Selling on my eBay now!

[JoeyF1981]

doesnt seem to be much activity.

[perezfan]

Guessing it's equal parts of both

[Misha]

The giant "Yi Auction" across the photos don't help

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by Misha

The giant "Yi Auction" across the photos don't help

Yi,
I would absolutely agree with this person's post.
Consider removing all of the Yi watermarks if you want to have success selling your photos in an eBay auction. People want to know what they are bidding on.

Definitely consider adding a bio on your uncle the photographer and his collection in the auction description.

I don't want to come off as crass or rude, but, in my humble opinion, with these watermarks in bright yellow your photos look like something you would win at a school carnival...

[drcy]

It's Yi's first sales, and it's a learning process. Live and learn. None of us was born with photo knowledge or selling experience. It's funny when grumpy card collectors act as if everyone should be born with knowledge on how to authenticate T206s-- when even they themselves weren't born with that knowledge. Making mistakes and misassumptions is a part of being a beginner, and everyone starts out as a beginner.

I think a small watermark would be okay. In the long rung eBay, won't let you advertise for someone offsite auctions. A bio of the photographer in the listing sounds like a fine idea.

I think you have to be more knowledgeable about what you are selling. That your uncle's stamp is on it, doesn't make it original, and bidders won't bid a lot unless they are confident on what they are bidding and confident you know.

There's nothing wrong will selling some on your own, and eBay may be a fine venue on that. It would be really tough starting your own auction house, especially when you aren't knowledgeable about identification and market pricing and have no experience with shipping and billing and such and don't already have a large bidder base (actually, now that I write that, that sounds like a recipe for disaster), but you can try if you're so inclined. I recommend consigning some to an auction house(s). You don't have to sell in just one way, you can sell in multiple avenues. Most experienced full time dealers sell in different formats and arenas. But you should consider consigning, in part because a good auction house can identify/date photos, has the bidder base and can get fair market value.

Due to my work load, I don't have time to give too much free advice and opinion on everything offered for sale, though all the photos so far with the paper captions on back have appeared to be vintage as described. Some of the E.F. Collins stamped ones appear to be made later and one or two of the others also appear to be made later. Not uncommon for famous photographers to make later prints from their negatives-- Ansel Adams and George Hurrell (big Hollywood movie star photographer) did it. There's nothing wrong with offering for sale printed later photos (they are collectable when by a famous or otherwise noted photographer), as long as they're correctly identified as such.

One last note is some bidders might like knowing they will get a letter or certificate noting the photos come from his family/estate. Many collectors like that kind of stuff. Just an idea.

I sounds to be a fine massive photo collection-- no one's arguing otherwise. It's just a question of the best way to sell it.

[JoeyF1981]

I agree that removing the watermark would be a smart decision. I think the fact that shes doing a test run on ebay to see what her photos realize in price is a smart idea. I know Yi thought alot of her photos were worth tons and maybe this will give her a idea of how much they really are worth since I know her expectations are high.

[drcy]

comments removed

[Yi]

"One last note is some bidders might like knowing they will get a letter or certificate noting the photos come from his family/estate. Many collectors like that kind of stuff. Just an idea."

Thank you David. That's a good idea. We thought about it already. I am working on it with my friend now.

[prewarsports]

Yi

I offer free advice to anyone, anytime on photos whether you bid in my auctions or not (this goes to anyone on the forum). Feel free to send me scans of anything you have questions on and I would be happy to help. I don't care if its everyday, I will always answer (sometimes it might take a day or two depending on how busy I am). You have some nice stuff, but much of it is second generation or later collectors issues mixed in with original press photography so the MOST important thing would be separating out the originals and then selling your items accordingly.

Rhys Yeakley
info@RMYAuctions.com