• Things I Didn't Win on Ebay This Weekend


    C
    learly, my luck has taken a sad turn. I can't seem to catch an Ebay break. So, instead of sharing with you the fabulous goodies I snagged for a song on Ebay, I'll let you peek at the Big Ones That Got Away.

    First up, the glorious red Corona typewriter above. I was convinced no one but me saw this beauty languishing around the $10-$15 price range. I was wrong. The bidding took a frantic turn and left me with my pocketbook hanging open. Craving this typewriter brought me nothing but heartache and the understanding that no, I cannot run with the big dogs.


    What are these? I've never seen anything like them before, and can only assume they're little pillow-like attachables to make slamming the keyboard a little less, well, slammin'. I can't decide if these were a good idea, or a terrible mess. Did the typist have to dodge flying cushions when (not if) they detached mid-memo? And why "Park Avenue"? I'll never know. A badly-timed phone call yanked my attention away at precisely the wrong moment. Bye-bye, key cushions.


    This perfect collection of vintage stationery began at around $10. Who else on the planet needs this worse than I do? No one, I tell you. Not one soul. I would have won these, too, if my computer hadn't chose the last half-minute of the auction to do its weekly virus update. Pop-ups stole my Ebay stationery, and I may never recover.


    Unlike the stationery fiasco, I'm fairly certain the person(s) who drove up the price of this vintage paper are people I know. Scallywags, all of them. Just look at that box - couldn't you die? I'm dying a little every time I think about it.


    This bizarre piece of political history needs no explanation. You know why I wanted it. It would be fascinating, though to know who the four bidders were, because it's always comforting to know there are others out there functioning just a half-bubble off center. I have no idea why I missed this one. Just looked away for a second and it was gone.

    I'm not bitter about losing these Ebay auctions. Well, not all of them. I'd like to find the old bidding mojo again, though, because all this losing is beginning to make me look bad. I fear for my Ebay street-cred, and with good reason.

    When my typewriter friends post elegant Hiawatha-watermarked typecasts, don't worry. I'll put on a brave face.

    17 comments → Things I Didn't Win on Ebay This Weekend

    1. I'm sorry Monda. I know how it is there over at ebay, it's a rough crowd, you look away for one second and your doomed. Not to make things worse but I just won 6 selectric III elements! I'm going to have to put together a fancy typecast. Keep your head up though, there's bigger fish waiting to bite your ebay hook.

    2. I remember that Hiawatha paper box. My grandfather had a box in the attic with junk in it. I wonder if it's still up there along with the underwood typewriter.
      Love your site.

    3. Oooh too funny! That typewriter is awesome and the stationary is hysterical! Good luck next weekend!

    4. Rest assured that none of those were me -- I know better than to scour the 'bay, for it would certainly take a Saint Bernard and the jaws of life to extract me from its clutches. Also, the dear wife set up our accounts, so she gets the email for every search, watch, and bid. It's a safety valve.

      Key cushions are just what you said they are: something to soften the blow of typing for the Fairer Sex, I'm sure. I like to think of them as a poor-typist's way of transitioning their old glass-key machine to one of those newfangled models with the sculpted plastic keys. (Plastics! Where will they show up next?) I've never typed on a set, but they seem to come up now and then, usually attached to a typewriter.

      If your technique is a perfect Staccato Jab, I suppose they would be more comfortable to use for a hard day's dictation. My typing is more of a Legato Lunge in the general direction of the keys, though, so I doubt they'd help me much.

      We feel you pain, we truly do.

    5. Who needs the boxes of paper more than you? Me. But I did not get them, so I weep, although I did get a whole mess of old wallpaper samples from my gramma so that is sorta ok. I watched myself lose three different Royals this weekend by one or two dollars in the last 3 seconds, and it was very sad. Because being temporarily migrant doesn't stop the eBay train, especially when it comes to typewriters.

      I think maybe those key-cushions would be a brilliant idea, but horrible in practice. If one of them takes off I imagine it must be like when a scrunchy breaks. Ptinggg~! Whizzes across the room and takes out whoever is dumb enough to have their eyes open at that moment.

    6. The stationery was clearly meant for you. Rage at the fates!

      I've given up on ebay for typewriters that have any sort of cache (the pink RQDL that I will never own, sob) because as you pointed out, people just wait until the last minute, and then the bidding heads to the stratosphere. Always deflating.

    7. The 'bay is a harsh mistress, indeed. And, like SeƱor Clemens before me, I too have an Ebay account set up by the missus. Keeps me from safe from "just one more bid" syndrome.

      "Adapted for all TYPEWRITING MACHINES." That is too rich.

      Word Verification: "Psylelm"- A tree that can read your mind.

    8. I'm not the one who snatched away one of your beloved eBay prizes this time, though I did spot that Hiawatha paper and thought about it. But I know enough by now that there are people who will sell the moon just for the box. Besides, I have...other things...active that are less prominent.

      Ever since I saw one of those red Corona 3s at a flea market for $60, I've regretted not buying it. They aren't all that rare (the colored Specials were Corona trying to get *rid* of them so they could roll out new models), but of course they command the highest prices because they look different than the other 600,000.

    9. I say we all go hang out at Reggie's grandpa's house.

      Hmmm. I'd almost feel better knowing it was one of my buddies out there appreciating the fineness of these things.

      Never mind. I refuse to give up.

    10. nice

    11. Olivander, just out of curiosity (and not to question your judgement) why do you believe that the Special Coronas were an attempt to get rid of Coronas? The Special models all have wider frames and the serial number stamped on the frame designates the color. My assumption has always been that the Specials were introduced to mark the merger of the Corona Typewriter Co. and L.C. Smith & Bros. Typewriter Corp. which occured in 1926. I bought a red Corona Special many years ago at an antique shop. When I opened the familiar Corona folding case to reveal that little gem I nearly crapped my pants at the awesomeness. I think I bought it for $30 and I felt like I was stealing!

    12. What an interesting title for a post!!! I want those vintage stationery boxes now...

    13. Thanks, Barkod!

      And watch out, K. - we'll be going head-to-head on the old stationery for sure!

    14. Wow! Your blog is amazing! I love the look and feel of it -- not to mention your posts are really fun to read! I'm looking forward to following your updates!

      Sorry to hear about some of your ebay items. I hope you have better luck next time!

    15. Thanks E.E. Ward - it's good to have you aboard. I've got a whole new slew of watch-items - cross your fingers for me!

    16. Hmmm, so I just bought a manual typewriter, and I found your blog through a search. Imagine my surprise when I saw some familiar-looking stationery from eBay. Very familiar, really. It's sitting next to me as I type.

      I know that some people lose when I win on eBay, but now I feel kind of bad. :-( If you'd like, I'll send you a few sheets of this lovely vintage stationery. And perhaps you'll win the next 'battle.'

    17. Eileen, it was YOU! I'm just happy someone with a typewriter bought the lovely paper. And aren't you a doll for offering!

      That's okay. I've found several nifty boxes locally and may never in this lifetime use up all I've accumulated. That doesn't mean we won't be toe-to-toe on Ebay again, though. I'm so glad you found me!

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