Cine films on eBay

[emitron]

There have been a number of e-bay sales involving tapes/videos/films which have had Dr Who marked on them, probably by the seller. I'm not suggesting that this is the case here, but that such fraud as a variation is surprisingly common. If that is the intention, it usually works to the great benefit of the seller. The odds against this tape having anything of use on it were greatly stacked against it.

[Deleted]

sounds like a new form of hoax

[Steven Sigel]

Matt -- if a seller intentionally wrote Dr. Who on the tapes knowing that there wasn't any (which is by no means necessarily the case in the situation) then it's not a hoax -- it's fraud and is criminal.

[Simon Winters]

I must stick up for the ebay seller in this case.

I have, as previously stated, bought several reels from the seller. In all cases the tape was sold as simply 'reel to reel videotape'. In all cases, the seller stated that she was unable to play the tape and consequently had no idea what was on it. Fair enough.

She did in the listing say that there were some pencil markings on the tape cover, and simply stated what these markings said. They were not in the 'key words' of the listing, though. (This was the case in previous listings from same seller). Fair enough.

As I said previously in this posting, I have played the other tapes and found that someone has recorded adult films over much of each tape, but that the last half or so of each tape did still have the original contents, and the pencil markings on the tape cover did indeed match these recordings.

Therefore, I see no problem here at all. It is perfectly acceptable for a seller to say what is written on a tape cover, even if they cannot verify it, as long as they say that they cannot verify it. Otherwise, potential finds would not come to light. Surely, we WANT to have all possible information?

This sale was does not come anywhere near a hoax. If it hadn't been publicised here, myself or Lance would have been virtually the sole bidders, as was the case on previous occasions.


I am happy to continue to make small bids on any future listings she puts up, in the hope of finding something. I still have the Eartha Kitt interview and performance on Frost (1970). Something good has already come of it. The BFI have been informed. I hope the tape marked 'Pete and Dud' will have something too; as soon as I get it copied I will report back.

This was a case where forum members set something up as something big, and then some have started using words like 'hoax' when nothing was found.

This was another honest item description from a seller I have confidence it.

I am sorry that the sale went over £100 in this case - this was obviously due to the possibility that there was a Dr Who episode on it.

[Stuart Douglas]

simonw said:

I must stick up for the ebay seller in this case.

I have, as previously stated, bought several reels from the seller. In all cases the tape was sold as simply 'reel to reel videotape'. In all cases, the seller stated that she was unable to play the tape and consequently had no idea what was on it. Fair enough.

She did in the listing say that there were some pencil markings on the tape cover, and simply stated what these markings said. They were not in the 'key words' of the listing, though. (This was the case in previous listings from same seller). Fair enough.

As I said previously in this posting, I have played the other tapes and found that someone has recorded adult films over much of each tape, but that the last half or so of each tape did still have the original contents, and the pencil markings on the tape cover did indeed match these recordings.

Therefore, I see no problem here at all. It is perfectly acceptable for a seller to say what is written on a tape cover, even if they cannot verify it, as long as they say that they cannot verify it. Otherwise, potential finds would not come to light. Surely, we WANT to have all possible information?

This sale was does not come anywhere near a hoax. If it hadn't been publicised here, myself or Lance would have been virtually the sole bidders, as was the case on previous occasions.


I am happy to continue to make small bids on any future listings she puts up, in the hope of finding something. I still have the Eartha Kitt interview and performance on Frost (1970). Something good has already come of it. The BFI have been informed. I hope the tape marked 'Pete and Dud' will have something too; as soon as I get it copied I will report back.

This was a case where forum members set something up as something big, and then some have started using words like 'hoax' when nothing was found.

This was another honest item description from a seller I have confidence it.

I am sorry that the sale went over £100 in this case - this was obviously due to the possibility that there was a Dr Who episode on it.

Very well said, and thanks for spending so much money on the off-chance of finding something of interest to us all.

Cheers

Stuart