I don't see it as a problem really.  It's no different to going to an auction where there are a number of people wanting the same item.  Most of us regularly check eBay to see what is there. 

From my perspective it's just a discussion point to see items talked about on here.

Interesting! I have found heaps of CO's for sale without even going near ebay. I for one would be very nervous buying a CO on ebay. I have read many posts on here about CO's broken in the post,not what it was meant to be,unmatched bottoms & lids & the list goes on.
LK if your after an Aussie CO why not post it here and let us look for you, someone may even have one now. Who knows. Give us some particulars and I will keep an eye out, but I would need some guidelines!

Skip

People please, there are many different avenues for people to source these cast iron curios put in the time and effort and good things will come your way at the right price. I was going to place a bid on this oven, but after Dereks comment I decided not to. If I had of placed a bid the price may have gone for a lot more who knows, thats always the chance you take when bidding on ebay. More often than not you can pay too much. I have bought my fair share of cast iron on ebay some things at a bargain price some things I paid a bit more for, but you always run the risk of paying to much for anything in any auction type format. Sudden blood rushs to the head can be very detrimental to any bidder at any auction and generally thats why prices get pushed up above and beyond expectations.

In regards to that comment drawing extra attention to the item on ebay in my opinion COCIA represents a minority of cast iron collectors ( No disrespect Derek I love the site and the contributors). Yes we have our member base, but on the scale of things we are a relatively small group of people, some collectors and some of us just like the lifestyle.

Ebay would obviously reach a much wider range of Collectors, Dealers and the likes who would'nt even of heard of this forum, so in my opinion Dereks comments would have made no difference whatsoever to the end result.

I think that when anyboby makes a comment about Aussie made ovens LK thats purely because the majority of our foundries have gone by the wayside or moved their operations overseas. In a way for me collecting is about protecting and preserving a part of our history and the way things use to be, for my kids and eventually my grand kids to appreciate and enjoy when I'm long gone.

My Old Man always says we are just the guardians of these so called collectables, eventually they will get passed onto the next worthy advocate, hopefully along with some good tales and history with them for the next generations to enjoy as well.

Until the next chapter......

Astro

Although I as a person who appreciates quality brands and where/how they are made mean very little to me.
My memories are in the using of the oven, the smells the yarns and the gathering around of those who mean a lot to me.
I have a freind who runs a youth group (Salvo's) and his enjoyment stems from the look on kids faces (remember they are city kids) when they help him prepare food in the camp cvens at their farm camp area and the pride they have when others tell them how good the food is.
I saw that persoally when some young rellies from Sydney stayed with us at Easter and I let them help me with the cooking one young neice emailed me a couple of weeks ago proud as punch that she had ar 12 bought herself a small oven from the local camp shop and as I had taught her used heat beads to cook her family a meal
So to me these are the important parts of using and cooking with a camp oven not its price or its brand etc I have been lucky that I have friends who I swap with or trade with but if I need something then I get it for its use not its collectable status (in saying that I have been lucky enough to get some nice ovens in trading usually for other objects) and being from the bush I still have contact with a lot of old fellas who are crippling up who give me a yell and offer what to them hold cherished lifelong memories of feeds and happy times and foolish as it may seem those old ovens and some are repaired ones mean the most to me because they hay my memories of a mate.
My kids will get mine (14) at last count and I know that they will see me every time they pull a feed as I now see my old mates.
Camp ovens hold their own history and that history is in the memories of what has been done with and around them and if you are like me I can sit and look at an own while I am cooking and a smell will bring back to me a happy time spent at another place.

I collect all right and thats because of what I have just described and without those old bits of cast iron I am sure that I woukld have lost a lot of memories that are precious to me now some happy and some sad

off the talkbox
Furphy













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When you start a discussion, it's always nice when replies show careful consideration of the matter. 

Astro, I appreciate what your saying about the bidding process and I have seen your bids.

Furph, well, everything you say applies to me.  History has always interested me.  It's the story of people.  Over here, those who have read books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, such as, Little House on the Prairie may have learned about ovens from those stories.  I learned that there were spider's, as well as ovens,  that way.  My cast iron covers more than one century and not all of it named.

Of course, I want at least one Aussie oven with 'its own history'.

Now, Astro. as to COCIA being a small group.  Just go watch the stats here a bit. 
- That thread on that oven:  Yesterday at this time or a bit later = 135 views.  Today, up 10, when I last looked.
- This thread when I posted yesterday (morning to me) = 34.  After Astro yesterday = 51.  By the time you all woke up for your Friday morning = 67.  Now, = 120 views.

Where are these viewers coming from?  Guests, mostly guests.  Right now it's saying there have been 118 guests reading today.  All forums have lurkers, those who read, but don't share of their own knowledge.  I haven't changed my mind about 'promoting' by posting anything on auction.