HOW OUR BLOG WORKS

A blogger suggested we are censoring our blog, using only answers that we like. No. We post all comments except those with obscene and offensive words.

Here's the most interesting of last week's blogs about the poor sales of armoires:

Anonymous said ...
Now we sell more sideboards--Works Great--Large flat screens fit nice on top and the inside is great for all the DVDs and stuff.

Another Anonymous said ...perhaps these decorators are missing a very common feature to most homes, the computer. These armoires are generally equipped with a pullout that the TV sat on, and a clever individual can figure out a way to turn it into a computer desk. And the best part is, when equipped with doors you can hide the computer and any clutter!

THE BEST OF OUR BLOG

The blog has become so active, we have decided to include the best of each week's blog (our choice) here in our ezine. That way, those who do not check the Kovels Komments blog each week can get a taste of what's out there. This is the "Best of blog" from Jan 27--the Reader's Comment in answer to our suggestion to open a collectible can of Pepsi from the bottom:

Dawn wrote...
My husband was part of Desert Shield in 1991. He brought back a can of Pepsi because it was labeled in Arabic. Last year, we were watching TV and heard a loud bang. We couldn't find the source that night, but the next day discovered the can on the floor; the bottom of it was behind the bookcase it sat on. There was little stain from the contents, so I guess most of it evaporated, but there was a deep dent in the wall where the bottom hit when it blew. So I would recommend emptying the can if you plan to keep it.

Our bloggers have been very concerned about the new show "American Pickers." Many felt I should condemn the pickers, who buy at very low prices and then tell us they will make a huge profit. I have been told that unaired shows are being edited to explain that the "profit" often includes the cost of cleaning and some repair of the collectible, plus the overhead of travel and office expenses. I know from experience that a "farmer" with a barn or two full of old stuff knows the value. People featured on the show seem to like having company and sell just a few pieces at a time. Besides, the pickers arrive with a full camera crew and producers, so all the guests know full well they are part of a TV show. Without a camera, you can never get the same result you get with this few minutes of fame. I do agree the show sometimes presents the pickers as trying to buy from uninformed elderly who need money and sell too cheap--the stereotype of the "wicked dealer." But the show's hosts are polite and always ask the seller to set the price--and everyone seems to enjoy the encounter. If the show bothers you, don't watch. Low ratings kill a show. But we find many of our readers enjoy the show. And any publicity about collecting is good for collectors.

READ OUR BLOGS

We hope you read the blogs from each week's ezine--like this one, an anonymous comment on last week's story about a rock crystal pitcher that sold for $5.58 million. We had wondered if it had been packed away in a little box. Here's what "Anonymous" wrote:


"I like the idea of its being packed away in a little box for 1,000 years. Now if they could find the little box, just THINK WHAT IT WOULD BE WORTH. We all know about items with original boxes!"


That cheerful comment should help soften the gloom found in the 21 comments on eBay's new policies. You can look up any of our back ezines and related blogs. Go to Kovels.com, select "Free Resources" from the top bar, select "Weekly Ezine," then select a date. The blog comments make great reading.