"Mark Thorson" > wrote in message
...
>I can't remember the last time I made toast.
> But this toast rack is so beautiful, it's hard to resist.
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=260288176640
>
> It could hardly be a more useless object for me,
> but since when did that matter?
>
> Somebody please bid this above $100, so I can rest easy
> knowing it was more than I was willing to spend. Make
> that $137.99 max.
>
> I have no connection with the seller.

Just wait 2 minutes before the bidding closes.

I could never understand people who bid early.

Dimitri

I can't remember the last time I made toast.
But this toast rack is so beautiful, it's hard to resist.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=260288176640

It could hardly be a more useless object for me,
but since when did that matter?

Somebody please bid this above $100, so I can rest easy
knowing it was more than I was willing to spend. Make
that $137.99 max.

I have no connection with the seller.

In article >,
Mark Thorson > wrote:

> I can't remember the last time I made toast.
> But this toast rack is so beautiful, it's hard to resist.
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=260288176640
>
> It could hardly be a more useless object for me,
> but since when did that matter?
>
> Somebody please bid this above $100, so I can rest easy
> knowing it was more than I was willing to spend. Make
> that $137.99 max.
>
> I have no connection with the seller.

Buy it, Mark, at whatever cost! It's beautiful. You NEED this!

--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller, and here's the link to my appearance
on "A Prairie Home Companion," <http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/
programs/2008/08/30/>

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>
> Buy it, Mark, at whatever cost! It's beautiful. You NEED this!

I considered the possibility that I'd use this object
to bring toast and sculpted butter curls (on the lower
glass shell dish) in the morning to a woman worthy of
my affection, but Princess Charming hasn't shown up yet,
so screw that plan!

Mark Thorson wrote:

> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>>
>> Buy it, Mark, at whatever cost! It's beautiful. You NEED this!
>
> I considered the possibility that I'd use this object
> to bring toast and sculpted butter curls (on the lower
> glass shell dish) in the morning to a woman worthy of
> my affection, but Princess Charming hasn't shown up yet,
> so screw that plan!

Turns out she likes bad boys. How bad can you be?


--
Blinky
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://improve-usenet.org
Need a new news feed? http://blinkynet.net/comp/newfeed.html

Dimitri wrote:

> I could never understand people who bid early.

The only sensible way to bid is to figure out what you want to pay
up-front, with no emotion, then put in a proxy bid for that amount
immediately. You get it, you get it. You don't, you don't.



Brian

--
If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
won't shut up.
-- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)

Mark Thorson wrote:
> I can't remember the last time I made toast.
> But this toast rack is so beautiful, it's hard to resist.
>
Does this song by Weird Al help?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYokLWfqbaU

Jill <grinning>

On Sep 20, 4:17 pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> I can't remember the last time I made toast.
> But this toast rack is so beautiful, it's hard to resist.
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=260288176640
>
> It could hardly be a more useless object for me,
> but since when did that matter?
>
> Somebody please bid this above $100, so I can rest easy
> knowing it was more than I was willing to spend. Make
> that $137.99 max.
>
> I have no connection with the seller.


If you really love it, you might as well at least try to buy it. When
I could find them, toast racks sold pretty well in in my shop. People
actually used them for other purposes - some of them make great little
bill/mail organizers, but for my money they look best filled with a
few nicely toasted slices of buttered cinnamon raisin bread.

These do show up on ebay from time to time, but I've only seen this
particular Asprey rack with a matching spirit warmer where this one
has what the seller's calling a buttter dish (have my doubts about
that). The design was registered by Asprey in 1910 and probably
made over an extended period of time.

If you do decide to bite the bullet and go for it, suggest you get
your ducks in a row & snipe in the last 30 seconds of the auction with
your one and only bid - you might well get a bargain.

Nancy T

"Dimitri" > wrote in news:LvfBk.884$as4.69
@nlpi069.nbdc.sbc.com:

>
> I could never understand people who bid early.

Me either. I always figured it was a shill operating for the seller to get
a bid on the board, and no questions asked if you accidentally happen to
win.

Bidding early is absolutely stupid. All it does is alert other bidders who
are watching that you want this item.

I count my costs, decide what I am going to pay, enter a proxy bid, enter
it with less than 2 minutes to go, and if someone else wants it more than I
do, good luck to him.

Only lost one auction using this method, and I did not regret it. The
winning bidder won a relatively useless item at a high cost, and I got the
same thing 3 weeks later using a buy it now for less than I bid the
original item.

In article >,
Mark Thorson > wrote:

> I can't remember the last time I made toast.
> But this toast rack is so beautiful, it's hard to resist.
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=260288176640
>
> It could hardly be a more useless object for me,
> but since when did that matter?
>
> Somebody please bid this above $100, so I can rest easy
> knowing it was more than I was willing to spend. Make
> that $137.99 max.
>
> I have no connection with the seller.

<lol> I might if I actually had a use for it! I have a plug-in toaster
but have not eaten bread now for a good 6 months.
--
Peace! Om

"If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed." --Mark Twain

On Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:15:25 -0700, "Dimitri" >
wrote:

>
>"Mark Thorson" > wrote in message
...
>>I can't remember the last time I made toast.
>> But this toast rack is so beautiful, it's hard to resist.
>>
>> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=260288176640
>>
>> It could hardly be a more useless object for me,
>> but since when did that matter?
>>
>> Somebody please bid this above $100, so I can rest easy
>> knowing it was more than I was willing to spend. Make
>> that $137.99 max.
>>
>> I have no connection with the seller.
>
>Just wait 2 minutes before the bidding closes.
>
>I could never understand people who bid early.
>
>Dimitri
>

Even better is to use esnipe. They automatically put the bid in at
whatever period you select before the end of bidding. It works great,
especially when the bidding ends in the middle of the night, when the
computer stalls or when I need to be away from my computer.

http://www.esnipe.com/

ntantiques wrote:
>
> These do show up on ebay from time to time, but I've only seen this
> particular Asprey rack with a matching spirit warmer where this one
> has what the seller's calling a buttter dish (have my doubts about
> that). The design was registered by Asprey in 1910 and probably
> made over an extended period of time.

Do you think that shell dish is not original to the piece?
If so, it'll be easier to resist. The other thing that
makes it easier was realizing just how tiny this thing is.
It looks big in the pictures, but the dimensions are given
in the description.

> If you do decide to bite the bullet and go for it, suggest you get
> your ducks in a row & snipe in the last 30 seconds of the auction with
> your one and only bid - you might well get a bargain.

I always do that, except I usually bid at around 10 seconds
to go.

Dimitri wrote:
>
> I could never understand people who bid early.

If nobody else is bidding, putting one bid in at the minimum
is supposed to keep the seller from ending the auction,
though he still can end it by lying to eBay, which has
happened in some auctions I bid on.

Janet Baraclough wrote:
>
> The makers Aspreys are a very famous English company, and old pieces
> made by them are very much "investment collector" items here. Toast is
> very much part of Brit breakfast and even quite ordinary old
> silverplate toastracks sell for more than your top offer here in the UK,
> so I think a special old piece like that, by Aspreys, is going to fetch
> far, far more.

I sure hope so. I'll feel so much better about
not winning it. On the other hand, I've seen items
which I thought would go for lots of money which
went for much less than I anticipated. Fortunately,
that hasn't happened very often, and never on anything
really important.

On Sep 21, 9:44 am, Mark Thorson > wrote:


> Do you think that shell dish is not original to the piece?
> If so, it'll be easier to resist. The other thing that
> makes it easier was realizing just how tiny this thing is.
> It looks big in the pictures, but the dimensions are given
> in the description.

Mark,

Since you asked, a couple of things had me wondering about this
item...

#1 There are a number of examples of the Asprey toast rack with the
warming unit you can find with a quick google search, but nary a one
with this glass insert.

#2 The ebay pics show two numbers, the registration and another
which is probably Asprey's item number. In my google search I ran
across photos of the rack w/warming unit that had exactly the same
numbers marked on it as the ebay item - unusual since they are clearly
different versions. The "warmer" version has an open ring that holds
the spirit lamp and the ebay item has an attached metal cup that the
glass dish sits in. Generally a difference that significant would
rate a different set of numbers. (That said, it could be an earlier or
later version of the same basic design)

#3 The ebay pics showing the marks give you a view of the underside
of the metal cup. It may just be the photo, but the silver plate
there looks rough for an Asprey piece. It may be because it's
"pounded," but that would be an odd element for a part that would be
covered by a glass insert and generally not seen.

#4 Since you've been wandering around ebay for a while, I'm sure you
realize there's frequently an element of creative thinking in the
seller's descriptions. Over the years I often found pieces that had
lost original parts and had functional, but incorrect, elements
added. That glass insert could be original, but it also could be an
individual nut dish or some other bit that just happened to be the
right size to pop in there. The seller may not even be aware if it is
a replacement.

#5 Have never seen a small toast rack which incorporated a butter
dish - probably because it would be somewhat awkward to dig in there
for the butter while there were still pieces of toast racked up on
top. Doesn't mean they don't exist, but it would be unusual.

The good news is that if it is indeed a marriage, dedicated Asprey
collectors aren't going to pay top dollar for it. It's charming and
very usable - but I wouldn't gamble any more than your $137.99 on it.
It's a very simple plated piece, not sterling, and realistically
speaking, I'd have been hard pressed to get more than that for it in
my shop. English collectors go nuts over Asprey, but I never found
the same level of interest in the San Francisco area.

Nancy T

ntantiques wrote:
>
> #2 The ebay pics show two numbers, the registration and another
> which is probably Asprey's item number. In my google search I ran
> across photos of the rack w/warming unit that had exactly the same
> numbers marked on it as the ebay item - unusual since they are clearly
> different versions. The "warmer" version has an open ring that holds
> the spirit lamp and the ebay item has an attached metal cup that the
> glass dish sits in. Generally a difference that significant would
> rate a different set of numbers. (That said, it could be an earlier or
> later version of the same basic design)

Certainly a raised eyebrow is justified.

> #3 The ebay pics showing the marks give you a view of the underside
> of the metal cup. It may just be the photo, but the silver plate
> there looks rough for an Asprey piece. It may be because it's
> "pounded," but that would be an odd element for a part that would be
> covered by a glass insert and generally not seen.

Both eyebrows.

> #4 Since you've been wandering around ebay for a while, I'm sure you
> realize there's frequently an element of creative thinking in the
> seller's descriptions. Over the years I often found pieces that had
> lost original parts and had functional, but incorrect, elements
> added. That glass insert could be original, but it also could be an
> individual nut dish or some other bit that just happened to be the
> right size to pop in there. The seller may not even be aware if it is
> a replacement.
>
> #5 Have never seen a small toast rack which incorporated a butter
> dish - probably because it would be somewhat awkward to dig in there
> for the butter while there were still pieces of toast racked up on
> top. Doesn't mean they don't exist, but it would be unusual.]

Ah, this reminds me of my first suspicion.
Wouldn't putting the butter under the toast
create a possibility of crumbs landing on
the butter. The sort of people who would be
served toast in this thing certainly wouldn't
be expecting that, and the staff would have
to ensure that no crumbs were shaken off the
toast while it was being carried.

> The good news is that if it is indeed a marriage, dedicated Asprey
> collectors aren't going to pay top dollar for it. It's charming and
> very usable - but I wouldn't gamble any more than your $137.99 on it.
> It's a very simple plated piece, not sterling, and realistically
> speaking, I'd have been hard pressed to get more than that for it in
> my shop. English collectors go nuts over Asprey, but I never found
> the same level of interest in the San Francisco area.

I'm trying not to bid at all. I was encouraging
someone else to bid that high, so it would be
clearly outside of my comfort zone.

Mark Thorson wrote:
> I can't remember the last time I made toast.
> But this toast rack is so beautiful, it's hard to resist.
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=260288176640
>
> It could hardly be a more useless object for me,
> but since when did that matter?

That doesn't look like any toast rack I've ever seen... looks more
like a fancy schmancy Vegas whore house condom caddy with a dish for
the K-Y jelly.

Mark Thorson wrote:
> I can't remember the last time I made toast.
> But this toast rack is so beautiful, it's hard to resist.
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=260288176640
>
> It could hardly be a more useless object for me,
> but since when did that matter?
>
> Somebody please bid this above $100, so I can rest easy
> knowing it was more than I was willing to spend. Make
> that $137.99 max.
>
> I have no connection with the seller.


Oh gee, I was imaging the usual silver toast rack (which has
tempted me, and I don't eat toast either). This one is a beauty!
Soooo, have you done or are you doing the deed?

--
Jean B.

"Jean B." wrote:
>
> Oh gee, I was imaging the usual silver toast rack (which has
> tempted me, and I don't eat toast either). This one is a beauty!
> Soooo, have you done or are you doing the deed?

My plan is to grip my keyboard tightly and not bid.
Unless the price is really low right before the end.
I'd really feel bad if I didn't bid and it went for
cheap.

"Jean B." wrote:
>
> Oh gee, I was imaging the usual silver toast rack (which has
> tempted me, and I don't eat toast either). This one is a beauty!
> Soooo, have you done or are you doing the deed?

More than two hours to go, and it's at $120,
praise the Lord. I'm not bidding on it.
I can relax now. My hands hurt so much,
I may need to take an Advil. :-)

On Sep 23, 4:50 pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:

> More than two hours to go, and it's at $120,
> praise the Lord. I'm not bidding on it.
> I can relax now. My hands hurt so much,
> I may need to take an Advil. :-)

Ah well, some things just aren't meant to be...now go make yourself
some nice cinnamon toast and relax.

Nancy T

Janet Baraclough wrote:
>
> > On Sep 23, 4:50 pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
>
> > > More than two hours to go, and it's at $120,
> > > praise the Lord. I'm not bidding on it.
> > > I can relax now. My hands hurt so much,
> > > I may need to take an Advil. :-)
>
> :-) Let us know what it finally goes for.

The price didn't advance. It went for $120.
Seems kind of low to me, but high enough that
I'm okay with not buying it. :-)

On Sep 24, 11:37 am, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> Janet Baraclough wrote:
>
> > > On Sep 23, 4:50 pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
>
> > > > More than two hours to go, and it's at $120,
> > > > praise the Lord. I'm not bidding on it.
> > > > I can relax now. My hands hurt so much,
> > > > I may need to take an Advil. :-)
>
> > :-) Let us know what it finally goes for.
>
> The price didn't advance. It went for $120.
> Seems kind of low to me, but high enough that
> I'm okay with not buying it. :-)

The market is pretty hinky right now, but a selling price that low
tells me the hard core Asprey collectors weren't sure about that
butter dish either. Usually best to trust your instincts.

Nancy T

Mark Thorson wrote:
> "Jean B." wrote:
>> Oh gee, I was imaging the usual silver toast rack (which has
>> tempted me, and I don't eat toast either). This one is a beauty!
>> Soooo, have you done or are you doing the deed?
>
> More than two hours to go, and it's at $120,
> praise the Lord. I'm not bidding on it.
> I can relax now. My hands hurt so much,
> I may need to take an Advil. :-)

Poor you! I stay away from eBay. I just know it would be
disastrous if I started down that path. I get into enough trouble
when I am out looking for cookbooks.

--
Jean B.

"Jean B." wrote:
>
> Mark Thorson wrote:
> >
> > More than two hours to go, and it's at $120,
> > praise the Lord. I'm not bidding on it.
> > I can relax now. My hands hurt so much,
> > I may need to take an Advil. :-)
>
> Poor you! I stay away from eBay. I just know it would be
> disastrous if I started down that path. I get into enough
> trouble when I am out looking for cookbooks.

Yes, smoking crack can be an effective and lower-cost
alternative to eBay.

Mark Thorson wrote:
> "Jean B." wrote:
>> Mark Thorson wrote:
>>> More than two hours to go, and it's at $120,
>>> praise the Lord. I'm not bidding on it.
>>> I can relax now. My hands hurt so much,
>>> I may need to take an Advil. :-)
>> Poor you! I stay away from eBay. I just know it would be
>> disastrous if I started down that path. I get into enough
>> trouble when I am out looking for cookbooks.
>
> Yes, smoking crack can be an effective and lower-cost
> alternative to eBay.

Well, at least you have some unusual items to show for your money!

--
Jean B.