CAVE PEARLS FOR SALE

There are several cave pearls for sale on e-bay. When will people realise that they look very poor when out of their original setting but most beautiful in place. Leave them alone and just look at them.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5-CAVE-PEARLS_W0QQitemZ6613293256QQcategoryZ3220QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 

graham

New member
I don't have an ebay account. Could someone who does ask this "person" where they stole them from?
 

cap n chris

Well-known member
I've written asking for them to be removed for sale.

There's 9 days to go. Let's hope they get withdrawn. Thanks for keeping an eye out for this kind of event since this needs to be nipped in the bud for obvious reasons.

Also copied the correspondence/topic to BCA C&A & DCA C&A - what a nice collection of acronyms!
 

Stu

Active member
Seems I'm too late!! Well spotted...

Contacted the seller, very politely but no joy. They claim buyers market, not there responsibility!!
 
E

emgee

Guest
SamT said:
Ive written too. Very polite. Hopefully they'll get the message

Just had a look they haven't met their reserve price possibly cos they've had no bids so far.

Maybe the market is sending them the same message.
 

cap n chris

Well-known member
They responded to say that the items were collected in the 1920s/1930s by their grandfather who was a potholer (in fact, they've also updated the description including the provenance, presumably to assuage any concerns about the origin of the pieces). However, it is the trading of cave formations which is of concern since, as we can all appreciate, this puts the idea into the minds of other people that there's an easy buck to be made by harvesting caves for portable formations (or not-so-portable! :shock: ). I have written back accordingly, copying in BCA & DCA, and suggested to the vendor that they again withdraw the items from sale, perhaps donating them to the county museum's geology department.
 

Stu

Active member
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=6613293256&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

How much did he expect?
 
Good job they did not sell - they did not reach the reserve - there were only three bids the maximum one £10.60!!!


However there is now a cave formation for sale on e-bay starting price £0.99 found some 40 years ago. Its funny how all the formations were found many years ago.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6615867085&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1
 

underground

Active member
Jeez, doesn't it look a sorry state?

This made me chuckle

small chip on side and top but overal condition fairly good . considering it has been undergound hundreds of years

Where it probably had lain undisturbed until some numpty decided to pick it up and steal it..... :roll:
 

cap n chris

Well-known member
:roll: Here we go again, then. Have written but expect no major result.

Never heard back from EBay after writing to suggest a blanket restriction placed on any cave-originating items being offered up for sale.
 

Les W

Active member
cap 'n chris said:
Never heard back from EBay after writing to suggest a blanket restriction placed on any cave-originating items being offered up for sale.

I believe the Americans have had more luck, but they have laws which make it illegal to sell cave formations in the US
 
E

emgee

Guest
cap 'n chris said:
:roll: Here we go again, then. Have written but expect no major result.

Never heard back from EBay after writing to suggest a blanket restriction placed on any cave-originating items being offered up for sale.

This seems like something the national organisations should be writing to ebay about not just individuals.

Interestingly he claims he stole it from Braithwaite Wife Hole. Whose land is that on? Anyone who might be persuaded to complain?
 

cap n chris

Well-known member
The problem with accusations of theft from caves is that what the vendor has done isn't actually illegal; caves aren't protected by UK law (certain animals are). We have to use a sound moral case to convince people that they should desist what they are doing.

I agree this is perhaps one for the BCA. I'll write now.
 
E

emgee

Guest
cap 'n chris said:
The problem with accusations of theft from caves is that what the vendor has done isn't actually illegal; caves aren't protected by UK law (certain animals are). We have to use a sound moral case to convince people that they should desist what they are doing.

I agree this is perhaps one for the BCA. I'll write now.

Whether it's illegal or not probably isn't worth arguing over forty years later. Was just thinking a snotty letter from the a suitably prestigious sounding body (English something or other/The Duke of something) might attract ebay's attention.
 

Cave_Troll

Active member
unless the cave is on national trust land. in which case it is a contravention of the bye laws to removed any mineral samples.
Enforceable as well i beleive.
 

cap n chris

Well-known member
I imagine if an approach was made asking which cave it was from then their memory would conveniently let them down and it would therefore be difficult to work out who the landowner was.

I'm only playing devil's advocate BTW, not trying to pee on your fireworks.
 
E

emgee

Guest
cap 'n chris said:
I imagine if an approach was made asking which cave it was from then their memory would conveniently let them down and it would therefore be difficult to work out who the landowner was.

I'm only playing devil's advocate BTW, not trying to pee on your fireworks.

He says which cave it's from on ebay. Thats why I asked if anyone knew who "owned" it or who's land it was on. He could of course claom this isn't true but that presumably could get it pulled too.

It amused me that he describes it as "used".
 
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