What's on your watch list?

Today after my Jayhawks spanked Missouri at the field house I made a run to the grocery store, and as it often is, it was Gay Day at the market. I ran into Bryce, who's off to Las Vegas next week, which sounds wonderful. Then again, he's going with his mom for a work function, so I'm only marginally jealous. Unrelated note: Bryce still lives with his ex Jeff, who never speaks to me, and today was no different. Perhaps he can read minds and knows I thought his tweed driving cap looked ridiculous.


I also saw Andy and Chris. Andy and I were at KU at the same time, and while we didn't have common classes, I was in Textiles and he was in Graphic Design so we were nearby. We also frequented some of the same coffee shops. Before we parted ways in Produce he said "Are you on Facebook?" I said "No, I'm anti social networking." He said "Of course you are" and off they went.


Working down my shopping list I was thinking about how I see no purpose or reason for Facebook and the like, and it hit me: When eBay started I thought it was awful too. Why would you want to bid against people you couldn't see? And how could you sell something online, what if they didn't pay? My, how far I've come.


The last thing I do on Sunday night is my weekly eBay search. There are a number of things I look for. Some the same each week, and other new searches depending on what I need or have going on. So for fun, here's a sampling of what I'm currently watching:


Among the same weekly search, yellowware bowls and pitchers. You've seen the collection, a few of which were eBay buys. Currently I've been looking for a small pitcher to use for spoons in the kitchen. Yes, I know there are spooners for that, but something like the little banded pitcher above is more my style.

This is an Austin sculpture taken from a cast of the original at the Victoria and Albert museum in London. Yes, Austin makes a number of things I'd never have in my home, but also a surprising number of things I would. I have an abstract bull sculpture by Austin on the credenza in the den and I love it. I'm not sure where the figure above could go, but I've got some ideas. It's big and would be gorgeous in the right spot. Incidentally, I saw the original when we were at the V&A and it's really wonderful. If you go to London DO NOT MISS the V&A.

Mrs. Blandings occasionally runs across good pieces of Wedgwood in her hunting and gathering. Either she or Stefan at ArchitectDesign recently mentioned the egyptianware. I was looking around eBay when I found the piece above. Much like antique dealers not pricing things at shows, here's a selling strategy I couldn't hate more. This seller's auctions all have a $1000.00 Buy It Now or Best Offer. Their text says "Of course we know this item isn't worth $1000.00, it's just our gimmick to get you to make us a fair offer." Besides annoying me, I think they're hurting themselves. The auction ended when they accepted someone's offer of $36.00. That's less than I would have thought they'd take, so if I ever run across something I like in one of their auctions you can bet I'll low-ball my offer.

I pick up lots of little prints and engravings, and invariably they need new mats and frames. This seller is offering 52 feet of moulding in 4 different styles, all for 55 bucks. You can't pick what you get, but if you see one you really hate he'll pull it out. This would be perfect for reselling art. WHY did I sell my miter saw?



And finally, this seller is offering a pair of these small Barbara Cosgrove urn lamps in either the black or white base, for $112.00. I adore the black, and as soon as I figure out where I can use them I'm buying. Who am I kidding, I could buy and store just as easily.

So what about you, what are you watching on eBay?