So you are looking at some of the beautiful jade, turquoise, silver, and carved bone items from China and Tibet, many of them "antique"? ...... Here are some things to consider:

1. If they don’t tell you the dimensions, ask before you buy. They may look great in the photos, but many of the things I purchased were in miniature. Even when there are measurements, a 2.5" X 2" item is the size of a ping pong ball. Keep in mind that the photos shown are often misleading, showing the item many times it’s actual size.

2. When the item is sold for a ridiculously low price like a penny, and the shipping is $15.00, the money back guarantee is for the cost of the item, so if it’s not what you expected, or a cheap replica of the item you expected, you pay to ship it back and get a refund of the penny, not the shipping, and you have to pay the return shipping!

3. If you purchase the insurance, you get the entire amount back, shipping and cost, if the item is broken. However, you have to open the package before you sign for it, and refuse to accept the package. Otherwise it’s yours. The items I received were well packed in a block of styrofoam, with the entire package double wrapped in shipping tape. It’s not easy getting into the package, and when you do get it open, have a vacuum handy, because tiny balls of styrofoam will go everywhere. I could not bring myself to have the carrier wait at my door while I cut into the package with a razor knife. He hands you the slip to sign before he hands you the package. Some of the tiny metal items had broken where they were soldered or brazed, either in shipping or within a few minutes of taking them out of the packing. You have no recourse.

4. When you buy things like "jade and silver" or "antique turquoise" pendants or teapots or jewelry boxes, don’t expect the polished jade we are used to seeing with jewelry items. This is rough-cut stuff barely polished. The "antique" jewelry box was built just like a wooden box would be... cut slabs of jade with mitered corners glued together and polished a little on the outside and with saw marks still on the inside. The top is the same way, and lifts off... not hinged. A "Beautiful silver inlay jade jewel box" which cost GBP 3.20 ($5.70) and shipping of GBP 20.00 ($34.92) had the filigreed silver design broken loose in two places where it had been soldered. The inside of the box is just about big enough to hold a package of cigarettes. The "silver" is a silver colored metal which may or may not be sterling silver and is as thin as paper and soldered together to fit around the item. This stuff is definitely not meant for use, just for display.

5. "Antique’s" are often described as from a "private collection" or "an Asian Collection". If the things I purchased were from any "collection" it was from collectors that likes duplicates, because the exact items are sold over and over on the same site, as well as many other sites. I have to assume that they are "collected" from a factory turning out mass productions of similar items. It’s true that no two are alike, since they are handmade, however the same photo is used for many different auctions, and in one case the photo was different from the item I received. The photo showed the silver around the corners and the one I received had it on the sides. But essentially the same box.

6. Many of these auctions are priced in British Pounds or another currency we are not that familiar with. Remember that GBP 1.00 is roughly $1.75 in US dollars, depending on the current exchange rate. Currently, an item selling for GBP 11.08 is $19.74 in dollars. In 2005 the exchange rates were a low of $1.71 to a high of $1.88 to the pound. Go to a currency converter website like Yahoo Finance and do the math before you bid!

7. None of the things I purchased were actually misrepresented. I was disappointed with most of the items I "won", many of them for a few cents with inflated shipping. The combined shipping on half a dozen items saves you 20% or so, and is an enticement for bargain shoppers to purchase multiple items from all the wonderful Oriental artwork offered. An 11" "Chinese Stainless Steel Blade Scimitar" though true it is almost a foot long and very nice and well made, was still a miniature. And while it was described as "very heavy with one sharp edge and a large radius" the handle is of a size that would fit into the hand of a five year old. The $25.00 shipping alone was more that I would pay for a similar item here, even if I were in the market for a dangerous weapon for a five year old, which I am definitely not.

8. I checked out the feedback on the merchants I placed bids with before I bid, and all have mostly good feedback. Upon second look, a lot of it is "item as described" or "well packaged" and other noncommittal remarks, but very few glowing recommendations. And I will leave the same, because the items are as described and they are well packaged. In reality, the only place to lay blame for spending a hundred dollars (American Money!) on a bunch of trinkets, for which I have no real use, is myself.

9. My advice: There are some great deals on ebay, and I have been happy with almost everything I've purchased over the years. But if it seems too good to be true, there's probably a catch!