That's right, friends and neighbors — when it comes to browsing the listings on eBay there are times when you click “Buy It Now” and think about it later!
This latest episode of Carpe Keyum — “Seize the (Morse) key” — happened within the hour. I've been good about not buying on eBay, though I've been looking a lot and did enter a bid or two on some small things. I bought a book for my wife that she wanted, and some Nintendo accessories for the kids, Nothing that required sniping I assure you. There are a bazillion Nintendo DS cases in Asia, and I think everyone of them is listed on eBay.
One of my favorite times to browse eBay listings is around midnight on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays. A lot of people put there listings on, and I purposely will just browse entire categories starting with the newest listings first.
Granted that with nearly a week left on most of the auctions you can't expect to win any bids. Most of the time I just mark things to watch for the coming week. Once an item hits a certain price level I'll usually delete it from my watch list (unless I'm interested in seeing what it sells for).
And once in a while you run across a really attractive Buy It Now listing that someone JUST submitted. I've come across some excellent bargains this way. You have to know what you're buying, and have an idea that the seller is competent and truthful. Their feedback must establish this, or I won't buy. But these type of listings are often the best bargains you'll find on eBay.
As you might have read in earlier postings, I'm always on the hunt for a McElroy semi-automatic bug. I have a 1936 model, and I have sought to add other models to my collection. They're nowhere as common as Vibroplex keys; most of them left are either in someone's attic or in a collector's hands.
The do turn up on eBay, but good Lord do they get expensive. Get a couple of key collectors in a bidding war and you better have deep pockets. Luckily for the key collecting community, Joe Walsh, WB6ACU, doesn't go after old bugs the way he goes after classic ham gear!
Back to my story … while crusing the new listings, looking particularly for a lead on a Drake R4B or R4C in working condition, I spotted the elusive prey — a 1939 McElroy MAC KEY Deluxe with a relatively low Buy It Now price! I examined the listing, and recognized the seller's call — he's been selling a bunch of very nice keys lately.
The Mac Key Deluxe features a marbleite finish, kind of a faux marble, though it's not even a good imitation of marble. They had to call it something.
I hadn't planned on buying anything of course, but this was a key I've been looking for.
The key I won is more complete than the one in the photo above. The one in the photo is missing the finger piece and the weights. This one is complete, or appears to be.
I've got some things I need to list on eBay myself. I had planned to raise money to buy an IC-7000, but I'm not sure I really want to go that route. I like new toys from all eras, hence the notion to buy a Drake B or C line. The TR-7 is an attractive rig too, but boy howdy, its not cheap.
Speaking of eBay, it was a godsend this holiday season. The kids both wanted Nintendo DS Lite game systems, and the only place I could find them was eBay. Funny thing too — I was watching them for weeks prior to Christmas, and the prices of both auctions and Buy It Now listings creeped upward each day. By Christmas week, the game alone was selling for nearly $200 each — with no game. The games with black cases were the most expensive too. The white was least expensive, which is why my kids both got white ones. It wasn't worth the added expense.
The game system is some impressive technology too. More about that later.
73 es CUL … de KY4Z dit dit ….