Date: Fri 05-Feb-1999

Publication: Ant

Author: LIZAM

Quick Words:

eBay-Golliwog-Easton

Full Text:

Golliwog Cakewalks To $6,170 In Cyberspace Auction

(with cut)

By Rita Easton

HTTP://PAGES.EBAY.COM - Along with soaring Internet stocks, eBay, a virtual

auction house in cyberspace, has brought new highs to the virtual auction

crowd. Just ask Charles Templeton.

On December 29, Templeton consigned a 13-inch-high golliwog to be sold at

eBay. The listing, which had a January 5 closing date and featured 12 photos

of the doll, generated approximately 150 email inquiries about various

detailing, provenance, etc., with the greatest interest coming from Australia.

According to Templeton, bidders' questions included "`Does it have the

original buttons?' `Can you describe the Steiff button?' `Can you send more

pictures?' `Can you measure where the thread's gone?' and so on.

"The Americans were out of it at about $2,700, so it was between the Aussies,

and then the English came in at the end. I found out that when you deal in an

item like that, if you do your best, the collectors will let you know. They'll

know more than you will."

The Steiff toy was made between 1916 and 1920, was purchased from a South

Jersey estate several years ago, and was then sent to a public auction, where

Templeton bought it.

Fifty six bids were placed on the lot, which Templeton had estimated at

$3,500. At closing, the winner was a British collector, Fiona Miller, who

purchased the item at $6,170 "for her own collection," she stated.

Miller deals with and collects Steiff toys, and has been connected with the

English firm The Toy Store.

"I've sold well over 2,000 items at eBay this past year," Templeton said,

"that's what I do. I've been an antique dealer for over 28 years, but I've

never had a store front. I now have my own online web store because I deal

with eBay across the board with the more expensive items - over $500 and

especially over $1,000 - because the people bidding feel more comfortable when

they see that you're established and that you know what you're doing. We have

so many people that don't have a lot of experience."

eBay auction terms, fees and registration can be accessed online.