How to Buy and Sell Vintage Bows, Avoiding Bad Bows, Bad Buyers and Worse Sellers

see our other posts on buying vintage bows: 
http://shakespearearchery.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-most-popular-shakespeare-bows.html
 

How to Buy and Sell Vintage Bows, Avoiding Bad Bows, Bad Buyers, and Worse Sellers

by Larry Vienneau

Before You Buy Any Bow Please Consider:

•  There has been a surge of interest in archery in the last couple of years due to movies like "The  Hunger Games" and television shows such as “Arrow”.  These have helped ignite new interest in the sport of archery. They have also contributed to the rise in prices for vintage bows. So for a while prices will be high so be prepared to spend a bit more money.
• Where to look? Some excellent archery forums have trading or classified pages. I have had great luck finding some nice equipment with many of these sites:
• www.archerytalk.com
• www.tradtalk.com 
• www.tradgang.com
• www.tradrag.com 
• http://leatherwall.bowsite.com
• www.stickbow.com
  Craig's List is another great resource too but there are obvious risks. The undisputed king of auctions is eBay. There are some advantages and disadvantages to eBay. EBay rates buyers and sellers pretty well. But there is no forum to rate interacting with members. While a seller may be polite to a buyer, he might not be polite to someone commenting or offering knowledge to a seller. Most sellers appreciate the help but some do not. EBay has no way of policing bad behavior so be warned. A seller with 100% ratings may be the worst seller on eBay because of his or her arrogant attitude. EBay sellers are overwhelmingly excellent and honest people, but you do meet that small percentage who are awful.
• Condition is a main contributor to a bow’s price. 
•  A mint bow means flawless, either unused or completely free of any sign of wear. Some sellers use the term "near mint" liberally but it is misleading, it is either mint or it isn't. Mint means unused or rarely used. It should be in the original condition as when it came out of the box!! A truly mint bow with a perfect arrow rest is rare and deserves a high price.
  A bow in pristine or excellent condition will have some very minor scuffs or scratches. It will have its original rest material. It will have the original factory finish.
  A very good bow (well used) should be free of twisted limbs or heavy stress cracks but may have an arrow rest replacement and it needs some refinishing. Most bows fall into this category. A refinished bow falls into this category. Always disclose when a bow has been refinished!
  A Good Bow (well used) may have some mild limb twist but is a reliable safe bow to shoot. It will need a new rest and string. It may also need some refinishing. Most bows also fall into this category.
  Poor or “as is” is a bow that has heavy stress cracks, limb twists, poor finish, and other damage. A bow with a cracked riser or laminate separation should be sold “as is”. These bows should be refurbished by an experienced person or sold as wall hangers.
  . http://reviews.ebay.com/Vintage-Archery-Equipment-amp-the-Mint-Rating?ugid=10000000001822092
• Do your research and compare prices. Learn as much as you can about vintage bows before you bid. I suggest: Rick Rappe's books VINTAGE BOWS 1,2,& 3.  

• http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Bows-Introduction-Choosing-Collecting/dp/1458372138 and http://www.amazon.com/books/dp/1105729974 and http://www.lulu.com/us/en/shop/rick-rappe/vintage-bows-ii/paperback/product-20247920.html 
• Vintage Bows III- http://www.lulu.com/shop/rick-rappe/vintage-bows-iii/ebook/product-21435364.html
•  If you are using an auction site visit “completed Listings” to see what other bows have gone for in past auctions. Use possible misspelling searches. I have found many nice “Recuve Boes”, I recently bought a “Shakespeare Wunderbow”, a recent "Shakespeare Vintage Recure" sold for $50....and it was beautiful!!! The misspelled items turn up less in searches and usually have fewer bids. Be patient, and bid wisely.
• PRICES. This is the most popular question "What is it worth?" EBay has a wide range of pricing. There are several high-end sellers, offering excellent quality bows. Most ask for fair prices but some are greedy, do your research. Do not be duped into paying an exorbitant price based on some online inflationary calculator gimmick (one overpriced eBay dealer actually uses this to justify his prices- http://www.dollartimes.com/calculators/inflation.htm/) Condition and collector demand fuel pricing. Check completed auctions for bows, it will give you an idea of pricing. Research the going price for both mint and well-used bows you might be interested in. If you look at past sales for Shakespeare / Root bows the price range is $40 - $235 depending on the model rarity and condition. Bear Bow demands a higher price range $75 - $500, and a few much higher. Watch out for overpriced bows -do your homework before you bid!!
• DON'T BE GREEDY - this applies to both buyers and sellers!!  Over the past month, I have been reporting a Chinese seller who took a completed eBay listing and re-posted it with a selling price of 1/10th of the actual value. this seller simply moved the decimal over so that a $195.00 bow would sell for $19.50ish. He also used "Buy it now" and free shipping to entice a victim. this seller used multiple accounts but all had "0" feedback. I had nearly 1000 of his listings removed over a month. Don't be a greedy buyer. Be careful and think. If something seems too good to be true...it is usually a scam.

  

  eBay seller with a grossly inflated priceIf you are a seller DONT GET GREEDY!! this seller has tried to sell this cheap fiberglass bow for $495 for months (it should be listed at $35-$45). Today I found her listing it for $3598.00... that is not a typo. I have repeatedly messaged her about her price, she doesn't care if she is ripping you off. Don't be fooled but the term "Rare" and a high price...do your research.

• Ask questions. Some sellers on sites like eBay are not knowledgeable so you will need to ask them questions about the bow. Ask about the bow length condition, make, and model, whether is it RH or LH, and most importantly ask for good photos. Many sellers can't tell right-hand from left. Some don't even know how to string the bow correctly, like this fellow shooting his bow strung backward. Sometimes ignorant sellers can be belligerent. So ask your questions politely, if they get angry, pass on the bow and the seller. I wrote a page on the right hand vs Left hand-
• http://shakespearearchery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_24.html
  

  

  

  some sellers string the bow backward and list it incorrectly as a left-hand bow when it is actually right-handed
• I can’t count how many poor descriptions and photos I have seen on auction sites. here is the 3 Rivers Archery YouTube video on bow dexterity:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4pHS_4EU7g 

• Private Listings: I strongly recommend using caution with auction-style listings that indicate "private listing - bidders' identities protected” 99.9% of sellers are honest however some are using private listings to cover Shill bidding (illegal bids designed to raise the final auction price).  The identity of a bidder is protected by eBay so there is little value in protecting a listing for a “Buy it Now” listing however some sellers use it to limit information about what they sell and to whom. This is permitted by eBay; however, some sellers use it to mask sales.  
• Normal wear and scratches are not a problem. If you want to refinish your bow you should put a couple layers of masking tape over any logos, medallions, or markings that can identify your bow. I am not fussy about taping because I usually try to lightly sand the taped area when I am ready to refinish.  Don’t use a harsh chemical paint remover. I prefer CITRISTRIP a non-hazardous water-soluble stripper. It takes a bit longer, but it won’t damage the bow glues. Use a stripper after wash and then a couple times with a damp cloth. Sand with a rough grit if needed but I usually start with 220, then 400, 600 then triple 000 steel wool. Avoid too much sanding on the surface of the fiberglass. Super glue is a good filler for nasty scratches and it can be sanded. I recommend a spray spar varnish in satin, semi-gloss, or gloss depending on your bow, it is always good to match the original finish. To polish a bows finish try this: http://www.ebay.com/sch/bowdocs/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686  For bow refinishing I Recommend-  http://www.classicbows.net/ This is Rick Rappe author of Vintage Bows 1 & II email: yorktown5@comcast.net 
  - you will be in good hands.
  Here are a couple more restorers:http://www.bowhospital.com/Contact_Information.html and http://droptinetraditions.com/php/ Remember, some twisted limbs can be untwisted; a few de-laminations may be re-glued, but most cracked riser is unfixable.
• And of course there is BowDoc: BowdocsARCHERY@comcast.net
• a hairline fracture can be fixed by an experienced bowyer. here is a good link to read about riser repair. http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=print_topic;f=14;t=005999
•  The bow should fit you- taller archers (5’10 inch or taller) may have a 31”+ draw length and should look for a longer bow length: 64" or longer.  Shorter archers (5’ 9 or shorter) may have a 28-inch draw length and should find most bows comfortable.
• Don’t be macho, DO NOT buy a bow that is too powerful for you, better under-weighted than over-bowed. Your back muscles are important in the execution of a proper archery shot. These muscles are often underdeveloped in non-archers. An average man should be looking for a 40-45# bow at your draw length, a slender woman or teen should be using a 25-35# bow
• Be sure you have the correct bowstring. Many vintage deals come with old worn-out strings. Throw it out and get a new one. If you get a vintage bow make sure you stay away from fast flight strings because they can destroy your bow, get a B50 Dacron - string, and make sure you tell the merchant it is for a vintage bow. Your string needs to be 4 inches shorter than the bow length from nock to nock (AMO). For example, a 60-inch bow needs a string that is 56 inches. Most importantly NO FAST FLIGHT STRINGS for vintage bows
• I recommend an instructional DVD to give you a proper start in bow selection, bow set-up, arrow tuning, and, most importantly, how to shoot correctly. There are also plenty of online resources to help as well. YouTube is a great resource for watching the correct shooting form.http://www.youtube.com/user/Greyarcher1  browse his "School of Archery" He also has good videos on techniques and other helpful advice.

Bow racks for 4, 8, and 16 traditional bows by Jerry Coulter

Bow Displays – Space Saving Design by Jerry Coulter

  These Jerry Coulter handmade pine bow racks are made specifically for traditional bows and can hold 16 unstrung (unstrung) bows, 8 bow socks, and 6 arrows, all at once.  The bow is hung by sliding the bowstring behind the peg so that the peg is between the bow and the bowstring.

These bow racks are only 27 inches wide, so they won't take all your wall space, and can be attached to the wall with their mounting holes spread 16 inches apart, made to work with most wall studs (mounting screws and wood cover buttons included). 
16 bow rack:http://www.ebay.com/itm/16-bow-traditional-archery-bow-rack-/110722714955?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c7968d4b
8 bow rack:http://www.ebay.com/itm/8-bow-traditional-archery-bow-rack-/110633717474?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c2488ee2 
4 bow rack:http://www.ebay.com/itm/Traditional-bow-racks-4-bow-/110971379321?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19d668de79 
You can email Jerry directly: jerryccoulter@gmail.com

Avoiding Bad Bows and Even Worse Sellers 

Examples of What to Avoid 

*Avoid Overpriced Bows and Arrogant, Rude Sellers
*a bad seller is someone who does not answer emails

*a bad seller is someone who is not honest about an item.

*a bad seller uses deceiving or confusing descriptions

*a bad seller uses profanity or insults in answering a question.

*a bad seller is a bully

*go to one of the many archery forums, they often have lists of sellers who have bad reputations
*and leave the appropriate feedback. To add to the feedback you may have already left for a poor seller go to the:

http://pages.ebay.com/services/forum/feedback.html

Click “Follow up to Feedback left” There is also a link on that page to change feedback.

POOR PHOTO AND DESCRIPTION

Hoyt Gamemaster recurve bow

starting price $299

“Item specifics Condition:          

Used: An item that has been used previously. The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear but is fully operational and functions as intended. This item may be a floor model or store return that has been used.

Brand: Hoyt

Model: gamemaster

Description: Hoyt Gamemaster is taken down with removable limbs. 50lb limbs. Recurve” This could be an excellent bow but the seller has posted one very poor photo and description.  From the Item specs, it is pretty clear that the seller knows very little about the bow. Nothing is posted about how old the bow is, what the AMO is, the width of limbs, color, or anything that will give the buyer an accurate idea of why this bow warrants a $299 starting bid with a reserve!!

Avoid items that have extremely short descriptions combined with a bad photo!

DAMAGE OVERPRICED BOW

Vintage Shakespeare Archery Recurve Bow -The Sierra Model X 18 Price $129

50 1/2" total length

“This is a vintage bow there are some knicks here and there. No cracking or separation.

It has a  twist to it, probably from leaving string on.

It does not come with string.

I am no expert, I have given the information to the best of what I see and know in the description.  Because every person will have their own expectations I ask that if you have any questions email to ask before placing your bid.  Your bid represents what you feel is a fair price for the item being sold in the auction.”

I contacted this seller and asked about the condition of the bow and the draw weight.  I suggest that the asking price might be a bit too high on the bow. From the photos, it is easy to see that this bow is in deplorable condition and is NOT worth the asking price of $129.  The bow is filthy, the finish is badly scratched and it has a limb twist!! The seller's response was “I don’t think this is the right bow for you” REALLY???

And she never answered any of my questions about the bow.
 If you see a similar bow with the words -"I am no expert, It has a twist to it." Run away or Ask lots of questions!!!!!

UNDER-EMPHASIS OF THE PROBLEM

Vintage TRI-STATE JAGUAR RECURVE BOW Wood & Laminated Limbs 41# 70" LJD-113

Price -$ 297.77

"Vintage archery bow

'Jaguar model' Hunting or Archery, Tri-state Archery Corporation, Danbury, ct.

41 # lb pull/draw

70" recurve

Wood & Owens Permaglass

Good condition & usable with no structural defects [see pictures for cosmetic details]. The light bow weighs approx: 1 lb. 13 oz. Unisex and light enough pull for older children. No string with this bow. Your local archery shop will take off this. Used but not abused. Mostly varnish wear that tlc and slight refinish will correct or just leave alone. We leave all patina alone for the buyer's discretion."

The seller has done a good job with the description but has under-emphasized the condition of the varnish. It needs more than TLC, it needs a complete refinishing! For the price of $297.77, a buyer should be getting a bow in excellent condition. This is a type of bow that should be passed over unless you are experienced in bow restoration.

POOR DESCRIPTION

VINTAGE DAMON HOWATT HUNTER WOODEN BOW MARKED HH 4340

Price $480 or the best offer

“Item specifics Condition:  

Used: An item that has been used previously. The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but is fully Branded: DAMON HOWATT

Overall Bow Length: 56 ½”

Vintage Damon Howatt hunter wooden bow 56 1/2" bow marked hh 4340 69@ 28" what looks like am o 62". Beautiful with inlaid design. Very nice.”

 For a great bow with a very high asking price, this is a very poor description

The description tells us very little about the condition of the bow.

1.    What is the condition of the string?

2.    Is there any laminate separation?

3.    Is there any limb twist?

4.    What is cosmetic wear?

5.    How has this bow been stored?

6.    How old is the bow?
7.  The bow is strung backward!!!

This is a great example of an auction item that demands questions from the seller. 
Do not bid until you know everything.

 A MISLEADING SELLER

Shakespeare Wonderbow M 24 Recurve Bow

Item specifics: Condition:     For parts or not working.  Seller Notes:    “Vintage well used”

 Description:

“This is an estate sale find. We simply buy and sell. We do not shoot and do not know if this works or is only good as wall art, We do not know if this has all the required parts or pieces. This is how we found it. This is a used item in used condition with signs of age usage wear marks fading etc. This item is offered as shown as found no warranty no refunds and no returns. If you do not see it we do not have it. If you find a problem you must fix it.”

I have dealt with this seller. This is the archetype of a seller to avoid. He has multiple auction accounts, avoid answering emails, posts poor photos, posts intentionally poor description, and loads the descriptions with disclaimers. This is the response you can expect from him if you have a question:
"We're sorry we couldn't find an answer for you. Unfortunately, this seller is not able to respond to your question. We suggest reviewing the item again to see if your answer is in the seller's listing."

Always read every item spec. and descriptions, sometimes they tell you more about the seller than they do about the bow!!!!

AVOID A BAD BOW!

I contacted this seller to warn about this bow. It is one of the worst I have seen in years. The crack in the riser is dangerous and unrepairable. He wants $149 which is high for this bow in excellent condition. Instead of removing the listing, dropping the price, or re-writing a correction, he changed the condition from "Good" to "Used"

AND THE AWARD FOR THE WORST PHOTO..... 

 VINTAGE MID 60s SHAKESPEARE WONDERBOW X17-62 RECURVE BOW 62" 45#

$20.00 I bid

Description: "Up for auction a VINTAGE MID-60s SHAKESPEARE WONDERBOW  X17-62 RECURVE BOW 62"  45#. This is a fiberglass bow. It shows some fading but looks to be in good condition." What else can I say? I think the photo and description say it all!!!

HOW TO SELL A VINTAGE BOW AND HAVE FUN DOING IT!!

1. RESEARCH YOUR BOW: Learn as much as you can about vintage bows before you offer your bow for sale. I suggest: Rick Rappe's books VINTAGE BOWS 1,2, & 3 

 http://www.ebay.com/sch/yorktown5/m.html?item=220760595183&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l4064 
Use online sources to aid you with your description and to help you assess the value of your bow. Go onto auction sites and look at past auctions. The biggest mistake sellers make is they see a patent date like on a Bear bow which has a date of 1953 and assume that the bow is 1953 when the bow may be from the 1970s. Posting that you are selling 1953 is unintentionally misleading!! do your homework!!! Many sellers can't even tell a right-hand bow from a lefty.
I wrote a page on this: http://shakespearearchery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_24.html
If you are still unsure go to this 3 Rivers Archery Video- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4pHS_4EU7g 

 

2. Pricing Your Bow: Do not price according to emotional attachment. If you are selling your father's vintage bow, do not ask for a price that is too high for your bow. Do a search for your bow in "past auctions" on eBay and you will get an idea of what your bow is worth. If it has sold for far less than you want for your bow, then you need to decide if you really want to sell it. DO NOT use gimmicks to price your bow. One overpriced seller sets his prices according to an online inflation calculator, this is not the best or most accurate tool to find the correct price.http://www.dollartimes.com/calculators/inflation.htm/ The price is set according to condition, Model or maker, year, weight, dexterity, and price in past auctions.


3. TAKE GOOD PHOTOGRAPHS; Take time to light the bow properly. It is best not to use a flash or direct sunlight. Use indirect sunlight if possible. Compose the photo and remove any distractions from the background (old socks, toys, the dog, or your feet!!!)

select a plain background, this one is too busy

the bow is completely lost in the rug pattern

Get your ugly feet out of your photo

editing removes Ugly Feet

don't be lazy, turn your photo!!

Avoid this kind of mistake. This bow is completely lost in the background. The line of the bowlines up with the line of the distant sidewalk. The photograph is also taken from too far away. Don't be lazy, compose the photo so that the buyer can see everything clearly!!

Spend a few minutes making sure that the photos are oriented correctly, and use simple editing tools to crop the photos or adjust the contrast. If you don’t know how to edit, take the time to learn, it does help sell a bow. If your photos convey quality then the bow conveys quality too. I have written a guide to photographing vintage bows- http://shakespearearchery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_30.html

4. BE COMPLETELY TRUTHFUL: If there is a problem with the bow let the potential buyer know. DO NOT skirt the problem by not photographing the problem or not describing the problem. The buyer should know everything when they are buying versus opening the bow only to find a bow with undisclosed problems. There is nothing worse than an angry buyer. I bought a bow that was described as straight and it was not. If you have a twist in the limbs..say it!!

a twisted limb!

5.  Mint, excellent, very good, and well used, and poor ratings. 
Condition is a main contributor to a bow’s price. Mint, pristine, or bows in excellent condition fetch more money, well-used bows with ding and scratches will cost less. Do not use the term "near mint"- it is either mint or it isn't mint.  A good analogy is a Mint Coin or Stamp- Mint means perfect. Some Collectors prefer an item as close to perfect as possible while others, like me, enjoy bow battle scars which may need some renovation. Some sellers use the term "near mint" liberally when describing their bows. Do not use "near mint" in your descriptions.

 A mint bow means flawless, either unused or completely free of any sign of wear. A truly mint bow with a perfect arrow rest is rare and deserves a high price. A mint bow should look as if it just came out of the box - new

A bow in pristine or excellent condition will have some very minor scuffs or scratches. It should have the original factory finish AND the original arrow rest and strike plate. It should have no or very minor stress cracks.

A very good bow (used) should be free of twisted limbs or heavy stress cracks but may have an arrow rest replacement and it needs some refinishing. Most bows fall into this category. A refinished bow falls into this category. Always disclose when a bow has been refinished!

A Good Bow (well used) may have some mild limb twist but is a reliably safe bow to shoot. It will need a new rest and string. It may also need some refinishing. Most bows also fall into this category.

Poor or “as is” is a bow that has heavy stress cracks, limb twists, poor finish, and other damage. A bow with a cracked riser or laminate separation should be sold “as is”. These bows should be refurbished by an experienced person or sold as wall hangers.

http://reviews.ebay.com/Vintage-Archery-Equipment-amp-the-Mint-Rating?ugid=10000000001822092

6.  Write short and accurately. 
I hate finding a nice auction item and then having the auction version of “WAR and PEACE”. I cut and pasted one long-winded seller's description and did a word count - over 2000 words- too long!!! Write interesting and accurate descriptions but don’t tell your life story!! Give the buyer good dependable information about the bow. If you don’t know much about the bow do some research and find out approximately what year the bow is, or something that the buyer will find helpful. 

7.  Dealing with Buyers: 
be polite. Answers questions quickly and as accurately as possible. Make sure you have accurately described your item, keeping in mind that some buyers don’t read descriptions. If someone has a complaint you can cite where it was described in your item description. Assume that most buyers are novices and explain archery terminology carefully. There are some bad buyers out there! Protect yourself. Make sure you are as polite as possible, do not get angry but be assertive if needed. Absolutely no foul language. If there is ever a buyer/seller dispute your demeanor will be evaluated when the auction house makes a dispute settlement. Remember a seller should be as accurate and honest as possible, a buyer should read a description BEFORE bidding.

8.  Packing and shipping: 
do a good job! Don’t tape together a box throw the bow in and ship it unprotected. Have a box ready to use and then pack the bow well. Let the buyer know when it has been shipped. Ship as quickly as possible. If you can’t get the bow out in a reasonable amount of time, let the buyer know that there has been a delay. Most buyers are very understanding. 

9.  Respect:  
Anytime you are buying or selling online there has to be trust and respect by both the buyer and seller. Don’t be greedy, be reasonable. Treat others as you would like to be treated and the experience will be a good one for everyone concerned.

10. Here is a Great Example of an Excellent Seller; Prettyimptacticals
http://www.ebay.com/sch/Outdoor-Sports-/159043/m.html?_ipg=&_from=&_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ssn=prettyimpracticals

This is an eBay store that has very good quality bows. The prices are a little higher than some sellers but the prices are very fair for the quality of the bows. What I love about this store is the photography. This seller takes plenty of photos of the bow's strengths as well as its flaws. When you buy from this shop you won't have many surprises, what you see is what you get. The descriptions are short and to the point, they let the photographs speak for them. Obviously not everyone can supply such an extensive photographic record of every item, but this seller does an outstanding job presenting the bow to the buyer. They don't preach, they don't shout, they don't "sell", they use an economy of words and offer the buyer all the visual information they need to make a good decision.
This is a good example of what you should be striving for when you sell your vintage bow.


What is a “RARE” Vintage Bow?

The word “RARE” is one of the most overused words on eBay. Sellers use “RARE” liberally and deceitfully. Typically, there are around 600 vintage Bear Bows on any given day but there may only be one or two Root Bows. Yet Bear dealers insist on using "RARE" to describe their plentiful bows.

What is a rare bow? Just because a seller says an item is rare, does not make it so. Do your research.  The internet is a vast library, use it wisely. Remember, not everything on the internet is true. Do your research. Ask smart questions. If it smells fishy then it probably is rotten. A rare or desirable item really is in the eye of the beholder. I collect vintage bows. I own, Bear, Hoyt, Groves, York, Ben Pearson, Grimes, Root, and Shakespeare. I also own Native American bows and Chinese, Mongolian, and Korean Horsebows. I also collect solid fiberglass bows because many are ambidextrous.  I pay what I feel an item is worth to me. I have a unique perspective on rarity I am right-handed, but I am a left-handed shooter. Some bows that are common as righties are very rare as lefties; I pay for the value of a bow as it pertains to me.  There is one seller on eBay who writes 2000–3000-word descriptions and his bows are overpriced. People fall for his spiel, he spins this sale pitch to make a buyer think they are getting a deal on a bow that is 40% higher than it should be. Research the prices by viewing past auctions, this will give you an idea of what the final price should be. It also shows you that the item may or may not be rare. Lastly, be willing to walk away from an item. Another one will inevitably come your way if you are patient.  Ask Questions. Do your research. Bid and buy wisely.

 

© Copyright, Larry Vienneau Jr.

All rights reserved.