Auction Sniping

[Chasing Embers]

You've seen it before, a 6-7 day auction with little movement in bidding. An opening bid, a few days later a competing bid. One to two days before the auction closes, the final bid seems set, then comes the hour before the closing. A bid here and there every few minutes raises the stakes then seconds before the auction ends, someone drops a massive bid and you see other bidders scrambling to catch up to no avail. The sniper has done it and came out the victor.

I witnessed that very scenario tonight on a Ben Wade Amber freehand.





I had my eye on it for a week to be the companion piece to another Amber I own, and watched it climb in price slowly for a week until it maxed out for several days with no movement. Again, during the last hour of the auction the bids slowly rose and at the LAST THREE SECONDS, the inscrutable sniper swooped in and took the prize. For any one reading this, I think the sniper should be terribly ashamed of himself for this tactic, but I don't think I can bring myself to be.

 

[autumnfog]

That's a great catch! Love the organic look.

 

[trubka2]

Man, that's a beaut! The ends definitely justify the means.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Man, that's a beaut! The ends definitely justify the means.

What's really amazing is that my...er, the sniper's "massive" bid was only $50.?

 

[Spinkle]

I always thought sniping was the only way to win on eBay - nice shot.

 

[Sonorisis]

Rasperies to you Sir.

 

[trubka2]

the sniper's "massive" bid was only $50

OK, now, no need to go rubbing salt in people's wounds. That's a steal and a half for such a looker. I've been looking at those Ben Wades lately, and it seems like the good ones usually get out of my skinflint range pretty quick.

 

[sablebrush52]

You've seen it before, a 6-7 day auction with little movement in bidding. An opening bid, a few days later a competing bid. One to two days before the auction closes, the final bid seems set, then comes the hour before the closing. A bid here and there every few minutes raises the stakes then seconds before the auction ends, someone drops a massive bid and you see other bidders scrambling to catch up to no avail. The sniper has done it and came out the victor.

I witnessed that very scenario tonight on a Ben Wade Amber freehand.

View attachment 16955

View attachment 16956

I had my eye on it for a week to be the companion piece to another Amber I own, and watched it climb in price slowly for a week until it maxed out for several days with no movement. Again, during the last hour of the auction the bids slowly rose and at the LAST THREE SECONDS, the inscrutable sniper swooped in and took the prize. For any one reading this, I think the sniper should be terribly ashamed of himself for this tactic, but I don't think I can bring myself to be.

It's a popular strategy to be sure, and one that has provided me with a great deal of amusement over the years as I've watched numerous pipes go for 4 to 6 times their market value in the last few seconds of the auction when two or more gunslingers, each convinced that he's the only one in the world to have figured it out, fires off a round into the stratosphere. One of my favorites of the hundreds I've seen was a Sasieni Viscount Lascelles, a solid $600 pipe at the time, that went from a little over $300 to $2800 in the last two seconds. Two geniuses collided at the edge of financial space.

 

[Chasing Embers]

It's a popular strategy to be sure, and one that has provided me with a great deal of amusement over the years a

I've only gotten into one of those,"Oh Hell No!" bidding wars one time. I learned my lesson the hard way.?

 

[Chasing Embers]

OK, now, no need to go rubbing salt in people's wounds. That's a steal and a half for such a looker. I've been looking at those Ben Wades lately, and it seems like the good ones usually get out of my skinflint range pretty quick.

With Wades, $100-$150 seems to be the average modern going rate. Holm stamped pieces can go from $150-$1000+.

 

[sablebrush52]

I bid fairly late, just in case the item goes over my limit, but I never bid more than I think the item is worth to me. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. I'm not invested either way. There's always more.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I bid fairly late, just in case the item goes over my limit, but I never bid more than I think the item is worth to me. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. I'm not invested either way. There's always more.

I've learned my limits. With estate pieces, $50 seems my max now. Funny how time and experience changes things. Years ago when I saw something for auction that I wanted, the sky was the limit.

 

[litup]

Sniping is the way to go. For me, I set the snipe and then forget about it. If someone wants to pay more for it than I did they either wanted it more than I did or they had more money than I do. Like sable says though, "there's always more".

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

I don't do sniping on Ebay, usually I place my final and only bid a day before the bidding end,then forget about it, If I get it good, if not, which is often the case, then let 'em be, I'm old school, you see

 

[gervais]

Yep, I am guilty of eBay sniping from time to time ? nice pipe Embers, congrats!

 

[bouwser]

I was watching that one. What a beaut. I didn't bid on it but it was close. Nice pipe and enjoy it!

 

[Chasing Embers]

What's really amazing is that my...er, the sniper's "massive" bid was only $50.?

Crap, mallet finger typo. $70 was the massive bid. It went for $62.

 

[ssjones]

I only put my max bid in seconds before the auction ends. Then, I have no chance to panic and up the bid. I either was the highest bidder, or someone else wanted it more than I . The preset bid amounts on the phone app do work and are very tempting at times, they usually bump in 3 several dollar increments. But, I typically don't leave enough time for that tactic. I guess that I could employ a sniping service,but there's a thrill of the hunt that I would miss.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I guess that I could employ a sniping service,but there's a thrill of the hunt that I would miss.

I place my max bid with just seconds on the clock. Quite exhilarating!?

 

[gamzultovah]

I always bid early and for the max price that the pipe I want is worth. I never fret afterwards if I don’t get the prize I seek. This happened to me recently on both a Barling’s pre-transition silver mount billiard and a Doctors Pipe from Fishinbanjo’s collection. God bless the bidder who won, and I hope they enjoy their acquisition to the fullest.

On another note, @chasingembers , are you into Ben Wade Pipes? I have a beauty that I’m going to auction on eBay soon, but I can show it to you first, if you like?