$6500 figure Skates on eBay

[Jon-Ohio]

Saw these SP-Teri skates on eBay - $6500 - WOW !!!!

Any buyers  ?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SP-Teri-Custom-Skates-World-Champion-Tai-Babilonia-Authentic-/160699458408?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item256a6f2368

[AgnesNitt]

Pre-owned by Tai Babilonia. Hmmm, I think they won't get the price. They are pretty skates though. 

[icedancer]

Interesting that they don't list the size - of if they do I didn't notice!

They are very pretty.

I have a jacket once owned by Lauren Bacall.  Any takers?

[icedancer]

I also notice that they have MK Professional Blades - really, Tai wore these???

Hmmm....
looks like a promo gone awry...

[AgnesNitt]

Interesting that they don't list the size - of if they do I didn't notice!

They are very pretty.

I have a jacket once owned by Lauren Bacall.  Any takers?

I have a coat worn by Evelyn Kramer....

[MadMac]

Interesting that they don't list the size - of if they do I didn't notice!

They are very pretty.

I have a jacket once owned by Lauren Bacall.  Any takers?

At that price they are probably looking to sell them as valuable memorabilia - not to be worn, so the size matters not. They are pretty, but honestly I can't see anything special about them other than they belonged to TB. They look almost brand new. I have to agree with AgnesNitt - don't think they'll get anywhere near that much for them.

[sarahspins]

Yeah, I don't understand this one at all... I could see the skates that won a major award as being very valuable to a collector, but a pair of pink SP Teri's when you could get your own made for 10% of the selling price?  Not really sure I see the value in that even as a collector's item... not when it's the book that will be signed as part of the auction?

[Sk8Dreams]

A few issues with the listing info:

1) it says "Custom Skates designed for Tai Babilonia" and never claims "worn by ..."

2) Tai is going to autograph?  These things are usually done for charities.  I question the seller's connection to Tai Babilonia.  In fact, does she even know about this auction?  It could be legit, I'm just skeptical.

I think the seller does not understand this particular market.

[AgnesNitt]

I think the seller does not understand this particular market.

And is 30 years too late.

[Sushi]

A few issues with the listing info:

1) it says "Custom Skates designed for Tai Babilonia" and never claims "worn by ..."

2) Tai is going to autograph?  These things are usually done for charities.  I question the seller's connection to Tai Babilonia.  In fact, does she even know about this auction?  It could be legit, I'm just skeptical.

I think the seller does not understand this particular market.

"Tai Babilonia will personally autograph any personalized message for the winner of the auction on both the skates and the book,...."

[fsk8r]

"Tai Babilonia will personally autograph any personalized message for the winner of the auction on both the skates and the book,...."

I had to read the ebay description to work out what her claim to fame was. Winning Worlds once hardly qualifies for selling a pair of boots for that much money, especially when she's never skated in the boots.

[Jennymd]

Wow, the listing also says "Suggested Retail $10000"!
I don't think so...

[fsk8r]

Wow, the listing also says "Suggested Retail $10000"!
I don't think so...

do you think they misread the suggested retail and added a zero?

[Jennymd]

do you think they misread the suggested retail and added a zero?

That's quite possible, it would certainly be a much more realistic price!

[sarahspins]

do you think they misread the suggested retail and added a zero?

I think that's likely... custom SP teri's can easily run $750-800 depending on the options chosen, and the blades are $200.

[icedancer]

Interesting that it is a "Buy It Now" option - obviously no one is biting!

[Sk8Dreams]

"Tai Babilonia will personally autograph any personalized message for the winner of the auction on both the skates and the book,...."

Yes, that is what the description says.  So what?

[AgnesNitt]

No bids.

[hopskipjump]

No surprise there. 

[AgnesNitt]

And I notice it's a pawn shop offering them for sale. That's sad.

[FigureSpins]

I think a lot of pawn shops are starting to do online consignment work, like the eBay shops that list your items for a fee.  Maybe it's owned by someone close to her and this is their business, so she's willing to help them out.

There's a chain of pawn shops in our area.  Last Fall, the owner donated the pawned musical instruments that weren't selling.  He gave them to the public schools for music programs.  Nice bit of publicity for the business.  I can't imagine there's much demand for pawned musical instruments these days - just the thought of a used trumpet makes me go "yuck."

[Skittl1321]

  I can't imagine there's much demand for pawned musical instruments these days - just the thought of a used trumpet makes me go "yuck."

Don't most kids start out on rental instruments?  That's basically the same as buying used...

[Skate@Delaware]

Don't most kids start out on rental instruments?  That's basically the same as buying used...

Yeah, mine did...and my flutes were bought used as well. I didn't worry about the yuk factor too much-wiped them down with alcohol & dilute bleach and that was it.

[FigureSpins]

I don't think it's not the same thing.  When you go to a pawn shop, you have to know exactly what you're looking for and be able to recognize good/bad condition.  The rental store keeps track of the brands and models so they can find/recommend the correct instrument for beginners.  (We actually went in and said "Our DD is going to be learning the clarinet for beginning band at () school." - they knew immediately what we needed, from instrument to instruction book.  Really great shop.)  The pawn shop crew wouldn't know a soprano sax from an alto sax.

My kids do rent their instruments.  The music store brought them out to us, pre-cleaned, and taught the kids how to keep them clean.  We were lucky enough to get a brand-new instrument that they were just putting into circulation for one of the girls.  That won't happen at a pawn shop.

That's different than buying someone's cast-off that's been lying around and tested by who-knows-how-many-people, but you're right: they both require a good initial cleaning regardless of where it came from.

Regardless, it's possible the pawn shop selling these skates is just doing consignment internet business for someone, not necessarily Tai hocking her old skates, lol. 

[Sk8tmum]

There's a chain of pawn shops in our area.  Last Fall, the owner donated the pawned musical instruments that weren't selling.  He gave them to the public schools for music programs.  Nice bit of publicity for the business.  I can't imagine there's much demand for pawned musical instruments these days - just the thought of a used trumpet makes me go "yuck."

A lot of pawn shops do have expertise with what they sell, or, they bring in an outside expert. They are there to make money ... so they have to be sure that they are "pawning" or purchasing for the right value, and selling for the right value.  Musicians are known to troll pawn shops (or have standing "CALL ME" instructions) for specific instruments.  It's not hard to clean a used instrument, and, lots of people who buy used buy a new mouthpiece (they recommend this or require this for school music programs anyways, as it cuts down on germ transmission). The bigger issue is the quality of the overhaul, i.e. keys, pads, levers, etc.  My son is quite an accomplished musician, and we have purchased his clarinet (and recently a tenor sax) used.  The music store did the setup ... which required new pads, adjustments to the key levers, minor repairs ... and cleaning.  We could never afford to buy this quality new; and the sax is actually one made in the 1960s!