E-Bay listings descriptions

[Kellogg Kitt]

"MCM" in their title

"Stage Prop"

Indeed, some people actually are looking for "MCM" and "stage props."  I sold several to a local dealer who has a booth at a vintage/antique mall that specializes in mid-century modern, for people who like to furnish and decorate their homes in this circa 1950-60s style.  Besides running the booth, she also supplies the film industry for -- guess what -- stage props!  Maybe some of my phones will be in a movie!

I always assume that "untested" really means that they KNOW it does not work.

You are wise to assume that the phone does not work, but there is no need to assume that the seller is being deceptive. 

I have sold quite a few "untested" on eBay.  I used the word "untested" not to be deceptive, but because I meant exactly that -- I had not tested them.

I had a lot of phones to sell (reducing my collection by about 200).  Most had been in storage since shortly after I bought them many years ago.  I had never connected them, opened them, or even cleaned them.  So, yes, they truly were "untested."  I was trying to move phones out the door quickly and did not want to take time to test them all.  On many, the cords were missing or damaged, so they were not easily testable anyway.

Other sellers may have other reasons.  Nowadays, most people do not even have a telephone line to test them on.  Also, most people are not as technically knowledgeable as we are, so they cannot just pick up a phone and notice by sight or weight that parts are missing.

If I have any suspicion that a seller is intentionally being deceptive, then I just avoid that seller, but my experience has been that most are dealing with a wide variety of items, and they cannot possibly have expertise in everything, so they are trying to provide an honest description as well as they can.

[RDPipes]

Indeed, some people actually are looking for "MCM" and "stage props."  I sold several to a local dealer who has a booth at a vintage/antique mall that specializes in mid-century modern, for people who like to furnish and decorate their homes in this circa 1950-60s style.  Besides running the booth, she also supplies the film industry for -- guess what -- stage props!..

...You are wise to assume that the phone does not work, but there is no need to assume that the seller is being deceptive... 

I learned a long time ago not to just trust everyone specially when it concerns money and I have the tire track marks across my back to prove it.
Secondly the movie industry has been in business long before us and I seriously doubt many need any props from the past as most of them were there. If one wants to use such words to describe something its none of my business but, I do have my opinions about such uses and thankfully they haven't outlawed that yet. There's only one person I trust and as far as I know he doesn't sell on eBay, LOL! in fact everything he has to give is free.

[markosjal]

So you imply it is which?

false, defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy

Please be specific and doo not make a blanket statement casting a wide net and hoping to cath something.

We are talking about a generic "they" being idiots based on their listings. I in no way am referring to any specific person.

[poplar1]

Secondly the movie industry has been in business long before us and I seriously doubt many need any props from the past as most of them were there.

The movie business in GA is big, but fairly recent. These new companies do not necessarily have local warehouses full of props.

30 years ago, there were certain antique dealers -- such as Shirley, owner of Rust 'n' Dust Antiques on "Antique Row" in Chamblee, GA, that were a regular stop for film company employees -- from "Driving Miss Daisy" and "Cold Sassy Tree", for example -- who came in with lists of things they needed. Shirley had a lot of phones for sale. The scouts didn't argue prices. (Her prices were too high for me.) The film co. would write a check for the full retail price, which check she didn't cash right away. After that part of the film was completed, they could return the items, pay a weekly rental with a new check, and get the first check back.

Things are different now. A new LLC company is often created for just one film. Sonny and I rented out some multi-slot pay phones for the film "42" (Jackie Robinson biography), but often these temporary companies buy what they need, then auction everything off after they are finished, then disband the company.

[TelePlay]

Terry knew a collector in Vancouver who supplied telephones to Supernatural, a TV series that ran from 2005 to 2020. Although episodes were said to take place in cities throughout the US, the entire show was filmed in the Vancouver area and all of the phones seen in episodes were Automatic Electric. IIRC, they also paid full value for the phones but received a rental only fee and rebate if the phone was returned undamaged.

There are still a lot of prop houses in operation for not only movies, but also TV and live theatrical performances. A Google search for "telephone prop rentals" finds many of them.

Every production company had their own way of finding props constrained by time and budget. Probably why many props seen in the final product aren't period "correct."

[RDPipes]

The movie business in GA is big, but fairly recent. These new companies do not necessarily have local warehouses full of props...

Secondly the movie industry has been in business long before us and I seriously doubt many need any props from the past as most of them were there. Never said  NOT at ALL.
And to get back on subject I hardly think anyone has to put the word "PROP" in their auction to attract the movie industry or the like. I would hope by now they know what they want and know where to get it. LOL!
That be like like using the word "CAR" to make sure everyone knew what you were selling when the ad states 57 Chevy or any other vehicle.

[TelePlay]

And to get back on subject I hardly think anyone has to put the word "PROP" in their auction to attract the movie industry or the like.

I think it, as is almost everything and anything posted anywhere on Algore's infamous interweb, text used to create context goes to the writer's frame of mind. Some post anger, some humor and some true facts as they see them based on their life's situation.

This seller might not know of collectors, restorers and users of old telephones but they may be into steampunk, junk flippers, decorators (homes, bars and restaurants) or in the case, the make believe industry. As such, their first thought when holding the untested phone would be it's a great prop for someone needing  MCM time period black phone (won't bloom under bright stage lighting) set piece and listed it as such.

While they can't see our perspective on what they are selling, they only see the item from their life perspective of what the best use of the item would be.

I sold a fuel tank rusted out kerosene lantern as a bar/restaurant decorative piece (non-working) and it sold quickly for reasonable money. The eBay seller I bought it from did not disclose the tank rust holes but rather that get my money back, cleaned it up, posted it with good pictures and an accurate description in the right eBay category and made money.

Same as the Rockford phone I restored and sold for a lot of money. Posted it not as a phone but as a Rockford Files collectible.

This "prop" seller had the mind set that the best use of this black phone was a prop, nothing more and nothing nefarious.