WHAT: Brownstone, being a misleading auction title, implying CARVED natural stone which is what genuine brownstone would be, and what most people would be familiar with.

THE PROBLEM: Message exchanges with seller to correct misleading title results in beligerant reply and no action to change misleading title.

I find myself writing another guide after a rather unpleasant exchange with a seller. The seller was offering what was claimed to be a Brownstone cherub and a Brownstone gargoyle. Now, if you look up the word Brownstone you will find this is a sedimentary layered rock composed of sand compressed over millions of years into stone, and that this rock in the mid 19th century was used extensively in the facades of buildings especially in NYC.

Brownstone, or sandstone as it's also known, was also used for carvings on building facades, steps and other uses. When I saw the auction for a "Brownstone cherub" I took a look and immediately could tell this was not carved stone as it was far too thin to be carved stone. A photo only showed the face, so I contacted the seller about the misleading title of this and explained why this piece is not carved "Brownstone", below is a shortened copy of the exchanges showing the problem, I have edited out the seller's name with "XXXX" and censored the foul language used with the same, it becomes clear the seller intends to continue using the misleading term "Brownstone" for his mixture of concrete, the hook/wire in the back embedded proves it's not real Brownstone but it is actually colored concrete. While he started the auction at 99 cents, it was buy now $55, would be a shame to see someone wind up paying that for something they thought was either carved stone or antique.


INITIAL MESSAGE:

Re: brownstone, if this has a wire or hook or any device embedded in the
back to hang it, that proves it is just tinted plaster of paris. I am sure
this is not carved sandstone, it's too thin and fragile for that, it is
almost certainly tinted plaster.
Lostnyc

REPLY FROM SELLER:

Dear lostnyc,
Hi, It's actually brownstone & yes it is mixed with 2 seperate binding
agents that are proprietary. And yes I do put a wire hanger in them before
they cure. It takes on average about 2 weeks to cure. Thanks for your
inquiry.
Regards,
---

SECOND MESSAGE TO SELLER:

Subject:    You've received an answer to your question about item Brownstone Cherub  
Received:    Apr-06-09
From:    lostnyc
To:    usn_XXXXXXXXX
ItemId:    270367765179

Dear usn_XXXXXXXXX

Well, you might be calling it 'brownstone' but technically and
traditionally brownstone (sandstone) is a sedimentary ROCK found on
buildings which was quarried out of the ground and CARVED in the 1870s and
1880s. It sounds like your pieces are a concrete mixture, not hand CARVED.
If you look up 'brownstone' in the dictionary this is what it says;
Date1846,
1 : a reddish-brown sandstone used for building.

AND from wikipedia;

Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-size
mineral or rock grains. Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or
feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust.
Like sand, sandstone may be any color, but the most common colors are tan,
brown, yellow, red, gray and white. Since sandstone beds often form highly
visible cliffs and other topographic features, certain colors of sandstone
have been strongly identified with certain regions
In the 19th century
Basswood Island was the site of a quarry run by the Bass Island Browns.

This is a photo of REAL Brownstone on a NYC building facade, a reddish Brownstone (it comes in a number of colors from reddish to brown. Note the visible sedimentary layers in the stone like annual rings in trees. This is approx 100 years ago and is being destroyed by weathering and acid rain. This was  of course hand carved.



NASTY-GRAM REPLY:

Dear lostnyc,

I never thought I would get so much sxxxt offered to me for a fxxxxxn 99 cent
item....you have way too much time on your hands.

-usn_sxxxxxxxxxx
====

Item name:             Brownstone Cherub
Item Id:             
End time:              Apr-08-09 11:43:45 PDT

A screen capture showing part of my email on he auction page along with the seller's false comment about the Brownstone he is casting being the SAME as the Brownstone found on buildings! In addition he admits he CAST it himself with a two part mixture that cures, again, that is a concrete or similar, and certainly not quarried and carved stone as his use of the term implies- see the bottom photo in my "me" page.