used by A.W. Faber beginning in the 1930s.
To this seller's credit, they seemed reasonable (at first) and actually responded to my messages. After a few notes, the seller's confusion came to light. They thought since the marriage of the Castell and Faber family took place in 1900, that any pencils with the 'A.W. Faber' name had to precede that date. ^^;
I scanned one of my A.W. Faber pencils for the seller to see: a 'Worldwide' pencil that was made in the 1950's. :P
Despite this, the seller doubled-down, not by countering my points, but by insisting the box their pencils were in was from the 1700-1800's ...despite its sharing the 'Aeternal' name and bearing the same logo as the pencils.
It's like they were trying to make a compromise, by accepting the pencils as 20th-century, but forcing the box they were originally sold in as from the 1800s. That's not how it works! D:
Additionally, I explained to the seller the objective, tangible differences between 19th and 20th century pencils (they're readily identifiable on-sight if one knows what to look for).
SELLER: "I wonder if the case was for something else originally then because it is pre 1900 being A.W. Faber vs Faber-Castell and being in German. Thank you for your input!"
Yes, because no one has written in German since 1900. :P
I explained to the seller that the box and the pencils belonged together, as well what the box was representing: basically hatching symbols used in diagrams that represent different materials. Like, if one were drawing a schematic of a complicated machine, one would code its various components with hatchings that would inform the viewer as to what a given piece was made of (ie, this hatch symbol means this part is made of copper, and this one represents steel).
In the end, they changed the title of their listing to,
"Antique Vintage AW Faber-Castell AETERNAL Pencils Technical Box Case 1800s RARE"
Again, these are NOT 1800's and they are NOT Faber-Castell (that's a different line entirely)! D:
...Anyway,
It's a combination of things that have me ticked-off at the moment. Expect me to go silent a while, though I'll try my best to have an upload for Christmas (but I can't promise it---I'm really down on the world right now).
This is my Long-long comment My comment is long Because it isn't short
This is my Long-long comment I don't oft'n write Comments of this sort
...Ok, enough of that. ^^
What to say.... Well, I walked to McDonald's last Sunday, because I wanted a biscuit. It was super early in the morning, for I hoped to avoid the rain I knew was forthcoming. I reached the McDonald's and although its drive-thru was open, the door to the inside was locked. Not wanting to return empty-handed, I dashed over to Target. I had my backpack, so I could buy many things ...and I did, foolishly, for no real reason. Among my selections was a box of hard coffees ...which the clerk wouldn't sell to me because it was too early to sell alcohol. :P
After spending $40 on other things, I exited the Target to greet the rain. It wasn't bad---just the kind of rain that's good for watering flowers. As I had to pass the McDonald's to return home, I thought to try my luck again. Still locked! D:
I went home and ate a deli sandwich with a pre-made salad. Better than the biscuit I'd been anticipating, but still... :P
:3
This is my Long-long comment My comment is long Because it isn't short This is my Long-long comment
Gene might be spending too much time with Tasli. He's now stealing the bunny's expressions.
But sorry to hear about the auction frustrations. It was neat to learn some of the history and significance of those pencils, though. You seem very well read and educated on the matter.
Gene might be spending too much time with Tasli. He's now stealing the bunny's expressions. But so
Ouch. I know you've had problems before when it came to "securing" utensils and the like. I tend to try and stay away from the auction scene, but I know that what you are looking for, there's not really that many places for you to shop around. This isn't the time of the year to be dealing with these types of people, but it seems to always happen at least once around this time of year without fail.
I hope the closer it comes to Christmas and the new year, you and Gene move away from becoming Tasli and slide on over to the Mubba side. Your journal descriptions always make me smile... not because of what's in it (I never take pleasure in other people's dismay or frustrations), but because it always makes me wonder if this site every thought to really limit descriptions. But then again, we would miss your rants.
Take care of yourself this holiday season. And if we don't see anything else from you this year... we'll see you again in the new year. A brand new years means a brand new start. :)
Ouch. I know you've had problems before when it came to "securing" utensils and the like. I tend to
The saying to keep in mind here is 'A fool and their money are soon parted'. There's few who would alert someone to this sort of situation, and if that sort of advice is ignored, then so be it. Let the auction happen, mayhaps someone who values the items more will gain them. This can only be for the good, and eventually items will settle with those who know and value them appropriately.
Save your rage for the reverse, the video game market is experiencing a scam bubble right now, and my annoyance blazes heartily against those inflating it.
Also, if she's aussie, don't kiss her. She's probably poisonous.
The saying to keep in mind here is 'A fool and their money are soon parted'. There's few who would a
I have my perspectives on it. Like, if someone has a rare pencil for far below its value, I'll tell them so they can raise its price. By doing so, if it sells, the seller may have a greater interest in offering more pencils for sale (they'll not be cheap, but they'll be available). And there's that scripture about doing unto others. I, personally, want the sellers to learn about pencils---the buyers, too. Who else benefits if all I care about is getting things cheap?
And before you chide me, I've made friends this way---by sharing what I know and being willing (also) to listen (I've mentioned a few instances of this here and there in my ACO descriptions). I've been offered private sales, the option to pick from lots, and I've gotten freebies! :D
That benefits me, as well as the sellers and (I'd say) the hobby in general. :3
I know it's an odd habit. ^^ I have my perspectives on it. Like, if someone has a rare pencil for f
Oh definitely, you'll not see chiding from me for sharing information. If someone is poking a beehive, by all means call out. My issue is, you shouldn't get too upset if they ignore you and keep poking. At that point the consequences are theirs and theirs alone. The world is full of ignorance, if you blaze hot at every encounter then you shall soon burn out like a sparkler on July 4th.
Oh definitely, you'll not see chiding from me for sharing information. If someone is poking a beehiv
I'll get over it; I mostly have already. I take solace in the fact I didn't say or do anything wrong. I get what you say about a fool and his money: I'm foolish for offering high when (at times) I don't need to, but I feel this also applies to the seller. In this case, the fool had an opportunity to make more money (fairly) and didn't take it (so they lost, too).
Either way, I'm done dwelling on it. I have some pencil connections, as well as a sorta-kinda rapport with Bob Truby (we've traded stuff; he knows I'm legit, and I him), so it's not like I don't have access to pencils like these so long as there's a seller available. Also (and you may disagree), I can't draw, so I'd only make the pencil look bad if I put my art next to it---it's one thing to do that with a 50's pencil one can find in the trash bin (this happens more than you think!) versus a historically significant piece that (really) should belong to a museum.
In case you're wondering, I'd have drawn Pearl with the pencil. Drawing a 'woke' character with an 1840's pencil would be too funny!
So there's that (and I'm finished lol).
I'll scribble something later; I kinda have an idea for a Christmas comic, so I should probably act on that while it's yet December. :3
I'll get over it; I mostly have already. I take solace in the fact I didn't say or do anything wrong
I chide you for disparaging you art! How dare! Chide I say, CHIDE!
Also, you now MUST do a comic where Mubba finds $10 in the trash somewhere and gives it to Mimi for a cool bottlecap she found, much to Gene's anguish.
I chide you for disparaging you art! How dare! Chide I say, CHIDE! Also, you now MUST do a comic wh
GENE: That was a hundr4ed-dollar note! Do you know what you could have bought with that? A car! A house! Your own private movie theater! And you traded it to Mimi for WHAT?
MUBBA: A pencil!
GENE: No pencil is worth that much!
Mubba: It has a bottle opener! She even threw in a bottlecap!
Tasil: Wow, it WAS worth every penny!
GENE: AUGH!
GENE: That was a hundr4ed-dollar note! Do you know what you could have bought with that? A car! A ho
For someone who doesn't like to draw you're pretty darn good at it! Just wanted to get that out. Sorry for your bad experience with them. I've had a few like that and ya they kinda sour you on the whole internet auction thing. If we don't see you before Christmas or New Years have good ones and stay safe. And as always look forward to seeing what you share with us both artwise and pencilwise. :)
For someone who doesn't like to draw you're pretty darn good at it! Just wanted to get that out. Sor
I think you are an amazing drawer. You are certainly great at it. Better than me in some aspects lol. The biggest difference being, I can't draw straight from mind lol. I NEED references when I draw. Otherwise, I wouldn't know where to begin lol.
But anyways, sorry to hear about those experiences. I DO love drawing, and I always wanna make sure I make something here and there. But it's not a serious thing I do for fame or money. NEVER will it either. That's the last thing I need is to draw attention to myself lol.
I think you are an amazing drawer. You are certainly great at it. Better than me in some aspects lol
I use refs for general drawing, albeit, I know how to draw characters in original poses.
Like, say I want to draw Quiky. I'd need a reference, say an image from a Nesquik bottle. After, I can draw the character in a pose different from what I see. Not saying I ever get it right, but it's something I can do. That said, I don't always---I don't see much of a point. Even if I attempt to draw something 1:1, it'll still be objectively different from the reference, if only for the fact that I'm a level-1 artist. ^^
I use refs for general drawing, albeit, I know how to draw characters in original poses. Like, say
