Not a camp oven, but the principle is the same.
I bought a lovely large Bendigo Pottery lidded casserole on eBay, said to have no chips or cracks, cost $50 + $16 postage:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180384308639&viewitem=&ssp...When it arrived with excellent packing it was found to have two OLD cracks at opposite sides running from the rim to the base. I was so sad as it was a lovely item, marked "82 and the makers initial LG or LB".
I claimed a refund which has developed into a two week saga.
The seller claims that it was sent in perfect condition. Rejecting my "allegations" and claiming that I made her a liar. My negative Feedback left on eBay made it worse!
To try to resolve the dispute I took the item to several Antique dealers in Toowoomba requesting a written appraisal, none of them were interested. But two did verbally confirm the cracks were OLD. Until I remembered this shop who specialise in china, the owner buys and sells on eBay extensively and was immediately on my side saying he was sick of eBay sellers, his report and picture is below:
Roundabout Antiques
ABN 70 187 532 263
106 Campbell St. (Cnr Hume St)
TOOWQOMBA, QLD 4350
Ph 07- 46 328805
website:
www.roundaboutantiques.com.au email: sales@roundaboutantiques.com.au
19th August, 2009
To Whom it may concern.
I, Michael Neilsen being the owner of Roundabout Antiques, 106 Campbell St, Toowoomba have today(19th) inspected a Bendigo Pottery casserole dish and lid (approximate 30cm from handle to handle external measurement, approx 21cm wide at the top of the base section, and approx 15cm high from bottom to top of knob on the lid when the two pieces are assembled) on behalf of Mr David Cheetham, 3 Emmanulla Drive, Kingsthorpe.
Having had experience for the past 25 plus years in the antiques and collectables industry specializing in fragile collectables I can confidently say the two large cracks which appear from the internal lip almost opposite each other on the dish base section have been there for many years. This can be evidenced by the discolouration of their present condition.
Should any further enquiry in the matter be warranted please do not hesitate to contact me personally.
We have charged $20 to inspect this item and prepare this report as evidenced by our tax invoice number 3661.
Yours faithfully,
MICHAEL NEILSEN FOR ROUNDABOUT ANTIQUES.
My next step is to take this to PayPal and eBay complaints procedures.
Currently the seller has not replied to my emailed report and picture.
Just hope this may assist a fellow eBay buyer, camp ovens or whatever.
KD
yet again my pic has been rejected as too large, I will fwd to Derek for resizing.