Auction 177: Whitman & Couch Potbelly Candlestick Telephone - Ended 5/20/15

[TelePlay]

New forum members are very welcome and encouraged to take a guess. After all, there are no wrong guesses, just one lucky one. No one knows the winning bid on any auction until it ends. However, it is important to get your guess in before someone else grabs your guess.

Listed about a day and a half ago ( thanks to a heads up from Fabius ) in a 7 day auction with no reserve starting at $99.00 is an interesting pot belly candlestick telephone. It rose quickly from $99 to $515 with 7 bidders placing 7 bids since it was listed. While the condition and/or the original surface is in question, the bidding activity seem to me to indicate a potential for an upside from the current bid and the question is once again, how much will that be?

NOTE: we will use a 3% gap rule between guesses to prevent crowding. As such, guess gaps of 6+% can be split. I'll help with these as the auction goes forward and guesses are entered.

So, once again, who best knows what this phone will sell for when the actions ends? This should be an interesting contest.

The seller listed it as an "Antique Whitman&Couch Potbelly Candlestick Phone" with the item condition as "Used" and " - - - " with the auction listing description simply saying "Early potbelly phone signed Whitman & Couch Boston mass. Earpiece/Transmitter marked. Solid patd. Aug.14 1900. Nickel plated brass & Bakelite (chip out of mouthpiece and each end of earpiece is threaded as photos show) no dents to metal 11" tall  7" wide."

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281691485331   ( there are a few more photos on the eBay listing )

It's another chance to move up a rung or to get onto the CRPF -> Contest Standings <- list,

     . . . for as twocvbloke said,   ---> "You gotta be in it to win it !!!" "

If you want to see the phones of past Auction Contests, click -> HERE <-


S C O R E B O A R D

$   1,800.00 - andre_janew  ( 12 )
$   1,950.00 - Autonut  ( 6 )
$   2,000.00 - kleinkaliber  ( 7 )
$   2,250.00 - Fabius  ( 1 )
$   2,500.00 - compubit  ( 4 )
$   2,750.00 - TelePlay  ( 13 )  -> WINNER - Final Selling Price $2,708.00
$   3,000.00 - tallguy58  ( 10 )
$   3,250.00 - wds  ( 2 )
$   3,550.00 - Russ Kirk  ( 3 )
$   3,750.00 - WesternElectricBen  ( 11 )
$   4,250.00 - Sargeguy  ( 9 )
$   4,500.00 - HarrySmith  ( 8 )
$   5,175.00 - 19and41  ( 5 )



Early Morning Auction Status

05-13-15     Listed      $      99.00
05-14-15     4 bids      $    355.09
05-15-15     7 bids      $    515.05
05-16-15   10 bids      $    787.77
05-17-15   11 bids      $    800.00
05-18-15   12 bids      $    810.00
05-19-15   16 bids      $    924.00
05-20-15   20 bids      $ 1,104.00
05-20-15   15 bidders,  26 bids  $2,708.00  Ended at 18:00:34 PDT

[Fabius]

$2250

[wds]

$3250

[Russ Kirk]

Boy,  that set has seen better days.  I am sure that the buyer will have it looking all shiny in no time.

(rubbing the magic 8 ball) my guess is..... $3550

[compubit]

$2500 (S.W.A.G. ...)

Jim

[19and41]

$5175.00

It looks like if you want to do the happy dance, you have to pay the sniper!

[.....]

I'll jump in at $1950.00

[kleinkaliber]

A nice, even $2000.

[HarrySmith]

$4,500.00

[Sargeguy]

Harry stole my guess!  $4250

[tallguy58]

$3000

[WesternElectricBen]

$3,750, please.

Ben

[andre_janew]

$1,800 please.

[TelePlay]

$2,750.00

[TelePlay]

And the winner of Auction Contest #177 is TelePlay, who with the 13th and final entry into the contest offered the winning guess of $2,750.00. That guess gave him his tenth auction contest win moving him up one rung in the Contest Standings.

The phone started at $99.00 and moved up slowly to $1,104.00 until the final seconds when 3 snipes, all within 7 seconds, came in. After the dust settled, it was m***x ( 2003 ) with his one and only bid placed just 4 seconds before the auction ended that won it all taking the phone home for $2,708.00. The auction saw 15 bidders placing 26 bids.

Check out the updated Contest Standings to see who's who through 177 contests and the latest additions to the CRPF Hall of Fame

Thanks again to all who played. As always, there is only one way to get on the winner's board or move up a rung - you have to play to win.