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Sure looks like a free hand filigree piece to use. This may have been a piece done directly on a leaf. The filigree rope work lightly layed into place and softly tack soldered to gether. I see some over lap at the ends. This would provide some rigid structure. The enamel is is liquid like glaze and dropped into place and spread with a brush between the thin rope like pieces. Very similiar to a leaded stain glass work.
Then once the whole skeletal filigree structure is tacked and held into place and the enamel glaze has spread out and cover the whole area, it is fired in a kiln at low temperature. In this process the leaf or even a wax paper support will be burned away.
The bottom side will have the enameled area almost flat with the filigree and the top side will have the filligree strand protruding up the highest. You may be able to see that with the naked eye or use a 10x power loupe or magnifying glass. Als a 6 power folding linen tester is great to carry with you all the time. We always carry a small black light, a magnet, a small 6′ locking tape measure and a 10x and 20x loupe with us in our small belt money pouch.
Of course the contour form could be done on any surface that would be easily burned off or peeled off. In the case of peeling the final dried piece the enamel could be liquid that air dries and no heat is involved.
A fine art jewelry maker would actually be better than us at explaining the more modern techniques used today.
And, I would imagine based on the thinness of it that the enamel is translucent-transparent and you can see through it when you hold it up to a window or light. If so this also would make a nice Holiday window sun catcher type of ornament.
As for gold, maybe a jeweler can tell you that or Ryanne or others has a chemical test to share with you for gold content.
Hopes this sheds a little more light on your search journey.
mike – mdcgfa -atl
Can you show a shot of the side and the back. At first glass it looks like enameled inside of filigree. But the other photos will help to further identify.
Check this link out.
https://www.google.com/search?source=univ&tbm=isch&q=enameled+filigree&client=firefox-b-1-d&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiDqsW59OXpAhVNOs0KHQDwC60QsAR6BAgIEAE&biw=1304&bih=756scroll down and you will see a few boxes.
Then Google Wikipedia on enameled filigree and study up on the technique to compare to your item
Hopes this helps a little.
mike at MDC Galleries and Fine Art
MDCGFA – AtlJay just a quick thought on the Amazon thing. First it’s $119 not $199. Don’t forget the $119 per year / $9.92 per month also includes “Prime TV” for the cord cutters. So the TV portion has a value, which should be subtracted from the $9.92 per month.
As an example, I am just going to say the TV subscription is worth about $6 to $7 per month [Hulu is $55 per month and we dropped a $95 per month cable bill and replaced with a $9.92 per month streaming Amazon cost], then that leaves about $3 per month to pay for the upfront cost of shipping one item you buy. Then buy more than one package a month and I guess you do get Free Shipping.
If one doesn’t watch any of the Amazon TV programs, then still $9.92 will cover about 1 or 2 up front shipping charges then more items bought would be free.
We saved a lot by just dropping cable and doing Prime and then adding a free Free TV services like Pluto and a few low cost subscriptions. Cable was going to jump up to $125 per month when our bundled promo special ended.
Now the last thing is Prime does have other features that add value IF YOU area a user or would benefit from them. Like a reader of books, like listening to music, or use coupons, etc. [See below]. There is a lot of value for about $10 a month.
* Prime Now. Prime Now narrows the free same-day delivery window on certain items to as little as two hours, but it’s only available in select metro areas.
* Unlimited movie and TV streaming. You can stream thousands of TV shows and movies using Prime Video.
* Unlimited reading. Members can choose from over a thousand books, comics and magazines to read free.
* One free borrowed e-book per month. With a Prime membership, you can choose one of hundreds of thousands of e-books to download from the Kindle Owner’s Lending Library, including hits like the Hunger Games trilogy and the Harry Potter collection. Plus, you’ll get early access to a free monthly book from the Kindle First selections.
* Unlimited music streaming. You can listen to over two million songs and browse Prime Playlists, all ad-free with Prime Music.
* Prime Day and Prime Early Access. Prime members get the exclusive perk of shopping annual Prime Day deals. On the other 364 days of the year, you’ll get access to Lightning Deals with a 30-minute head start on non-Prime members.
* Free unlimited photo storage with Prime Photos. Your photos will be added to your secure Amazon Cloud Drive, which you can access from both your computer and mobile device.
* Amazon Elements. As an Amazon Prime member you have access to Amazon’s own consumer-first line of everyday items, like baby wipes.
* Amazon Family. Free for all Prime members, Amazon Family offers family-oriented coupons and deals, including 20% off diapers when ordered with Subscribe and Save and a 15% baby registration completion discount.So a lot of stuff if you use any of them for $10 per month. Our cable and internet bundle bill was going to be $1,500 for the year after the 2 year contract ran out. We still have to pay for the internet now that it is unbundled but$45 for internet and $9.91 for Amazon TV = $54.91 per month instead of $125 = $659 a year vs. $1,500 and then throw in the Free Shipping on anything bought and it seems like an OK deal.
mike – mdcgfa – atl
Yep we are 100% on board with what Sharyn stated. Use the condition field to mention the obvious flaws. We use words, like chips, cracks, flea bites, scuffed, dented, scratched, bent, etc., etc.
We refine from using words that hint at a graded condition like Mint, Very Good, Fine, excellent condition. Unless you are an expert in a field or on a topic “grading” is best left out because those who do know can get you on the levels of “grading”. You say excellent, and they say “fair” condition, well who is right? But you say it has 3 flea bites but hardly noticeable to the naked eye without magnification, you got your self covered.
Sharyn is also correct on collectible items that are of higher value can be sold with some flaws. Some collectors buy a more damaged piece to fill in gaps in their collection. Then when another one comes along later on that is in better condition, they buy it and replace the more damaged one with the better quality one.
Yes, we always show a lot of photos. The standard sequence is top, bottom, front, back, left side, right side, closer shot of the pattern, close up of any markings on the bottom and then extreme close up of any flaws. We try to get at least 10 shots. Etsy allows only 10 and Ebay 12. We used to shoot 12 but now keep to ten for easy cross posting. Of course on thin items we only shoot the front and back since there are no sides.
mike – mdcgfa in Atl.
That looks like a crack to us. Flip it over and see if there is a line in the same proximity. If so then it is more than a crack, it will be a break if it goes all the way through. If so then it was probably broken in half then glued back together, meaning repaired.
If that is the case and you didn’t state it there is an Item Specific that asks if any repairs were made or modifications were made and what those modifications were. That along with the description that goes into the “Condition” box, were it gets noted agagin, will certainly be an INAD situation if nothing at all was mentioned.
using “As Is” is hard support if something is broken and glued back together and there is no mention of it.
But worth a look to flip it over and check.
mike – mdcgfa
Don’t know if this is still true but Ebay used to track in their metrics if you responded to a customer anf if so how quickly you responded.
We try to answer every customer message to us within 24 hours regardless of what we are going to say to them.
Just one of our SOP’s
mike – mdcgfa
Spot on Simplico.
Many offers we get contain a statement about the reason for the low offer is that they are trying to reduce the “high” shipping cost.Buyers are clueless to shipping costs. Unless they themselves are a seller, they have no idea of the weight of the actual item, no idea of the dead air space we leave around an object, no idea of the type of dunnage we use, no idea of the extra added weight of that dunnage, no idea of the weight of the box, [thin walled, reg. walled or Dbl. walled] box, no idea if we double box, no idea if the final box is over 1,728 cubic inches which means it gets a sur-charge and DIM Weight extra rates gets applied, and no idea if we are going to jump carriers and skip USPS and jump over to FedEx because rates are lower, or use cubic pricing.
But many offers come in to us with some type of statement about them thinking the shipping is “a little high”. So when we have a 25% Off Store Wide Sale running they offer 50% to 65% off trying to recoupe what they, in error, think is high shipping.
Over in our Etsy store we sell all the time, shipping is included [built in] and have only had a hand full of times someone has messaged us and asked for a discount.
We are going to also have shipping built in on our new Shopify store. Ebay will be the only calculated shipping platform.
As far as competition goes, most of our items ar fairly unique, not completely but fewer sellers. AND I feel like we all need to teach the low-ball SELLERS how to raise their prices, raise the floor, stop the race to the bottom mentallity and try to get sellers to research other places other than Ebay Solds. We find many sellers price their items way too low in the first place.
And we still abide by Ryanne and Jay’s old philospohy and that is price high, really high, way high and if it sells OK, if others have the same item lower than you, wait until it sells and then yours will be the only one left. In some cases we have even bought the competitors one, if priced way under the real value and then we change our listing to “Two” available and add it to the one we have at a much higher value.
Buyers don’t want to have to go to the trouble to compare, research, not even read descriptions or item specifics. They see a picture on their phone, see a price then want to buy it with a click at this point. So a one, all inclusive price fits right into that type of Buyer Mentality.
Make it “Easy Peezy” for them.You like it???? $39.95 and it’s yours!!! Simple, Simple.
As far as OUR profit goes that is our job to work that out. We make way more profit on the items we sell on Etsy with Shipping built in than on Ebay. Why, because we can build in enough to cover any zone we want, any weight we want, handling for Franken Boxes and there is no way a BUYER CAN FACT CHECK US BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE THE SHIPPING DATA.But again just another opinion for an old retired artist / printer in Atlanta and that is not worth a plug nickle.
mike – MDCGFA in Atl
It is a matter of semantics. It is actually “SHIPPING INCLUDED”, but the word FREE is a marketing term that gives the False Impression of FREE.
We have the exact same items in our store cross listed on Ebay and Etsy both. We sell almost as much on Etsy as Ebay at times but the same item on Etsy has the cost of the item shipped to Zone 6 away from us built in [INCLUDED]. If the buyer would only do a quick online search, they would see the same item listed at a lower item cost BUT they will pay the shipping. If they are closer to us, then they pay less.
So, what. If they won’t take the time to search for themselves, not my worry.
Also, when an item sells in zones 7 and 8, we eat the cost difference.we have a system whereby we know what the shipping cost is for every item to all zones, so we just add on that shipping into our Etsy prices.
Also, we build in a handling cost to make a “Franken” box on the extra-large and irregular shaped boxes.
The Free Shipping is a dead issue for us. There are even times that we build in shipping and then on top of that we also list it as Calculated Shipping if we have to do a Franken Box.
If you want fair, then yell at retail stores for selling you a $12.00 lipstick that takes only $.07 cents to make. The beauty of the Capitalistic Free Enterprise system, mfg. for as low as you can and sell for as high as the market will pay. If the market isn’t buying, then create a false need or desire through advertising, use of searched keywords, etc.Do any sellers on here ever gotten an item they got for free and then discover it has a market value of $500 and then feel guilty for selling it because the market will bear it or pay the price? Nope, didn’t think so. No guilt or need to worry about being “fair” there.
Shipping is a business expense. It is a cost of doing business and is an accounting line item in standard accounting principles. The item, tape, box, shipping label, ink, toner, procurement costs, your electricity dedicated to your office space, the air conditioning wear and tear, all office supplies, your internet costs, and many more. If you haven’t covered those expenses by being extremely detailed in your cost of goods accounting procedures then having a 2 or 3 extra dollars built into your unit costs is just another way of recouping your real costs that you haven’t kept track of.
Remember your business is an entity unto itself. You should have a line item in your accounting called OCRA. That is Operating Capital Reserve Account. After every expense under the sun has been tracked by your V.P of Operations 🙂 [you], and all payroll expenses are covered, all salaries have been paid, all business licenses and business insurance has been paid, all taxes covered, THEN you NEED TO PAY YOUR CORPORATION. Thus OCRA.
So, what difference does it matter where that income stream comes from. If you are not good at tracking all those expenses AND BUILDING THEM INTO YOUR PRICE OF YOUR ITEM, then it is an easy method to just have some extra BUILT INTO the SHIPPING DEPARTMENTS Function.
Thus, the question still remains why do some customers pay $69 for an item in our Etsy store, when they could buy the same exact item in our Ebay store for $57.50 + $11.50 Calculated shipping even though they may be closer or further away and that zone 1-5 difference may only be a few bucks.
Our contention is that the buyer doesn’t want to our can’t do the math. The only reason we don’t do Shipping Included on Ebay is because Ebay allows offers and we get so many low ball offers and we would lose some of those profit margins if the Shipping was Built In.
So, we settled this issue long ago and just keep on truckin!This is just our opinion and that along with $2.50 will get you half a cup of “designer” Coffee! And think about it.. $5 and $6 dollar cups of Coffee with a branded logo on it! Who’s fooling who and bet that logo brand doesn’t think it is unfair, it is what the market will bear, and they smile all the way to the bank. Buy or make for it for as low as you can and then turn around and sell it for 10 times or even more if they can. Welcome to the American Way and What a Country It Is.
mike – mdc galleries and fine art
Howdy: I saw this post a few days ago, but was tied up so I didn’t have the time to respond.
First let me say, that Jay would kill me if I re-posted my previous posts on art topics, which he calls my “giant walls of texts”. 🙂
Here is a tip for you that will put some real knowledge behind your research. Then we can talk again after you have digested the data and done some testing and exploration. In other words I am giving you some homework. 🙂
Go to the SL search bar and enter the word Serigraph do a search and read, then enter photo mechanical reproduction, search again and read those posts. Then read my posts over the last several years where I have addressed fine art prints, how to tell the differences in fine art prints from photo mechanical lithographs vs. handmade [pulled] stone lithographs.
Conduct each of my suggested tests and apply them to your print. These posts are excerpts from some of the collegiate classes I taught at the University of Hartford’s Fine Art College. I have a Master’s degree in Fine art specializing in fine art prints and am a Master Print Maker of Serigraphs of which I too can chop mark editions I print for other artist who commission me to make print editions for them. Also was part owner of a Fine Art Publishing Company for decades and am now retired.
After you conduct your checks I outline come back here and I will expand more on your findings.
At first glance I think you have a Serigraph and not a Stone Litho. You will also know if you have a photo mechanical litho. I don’t think so, but you check anyway.
Next see if you can see all four edges of the paper underneath the mat. If it is a full deckle edge on all 4 sides, I can tell you even more about it. Looks like either Arches or Rives BFK paper from what little I can see of the paper, maybe an 80lb. or 90 lb. cover weight.
Very common for a real fine art publisher to “Chop” their prints especially if in small / short run editions. Which is what you have.
You have the 88th print out of a print run edition of 150. That is a perfect size to keep the value higher. Large runs lower the value.
After you do your checks as per some of my earlier posts, we can discuss color register, color sequencing, over lay and try to establish the technique used.
Hand pulled stone lithography as a fine art print is very labor intensive and usually does not produce the hard edge definition to the color lay down as I see, but Serigraphy [silk screen printing does].One thing that bothers me is the two different densities of darkness of the lead pencils used in the numbering sequence as compared to the signature. this may indicate that the prints were all numbered at one time using one pencil, then the signature at another time either earlier or later with a different hardness of lead in the pencil, being it is lighter. From as much as I can see in examining the numbers and signature, from just these photos, it does seem that the signature and numbering are real and not printed in the plate. The overlap and density changes at the junctures of overlap seem to substantiate that.
More photos would certainly help me to give you more details. Close up of the edges of the image where I can see the alignment of colors, several more close ups of the image area where there is color on the sheet by itself and of areas where the colors overlap. The edges of the physical print itself, and of course shoots out from under the glass.
Good luck to you and looking forward to hearing what more you can find out and report back.
Kindest Regards,
Mike at MDC Concepts, Inc.
MDC Galleries and Fine Art
Collins Creek Collections
SmartParts Small EquipmentHere is a suggestion for you. Go to worthpoint.com. Put in your keys words just like you listed here in this post. Look over the results that you get back. When you find a couple of examples that match your personal ones, post the link here on SL and those of us who has a subscription can go to that link and we can see the prices and report that back to you.
Worthpoint is a subscription data base that shows a 10 year history of items that have sold on Ebay. It shows photos, has the original descriptions and categories that were used with the original listing, the date sold and of course the price.
We have had a subscription for years and have discovered tons of info about items we knew nothing about.
Good luck and hope you can find some matches.
mike – mdcgfa – atlanta
Might even be a way to keep a bottle of before or after dinner wine stored on a table until it is time to be opened and poured.
Just throwing darts now.
mdc – mdcgfa in Atl.
I second what Jay just said. Our carrier is an intrical part of our business. An extension of our shipping dept. Daily pick ups, scans on the spot, if more than 1 or 2 packages I load into a blue Ikea bag for her. We swpped phone numbers and if she is still in our neighborhood and I get a late sale and can package quick enough I can text her and she will do a second pick-up on her way out of the neighborhood. She delivers our shipping boxes, brings us the thin long Priority decals we use on our plain vanilla brown boxes, AND MORE.
She and the USPS is just super. Only had 4 or 5 damages since 2002 and only 2 non-delivered pkgs. Just great service.
Thanks to her and you too.
Mike at MDC Concepts, Inc.
MDC Galleries and Fine Art
SmartParts
and soon to be added “Collins Creek Collections” which eventually will become intergrated into our 5 selling platforms once everything is settled with Shopify, FaceBook Shops and InstragramThis maybe be a workaround until you find the way to turn the auto save feature off.
When we complete a days shooting on our phone, we have anywhere from 300 to 500 photos all on our phone. Then we connect or phone to our desktop and transfer ALL those photos from our phone to a folder, which we use to load in SixBit our 3rd party listing software. But that isn’t the point here. The process of transfering the photos by using a mini USB cable takes all the photos off our phone and moves to the desktop folder. So in your case, then just delete all the photos from your desk top if you don’t want them.
The transfer time varies based on the resolution and quantity of photos. Our 300 to 500 takes less than a minute or two tops.
But until you find out how to stop the auto saving feature, try just transferring all the photos to a folder quickly, then deleting that folder from your computer. That way they are off your phone and also deleted from your desk top.
Just a suggestion.
mike at MDC Galleries and Fine Art
Our vote from the gang here is bread/pastry keeper, warmer, server.
Sliced french bread, donuts, small pastries, table server, etc.
mike – mdcgfa
Meg: There is a website that has been mentioned here on SL dozens of times through the years. It is called http://www.flippertools.com is the link.
It was designed by a former SL member. We use it almost daily to decide on various things.
It has a calculator for items you don’t know where your buyer lives, so prices by zone, it also shows best box to use and prices for USPS side by side for when you do know where your pkg. is going., You can use the Retail rates, standard commercial rates [Ebay without your top rated discount], or have it deduct for your discount. It also has a calculator for DIM Weight packages which we use several times a week when calculating what prices to build in for Free Shipping [on Etsy] for large oversize items. Just a great tool to keep on your desktop.
Plus he has other tools listed which we don’t use as much, except to see what an “Ebay Offer” was for sold items.
Give it a try, explore the various sections and he also even has a section where you can buy labels directly from him, sort of a PirateShip wanna be, but an alternative if you need one.
Good Luck.. “Keep on Truckin!”
Mike at MDC Galleries and Fine Art in Atlanta
