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Please do not put words in my mouth!

Posted By: Bill
Posted Date: Feb 03, 2009 (09:39 AM)

Message
Dear Mircea:

Please DO NOT put words in my mouth by saying,

"I believe, you as many of the collectors and contributors on this forum, have a strong dislike toward the dealers."

This is not how I feel. I do not have strong dislike toward any dealers who are making an honest living. I do have strong dislike for dealers who are knowingly misrepresent the items sold by them and sell fake items as authentic to unknowingly customers. Do you consider yourself to be one of them?

As a matter of fact, I did know some honest dealers whose purpose is not to rip off their customers.

"In my opinion, any collector will become sooner or later a dealer. What would you do with all the duplicates and the junk you accumulated during your earlier novice period?. Bartering is a possibility, but a larger collection might need weeding and eventually, dispersion."

I cannot disagree with you more in that regard. That is a main difference between a dealer and a collector. A dealer has to buy and sell all the time in order to make a living and who may not even care in what they are selling as long as they can make a profit. A collector collcts what they love and enjoy and profit will not be the ulimate motive. Will an investor who buy and sell stocks be called a "stock broker"?

It is also not true that I have to ever disperse my jade collection. If I cannot sell it, I will just give them away or put them on my backyard as decorations. I can afford to do so. Now I do not believe I would have any troubles in selling any of my mutton-fat or Hetian jade carvings. Their prices can only keep on going up.

"Remember, a trusted dealer is your best friend, while a dishonest dealer is your worst enemy!. "

I cannot agree with you more on this statement.
However, I learn in very early age, when it comes to money and if a person has to choose between you or him, there is not really that many people who will have the integrity of giving the advantage (moneywise) to another person.
Which one do you consider yourself? Honest or dishonest? Again, no disrespect intended.

My advice to all jade collectors is not to trust any dealers and not to buy too many expensive items from them until you really know them and you have an opportunity in testing them.

As a coin collector, when a dealer tries to sell me a great item, the best limitus test is to see if he will buy back the coin he sold me and how much he would pay for it. That will tell how honest the dealer is. This may apply to jade dealer.

Bill

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