23 replies to this topic

[matt]

Eversharp 5th Ave manufactured in the 50s:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380527671214 (make sure there's nothing in your mouth before you open this link)

Not sure anything in this listing is correct....

Edited by matt, 03 December 2012 - 11:36 PM.

[david i]

Eversharp 5th Ave manufactured in the 50s:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380527671214 (make sure there's nothing in your mouth before you open this link)

Not sure anything in this listing is correct....

Well... we don't know he is... confused.

-d

[JonSzanto]

Not sure anything in this listing is correct....

I think you are being a bit harsh. I mean, after all, it is a fountain pen and pencil...

[Dennis Lively]

Didn't I read somewhere that these pens/pencils were made by Parker, obviously wrong box. Nutty description aside.

[vintage penman]

This particular seller is a joke - nothing is ever exactly as described. Usually the items are less than impressive in the hand - yes, I know - many many years ago in my ignorance I actually bought something from this seller. Many of us have but cannot bring themselves to admit it....
What I can't fathom is how he manages to stay in business.

[Deb]

Accuracy is not firebreakline's strong point - far from it - but he sells a lot of pens and his customers appear satisfied. I don't understand how his business plan works but it evidently does.

[vintage penman]

Accuracy is not firebreakline's strong point - far from it - but he sells a lot of pens and his customers appear satisfied. I don't understand how his business plan works but it evidently does.

Indeed true, but how many of them are repeat customers.....obviously there must be enough pen buyers out there to support him, all without the merest modicum of knowledge beyond "Oooh it's pretty and this advert looks professional". Scary !

[Procyon]

He has a bunch of pens with Buy It Now (BIN) prices that are outlandish. However, he also has auctions that start and end at more or less reasonable prices. He isn't very knowledgeable, and sometimes makes ridiculous mistakes with his descriptions, but, often he ends up selling mediocre pens for modest prices. I think I may have bid on a few of his auctions, but don't believe I ever won one of them. I think his super high price for BIN items is simply a weird way of advertising.

[Dennis Lively]

Everytime I look at his auctions my BS-O-Meter pegs to the red.

take this for example. Nearly 1K for this pen...I don't think so. So whats up with this clown?

My link

[david i]

Everytime I look at his auctions my BS-O-Meter pegs to the red.

take this for example. Nearly 1K for this pen...I don't think so. So whats up with this clown?

My link

Let's do try to go a bit easy on the Ad Hominem insults. Casting stones can be tricky...

Observing errors and/or misleading ebay details is grand. Discussing typical-- and atypical-- price structure is fine.

It is possible, after all, that the pen in question might simply be stunning and jaw-dropping

-d

[Deb]

Do you mean the clown that paid for the pen or the successful but unprincipled seller?

There's no great mystery about firebreakline. Procyon, above, explains his methods. Beyond that, his descriptions veer towards the wildly optimistic as do his prices, but he sells pens. I assume that if, having received your pen, you find it to be a handful of junk rather than the perfect example firebreakline described, he'll refund your money without a quibble. I can't see any other way he could have kept that 100% feedback. I suspect that he has a sweatshop full of busy restorers somewhere in the far east and several buyers combing eBay for unrestored pens.

[Hugh]

I'm not sure he's (yer..she or they) such an issue to most people, he's one of several sellers I simply don't bother even looking at. He/she/they obviously operates in a legal fashion and has avoided any nasty ebay hiccups with the way he/she/they ( gee..my "political" correctness is becoming a pain...) sells, maybe not a "glowing " example I'd recommend but that's life. There are plenty of "pen sellers" that to me seem to ask rather high prices....but then they do come with a warranty, restored by true professionals and are accurately described....maybe they actually represent "better value" !!

Regards
Hugh

[Deb]

I'm not sure he's (yer..she or they) such an issue to most people, he's one of several sellers I simply don't bother even looking at. He/she/they obviously operates in a legal fashion and has avoided any nasty ebay hiccups with the way he/she/they ( gee..my "political" correctness is becoming a pain...) sells, maybe not a "glowing " example I'd recommend but that's life. There are plenty of "pen sellers" that to me seem to ask rather high prices....but then they do come with a warranty, restored by true professionals and are accurately described....maybe they actually represent "better value" !!

I think you're absolutely right.

[Dennis Lively]

Gotcha

[akiva gordon]

I think he is based in the far east and sells in GB pounds to appear more "kosher" although he states that he is UK based. With a potential of many million customers over the world he takes the view that if "you throw enough sh-t at the fan some will stick".

[Procyon]

I think he is based in the far east and sells in GB pounds to appear more "kosher" although he states that he is UK based. With a potential of many million customers over the world he takes the view that if "you throw enough sh-t at the fan some will stick".

I am pretty sure he is actually based in Australia. He has a username on FPN (I believe I wrote it down, but don't remember it at the moment), and once posted some photos with his ubiquitous pink-striped background on that website. Incidentally, I am very grateful for his use of that background on his eBay auctions, because it means I can scan them and quickly dismiss them as a waste of time.

Edited by Procyon, 12 December 2012 - 05:59 AM.

[James]

I think he is based in the far east and sells in GB pounds to appear more "kosher" although he states that he is UK based. With a potential of many million customers over the world he takes the view that if "you throw enough sh-t at the fan some will stick".

I am pretty sure he is actually based in Australia. He has a username on FPN (I believe I wrote it down, but don't remember it at the moment), and once posted some photos with his ubiquitous pink-striped background on that website. Incidentally, I am very grateful for his use of that background on his eBay auctions, because it means I can scan them and quickly dismiss them as a waste of time.

He is not based in Australia.

I am in Australia and recently bought a pen from him at at modest price (not the ridiculous BIN prices) and it was shipped from Hong Kong. The accompanying note was written in very questionable english suggesting that it's not his first language

regards
James

[Procyon]

Hong Kong is probably right, then. Yesterday, I stumbled across his website. Here is his "About Us" page:

Pastpens

[Sir. Ebaysalot]

Man, ebay can be a comedy show! I love his new Parker "Big Red" Lacquer pen...

http://www.ebay.com/...=item58a3a849bf

My favorite one of his listings has to be his gold filled Eversharp Skyline set for....... $2000!!!!!! I just bought a solid gold skyline set for less than half of what he's asking for this plated one. I love his description, DELUXE 1/10 14K Gold Filled ART-DECO Pattern....

http://www.ebay.com/...=item1c35eb3cfe

He must be doing something right, though, especially with 4000+ 100% positive feedback. I feel bad for his customers, one poor sap just paid close to $1000 of a Parker 75 set, what s shame... As they say, there's a sucker born every minute.

http://www.ebay.com/...=p2047675.l2557

Edited by Sir. Ebaysalot, 28 August 2013 - 07:38 PM.

[BrianMcQueen]

Man, ebay can be a comedy show! I love his new Parker "Big Red" Lacquer pen...

http://www.ebay.com/...=item58a3a849bf

I would like to know how this pen could be "manufactured Pre-War in USA circa 1910s" when the Duofold line was "Launched in 1921"