ATTENTION: Potential Buyers and Sellers at Ebay!

For the longest time I have noticed ebay items describing a 'NYCT subway car' belt buckle or tie clip is actually a misidentified LIRR M-1. The seller(s) assume that it is an NYCT R-44 or 46 car, but under close scrutiny it is obviously the M-1. The enamel-coated image depicts the railcar with only two doors on one side. And furthermore it has the tradmark MTA 'M' logo on the 'off side' of the cab. Too bad these folks don't do their research before putting up items for sale.

If you're already aware of this situation -- never mind -- Good hunting!

I've noticed lots of "bad" data about various LIRR items for sale on e-bay: either done intentionally or out of honest lack of knowledge.

Remember the old Latin phrase from high school: "caveat emptor," which many of us old-timers know to mean "let the buyer beware!" Yes . . . there were horse traders even back in Roman times!

I've seen someone selling an "original" trainman's cap with "original" badge, "worn by my Uncle Joe when he started with the LIRR 50 years ago." The hat is a modern blue one with a "Dashing Dan" era cap badge, dating back to the early 1960s.

Now . . . if you weren't an avid badge collector, you probably might not have caught something like this, but someone went and purchased a cap and badge, neither of which were EVER worn together by anyone on the LIRR "50 years ago."

When I e-mailed them about their "gaffe" they never bothered to acknowledge my correction, nor did they edit their item description.

Another one I see frequently is "antique LIRR ....." and there's the logo of the MTA atop the page!!!! Since when did the MTA date back to antiquity?

You get people selling buttons with "NYC" and advertise them as New York City trolley buttons when they really belong to the New York Central.

I could go on and on. PLEASE, PLEASE be careful.

If you have any questions regarding actual antiquity of certain items, please feel free to "ask the oracle!" I'd be more than happy to impart whatever knowledge I have to set you straight if you wish to bid on something but are unsure if it is genuine or not. If I don't know the answer to your question(s), I won't B.S. you. I'll tell y'all that Ah have no idee!!!

I have a good friend who is a big switch lock and key collector. I ask him questions all the time, as his knowledge of locks and keys is far superior to mine. I then, in turn, learn something new with each question. To be educated is to be armed!!

Caveat Emptor!!!
Dave Keller

Sometimes you can get a bargain this way. I saw an Athearn HO model of an LIRR C420. It had the "original" Athearn box but no other info. And it was described as a heavy loco. With that, looking closely at the model you could tell it was an Overland brass model! There are no factory made high hood C420s in plastic. The lucky winner got this for I think under $200! Definitely less than the $300-$400 the brass ones are going for on ebay.

As I said . . . . you need to know your merchandise and/or area of interest.

Sometimes the seller is, indeed, ignorant of what they have, however, the "ignorant seller" is quickly becoming a thing of the past.

Dave Keller

Even I got taken once in the past. I bought several timetables from the early 1900's that turned out to be official reprints that the LIRR came out with in the 1970's.