oi ancient IBM computer "Bible"

[Bob Bradlee]

On Sat, 10 Feb 2007 12:29:14 -0800, jim wrote:


>I commented to him about something in the past, and got back a
>hate filled response from him and would never buy anything from
>this guy.


I called about a year make that closer to two years back, asking about listing some of their auction 
pictures in an IBMcollectble gallery I was building. I was told off in no uncertain terms by some 
woman. when I asked to speak to the owner she made it clear to me he (whoever he was) had no 
wish to talk to me about anything or would allow their photos to be published even if it was free or 
educational, which of course I made it clear it was.

Shortly there after I got a call from someone who would not identify himself, wanting to know where I 
got my pictures, and what did I think I was doing with the website. I told him of my goal is to promote 
the collecting of ComputerCollectable into a mainstream hobby. I had hoped to help enlighten other 
collectors as to what was available, possibly resulting in a price guide on the subject someday. I built 
IBMcollectables as a free website where like minded collectors could share pictures of their 
collections. This was to test the waters for a larger project I had in mind including all Computer 
related collectables. Whoever it was, hung up abruptly when I started asking him questions. Shortly 
there after I noticed Newbegin-antiques started watermarking their pictures and putting what I 
conceder to be a pointed, do not use my pictures or comments statements in their eBay listings. I 
can only assume he/she/it or whoever is behind newbegin-antiques was not happy about my idea of 
"Collectables been seen and sold online" gallery I was working on at the time. No one else has ever 
expressed displeasure to the idea, but then again I have not seen much interest so have been 
directing my efforts elsewhere. I do get the ocasional email wanting to know what items are worth, I 
assist them in IDing them ans suggest they put them on ebay if they want a better guess of their 
value than I could make.

Since then I have made it a point to avoid newbegin-antiques, when I see his listings on eBay, it 
remind me that there are some dealers that do not want their current and potential customers to 
know what is available and what it has sold for in the past. They want people to think they have the 
last or only example of something truely priceless and do not want to see me continue the project at 
least not with any prices listed.

I guess when one takes an old collectable and declairs it an antique or better yet frames it, the 
resulting item becomes new art, with a fresh copyright. Some feel that truely rare items looses a little 
bit of their uniqueness, rareness or perceived value every time they are seen by the public and 
should be hidden in collections. 

As long as I am so far off topic, again today, there is a 1941 IBM electric typewriter on eBay this 
week. I have corresponded with the seller and suggested she put it on eBay. The IBM Model 4 was I 
believe the first electric typewriter to use a proportional spaced type font and was the wordprocessor 
if its time. "Her father had it in his office forever" on my suggestion the  photos were taken of it as-is 
and as far as I know it has not been cleaned. 

Here is the listing and a tinyurl to it:
Vintage IBM 1941 ELECTROMATIC #04 ELECTRIC TYPEWRITER  Item number: 180084309306
http://tinyurl.com/35bpsx	

Just my thoughts on a sunday morning ....

The other Bob