The Shaker Search - Finding Shaker Sect items on ebay

As a Shaker collector and thereby often a Shaker seller, I've lobbied ebay since 1997 to add a specific category for items designated by a seller as made by those of the Shaker Community or Sect. It hasn't happened. I suspect that the reason is that ebay would then become a referee of sorts, trying to monitor the authenticity of the items, or keep the category free of repros, a role I suspect they scrupulously avoid.

Anyway, trying to address the collector's dilemma of readily finding Shaker or possibly Shaker items amidst all the "Shakers" that come up in a straight "Shaker" ebay word search. I've found the solution was not an easy one. If you are a Shaker collector and tried a simple search, you know exactly what I am talking about. Besides the obvious salt and pepper shakers, there are sugar shakers, there are some sort of car parts that are called shakers, there are toy rattles that are shakers, and even something in clothing called booty shakers [I don't wanna know!]. Don't even get me started on all the stuff that I'm sure [well-meaning] crafters create and label 'Shaker'. By the time the Shaker sect collector combs through all this, one might as well just give up and start searching for "Lebanon" or "Hancock" instead, on the off chance you'll find something without having to quit your day job to do it. And just imagine the problems with trying to sell a Shaker-made pounce shaker -- I've done it, but it made my head hurt just to think about how anyone was going to find it.

My personal answer to the finding-side of Shaker on ebay has been to attempt to craft an ebay Shaker search that eliminates the majority of the frass, and gets to the Shaker-titled pieces as quickly as possible. It's not a perfect search because I did have to choose one category to limit the search result size [I chose the category - Antiques] so please be aware items that are mis-categorized -- those that were put in say, Collectibles, would not be found. Also, ebay limits the search character length so, although I could refine the search further, I've run out of character room, so the search is what it is. I think it helps a bit and I decided to share it with other collectors here. I hope it helps you.

Of course, I probably need a disclaimer at this point - This search is meant as as aid, a helper, a rough guide, only, to finding Shaker sect labeled items on ebay. It may miss genuine Shaker items, and it does include others that are obviously not Shaker and some that only the seller's involved think are Shaker. I do not endorse, authenticate, validate or propose that any of the items that are the result of this search are authentic or genuine Shaker-made pieces. That decision belongs solely to you, the bidder.

I will continue to refine the search, especially if others send along good refinements, I will add updates here as I have them, so please check back now and then. And please email me if you have suggestions and refinements. [I know that many clinkers are sneaking into the search results and have been working on refining it -- but some just can't be sorted out. And I did leave in the word "sugar" purposefully because I think there may, someday be a Shaker sugar item we won't want to miss.] About the word "style" in reference to Shaker items - personally, I prefer to use the title word "type" if I am unsure of the Shaker item I have to sell, instead of the word "style". Style seems to imply a design sensibility, not a characteristic, so I'd encourage sellers of real Shaker items or possibly Shaker items to do the same and use the word "type" in order to be included in this search. "Type" also has less letters than "Style". Remember, after you run this search, ebay lets you manipulate the search. You can sort this search by time [ending first is what I chose for this search], price [lowest first is interesting, highest first for those with deep pockets! :)], distance [great for large things!], and of course, paypal and buy-it-nows [we should be so lucky!]. You can also change the catagory in which the search runs very easily by using the pull down box where it comes up as "Antiques". I encourage you to try searching in "Art" since some Shaker items might be hidden in the Folk Art catagory. You can also run and then save this search to your own 'My Ebay' page, or email the search results to a friend.   

----> The Great Shaker Search<----

[ in ANTIQUES, Ending First]

Last updated 11/17/06 - Ebay recently changed the search criteria, so if this search is not working, please email me. Thanks!

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Notes:

•  The search currently excludes the word "salt" and the word "pepper" for obvious reasons. If a seller decides to sell a Shaker-made open salt cellar, for example, this search will exclude it. Please be aware of this. A Shaker-made treen open salt sold recently on ebay [brave seller!] and this current search would have excluded it.  
• This search does not exclude the word "sugar", or the word "herb", because I wanted to be able to see any possible Shaker items that might have those words in the title.
• The search currently does not excludes the word "style" and this may lead to an overabundance of newly made stuff - if you don't want to see the "style" items after you run this search, add the term "-style" and rerun the search.  

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enjoy!

Helene.