There is no peer review on eBay Bob.

Pat Garrow


> [Original Message]
> From: Robert L. Schuyler <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: 6/16/2005 7:31:08 PM
> Subject: Re: Using eBay for Research
>
> Bill and Carl:
>                  I am giving a brief paper (10 min. Research Report) at
SHA
> 2005 in Sacramento entitled:
>
>          "Ebay As a Research Tool in Historical Archaeology".
>
>                  I will be discussing the powerful and positive  research
> aspects of Ebay but also some of the problems.
> This includes the new psychological subject of "Ebay Addiction."  Some
time
> ago at the SHA annual meetings in
> Quebec City I was on a bus tour with Merrick Posnansky (UCLA) and he had
> already noted the addiction phenomenon
> (early postcards showing traditional African clothing).
>
>                  Two points to remember about Ebay:
>
> (1) it is equally good for artifact and for archival research, at least on
> recent 19th-20th century sites, and
> (2) you do NOT have to spend any money on Ebay in order to use it as a
> research tool. All you need is a good
> printer.
>
>                                                  Bob Schuyler
>
> At 07:50 PM 6/16/2005, you wrote:
> >Carl Barna asked:
> >
> > > I wonder how many of you do research using Ebay items?  ;o)
> >
> >         As many of you know, I conduct a lot of research on local
> > (Southern New
> >Mexico, El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico) bottles as well as
manufacturer's
> >marks on glass (especially bottles).
> >
> >         Virtually every type of bottle appears on eBay if you wait long
> > enough (and
> >check consistently).  I find that most sellers are happy to answer my
> >questions (I
> >almost always want more information than they have supplied to
prospective
> >buyers)
> >and many are willing to look through their sales stock and/or collections
> >to find
> >additional information for me.
> >
> >         In my area of specialization, eBay is a goldmine of information.
> >
> >Bill
> >
> >Bill Lockhart
> >New Mexico State University
> >Alamogordo, NM
> >(505) 439-3732
>
> Robert L. Schuyler
> University of Pennsylvania Museum
> 3260 South Street
> Philadelphia, PA l9l04-6324
>
> Tel: (215) 898-6965
> Fax: (215) 898-0657
> [log in to unmask]