ebay items

[kappa2]

I'm not sure of the best way to notify any interested Thetas of "hidden" items on eBay, but I thought someone might be interested:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190211215308

:-)

[Janerz222]

Thanks, kappa2!

[thetalady]

So frustrating not to have better pictures of the crest on the items. They look interesting.... thanks for the head's up!

[Blondie93]

Not much time left on this one, and it is up to $467.

Badge with opals: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=270223828943&Category=11145&_trksid=p3907.m29

kaokite... is this one that would interest you? :)

[thetalady]

WOW!! That is a beautiful pin! Would love to know if there is any history or information on the pin's age....

[Blondie93]

Yay, kaokite won it!

The badge is gorgeous. kaokite, if you know/learn any history of that badge, please share. I never knew opals were ever an option.... what a unique piece of jewelry to have in your collection.

Enjoy!

[ihearttrisigma]

WOW!! That is a beautiful pin! Would love to know if there is any history or information on the pin's age....

Sorry to crash, but that is one fantastic pin! The sister who had it originally must have been a special girl to have diamonds and opals!

[thetalady]

And kaokite won the interesting bracelets & pin, too!! YEAH! I wanted to bid, but with the bids all secret, I did not want not to bid against another Theta. GOOD WORK!

[Thetagirl218]

Check out this oldie (http://cgi.ebay.com/10k-Pearl-Diamond-Kappa-Alpha-Theta-Sorority-Pin-B_W0QQitemZ230237957715QQihZ013QQcategoryZ11145QQs sPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)


On another note, I am looking to get a nicer badge soon, hopefully one with emeralds. Does anyone know the difference between small and large crown?

[thetalady]

I am *pretty* sure that the badge itself is exactly the same size. The border around the badge is wider & the stones might be a bit larger on the large crown. I know that the stones are set differently, so they sit up higher & look larger.

[kaokite]

Hi ladies,

so a) i got the opals/diamonds badge on Thursday. it is MOST FANTASTIC. Unfortunately someone polished the engraving off the back, so there is zero information about where it came from. I am going to write the seller, but typically they have little to zero info. It has had some work done in the past-I think the pin & catch are replacements, so this could be older than it appears. I would guesstimate it as 1901-1910. I originally had thought I had a 'twin' for this one in pearls dated 1907, but turns out they are totally different..

b) Unlike other NPC groups, we have no restriction on gemstones you can get on your badge. the trick is if the jeweler actually has the stones to put in!! A few years ago I had a badge with no pin or catch (someone had cut them off to use it as a charm). I had the jeweler solder them back on, but when you hot solder gold, it burns the pearls.. So I got to replace them.. Burr Patt had some amethysts, so i had a purple badge. It was BEAUTIFUL. I ended up selling it to a collegian from Beta Gamma ~3 years later as she was badge-less and I have just a few too many.. :) Our current jeweler stocks red/blue/green/pink/turquoise stones, but i bet if you call they may have something else. Years ago my husband had a special order badge made for me (not by the fraternity jeweler).. PM me if you want more info..

c) small vs. large crown.. they are actually different physical sizes. there's no difference in how the stones are physically set. the small is 7/8" in length, the large is 1& 1/16", but don't quote me on the larger size-I only know the exact measurement of the small.. The enamel in the middle of the small is VERY small-actually it is smaller than the standard plain badge 'cause the std plain and the small crown are the same size outline, but the plain doesn't have to cram in the stones around the edge. does this make sense? the large crown uses the enamel from the plain badge and then adds the stones around the edge.

Hope this helps!

[kaokite]

Hi ladies,

so there's a number of pieces of jewelry that have shown up on ebay lately with the theta coat-of-arms on them from the same seller. If you read the fine print in the listing, you realize they aren't even silver.. they are silver colored metal (probably chromed or nickle-plated base metal) that someone has stuck a COA on..

About 6 months ago, there were a number of "new old stock" COA pieces sold, and I suspect that these loose COA's were used to create the vintage looking items..

the last one went for over $200. IMHO that buyer got totally ripped!

Beware. Read all the fine print and don't get seduced by the photos. This is how I ended up purchasing a 'mini recognition pin' about 9 years ago when I was just starting on ebay.. I failed to read the listing and only looked at the photos, which conveniently did not include anything next to the pin so I could judge the size.. I was kind of peeved when it showed up in the mail, but it was my fault for not doing the due-diligence on the listing.

[thetalady]

Katie-

THANK YOU so much for the head's up!! I would probably have gotten interested in that auction!

I also bought a teeny tiny little pin that looks like an old badge several years ago... had no idea it was not a badge when I bought it! Live & learn....

[kappa2]

Also, if I may, there is a pretty dual pillbox ending soon...

UNIQUE GOLD / GLASS VIAL PILL BOX SET - SORORITY ? Item number: 380022281933
http://cgi.ebay.com/UNIQUE-GOLD-GLASS-VIAL-PILL-BOX-SET-SORORITY_W0QQitemZ380022281933QQihZ025QQcategoryZ1 4082QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Thetagirl218]

Not a badge, but a pin with the crest on it... (http://cgi.ebay.com/KAPPA-ALPHA-THETA-Sorority-Coat-of-Arms-PIN-Fraternal_W0QQitemZ170217701568QQihZ007QQcategoryZ 11145QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

[kappa2]

not a badge, but a crest pin:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110272701921

[Thetagirl218]

Theta Pledge Pin? (http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-Kappa-Alpha-Theta-sorority-pledge-pin-badge-KAO_W0QQitemZ220259796551QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item2 20259796551&_trksid=p3286.m14.l1318)

I don't know why someone would pay that much for a pledge pin......

[Janerz222]

That pledge pin looks like the black might be enamel inlay? If so, that's certainly not what mine looked like. :-) Maybe that's why the bidding is high. . .(total conjecture)

Katy?

[thetalady]

It looks really old. I HATE that Ebay now hides the bidder IDs. No idea if HQ or other Thetas are bidding on it or not.

[kaokite]

So the pledge pin in question is older (the current ones have a one piece pin & catch attached in the center of thel square vs separate like this ). To clarify, I'm meaning 1990s or earlier, not 'older'=1920's.

All pledge pins are gold w/the black enamel inset into the black square, though i think these days the 'enamel' is more like a black paint or some kind of black epoxy. this one looks a little defective in that the enamel is not flat w/the surface of the pin-I'm wondering if that is just a camera artifact?

re: sale price....realistically this is a VERY high price for a pledge pin (the cost to a chapter is ~$12 or so), but not the highest they've sold for in the last year.. Most collectors already have one-i think it's just thetas doing the bidding. Certain members are very passionate about seeing Theta stuff on ebay, and just keep bidding regardless of the cost.

[kaokite]

Hey all,

Just wanted to post a reminder about ebay. As a bidder you should make sure to follow the 'buyer beware' principle. When bidding on any item (esp jewelry), read the description very carefully. if it does not say "old"/"antique"/"vintage", it is NEW. If it does not say "10K" or "14K" or "sterling" it is base metal or plate. Do not get distracted by lots of other text in the listing. The description of the item is critical!

There are a number of un-ethical sellers right now trying to pass of goods they have manufactured or 'married' together. If you see glue residue around edges/corners, or if you see different shades of metal, be suspicious!

I hate to see Thetas spending money on something that will dissapoint you once it comes out of the mailing envelope.

-K

[thetalady]

Thank you so much for the warning!! It can be hard to evaluate items from pictures, especially for amateurs like me!

[Blondie93]

So, I am still crying over losing this auction last night. I was able to submit what I thought would be a really competitive bid (told husband to make it my birthday and/or Christmas gift) and had been looking forward to placing that bid all week. However, seconds after placing my bid, the winning bid of $1325 was placed, and that was more than I could justify spending.

The badge is from 1944, has opals, and is larger than our standard badge. The "points" on the badge are also slight variations. I am not sure when they stopped putting opals in the badge, but I suspect is was long, long ago.

Kaokite, please tell me that you were the high bidder? Even if you weren't the winner, can you at least provide any inisights that you have on this badge? It is just gorgeous, and I had so hoped to wear it to Founders Day and convention next year. Instead I now hope that you or another Theta get to proudly wear it. While I am glad that it wasn't melted, thrown away, etc, I am sad to think that it will just be displayed in a box with other random Greek badges and not actually worn by someone.


http://i.ebayimg.com/11/!BbW3bzgBmk~$(KGrHqQOKkIEq4-9HQ!UBKvquu8L+g~~_35.JPG

[ThetaDancer]

That badge is stunning. I'm sorry you weren't able to win it. I can't believe it went for $1325!

[thetalady]

Wow!! That is really beautiful! I would love to know more about this badge, too... Let's just hope that a Theta won it.

[OleMissGlitter]

Sorry to crash but I saw this badge too...absolutely gorgeous. Do they still make them with the long tip at the bottom? I guess I had never seen one like that and the opals were just stunning.

[xxstardust]

Not a Theta myself, but I was browsing ebay for a birthday gift for a friend and came across this badge:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Small-Kappa-Alpha-Theta-Sorority-Pin-No-Reserve_W0QQitemZ220487837926QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH _DefaultDomain_0?hash=item33561968e6&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Just wanted to give you guys up, so you can try to prevent a collector grabbing it ..

[Amy Kates]

Wow. That looks like a lost Grand Council badge. The Fraternity Vice President Education wears an opal badge. I wonder if this is one that was lost a few years ago? I do hope whomever won it is a Theta! I know that there are several Theta collectors who bid on ebay so hopefully they got it.

[Blondie93]

Wow. That looks like a lost Grand Council badge. The Fraternity Vice President Education wears an opal badge. I wonder if this is one that was lost a few years ago?

Here is the description that appeared on ebay:

Absolutely superb 1944 Kappa Alpha Theta 14K gold sorority pin with enamel, opals and diamonds. No chips, cracks, missing stones. I rarely see fraternal pins of this quality. Measures 30mm tall by 20mm wide and weighs 5.3 grams.


The seller is in Terre Haute, IN.

[AzTheta]

Outing myself... I was bidding also. I thought my bid would take it, but I was outbid in the last four seconds, by only $25.

am reluctant to say more, b/c this is an open forum. would like to take this private...PM me

[AzTheta]

ps.... heartsick. Please let it be in Theta hands. Amy, does the Fraternity have any record of the details of the "lost" badge? There are many details about this one that the seller posted, including very clear pictures of the engraving on the back.

[Blondie93]

Outing myself... I was bidding also. I thought my bid would take it, but I was outbid in the last four seconds, by only $25.

am reluctant to say more, b/c this is an open forum. would like to take this private...PM me

It was "only $25" however, who knows how much their max bid was. Could have been $2K. Who knows?

At least that is how I am comforting myself.

[thetygerlily]

Crashing too but wow, the 1944 badge is incredible! I also hope that a Theta is the proud new owner, she would get a LOT of enjoyment out of that badge!

How in the world do these ebay sellers find so many badges, especially such unique ones? Are they just trolling antique shops? I know many orgs have their own groups that hunt for badges (Kappa has the Keepers of the Key), I wonder how many they've saved from going to ebay and the like.

[AzTheta]

Crashing too but wow, the 1944 badge is incredible! I also hope that a Theta is the proud new owner, she would get a LOT of enjoyment out of that badge!

How in the world do these ebay sellers find so many badges, especially such unique ones? Are they just trolling antique shops? I know many orgs have their own groups that hunt for badges (Kappa has the Keepers of the Key), I wonder how many they've saved from going to ebay and the like.

good question. I'd like to know. I suspect that many sellers "haunt" estate sales, auctions, etc. Some parts of the country have more "vintage" items, due to a variety of factors.

I'm hoping against hope that the buyer renegs and it becomes a "second chance" item, unless (of course) a Theta was the successful buyer. Speculation is silly, I know, but I sure would like to learn the provenance of that badge. Have to wonder...

[AzTheta]

theta sisters, PM me

[Amy Kates]

Or Staff archivist reports that this badge is NOT one of the lost Grand Council badges. Those badges were from the 1890s and this badge, while beautiful and certainly an antique, is newer. The Dyer badges (with the elongated points) were made by a Jeweler in Indiana so it probably belonged to a Theta in Indiana or someone with an Indiana connection.

[thetalady]

Or Staff archivist reports that this badge is NOT one of the lost Grand Council badges. Those badges were from the 1890s and this badge, while beautiful and certainly an antique, is newer. The Dyer badges (with the elongated points) were made by a Jeweler in Indiana so it probably belonged to a Theta in Indiana or someone with an Indiana connection.

Well, it is at least nice to know a little more about what that badge was NOT. Thank you so much for the research, Amy!

[AzTheta]

This badge came from a member of the Gamma chapter @ Butler University, so there's the Indiana connection. The seller was from Terre Haute IN.

Thank you to Amy, and to our archivist at HQ, for your research and followup.

[PJS]

Or Staff archivist reports that this badge is NOT one of the lost Grand Council badges. Those badges were from the 1890s and this badge, while beautiful and certainly an antique, is newer. The Dyer badges (with the elongated points) were made by a Jeweler in Indiana so it probably belonged to a Theta in Indiana or someone with an Indiana connection.

This badge came from a member of the Gamma chapter @ Butler University, so there's the Indiana connection. The seller was from Terre Haute IN.

Thank you to Amy, and to our archivist at HQ, for your research and followup.

Pardon the crash, I'm not a Theta but I happened to see the badge on ebay and it was indeed gorgeous. The name engraved on the back was Maxine Smith, in addition to Gamma [chapter] and '44. Often the pictures on ebay do not have that high a resolution and you can't read the engraving on the back of a badge.

I assume I'm not divulging anything inappropriate as the ebay listing was obviously in an open forum. Just thought someone might know/be interested in the original owner. . .

[ThetaPrincess24]

Let this be a lesson to us Thetas.....please have written instructions regarding your pins following your death. If it is to go to another Theta or to a chapter, please state this in writing somewhere. If it is to be sent to HQ, please place this in writing somewhere (which is what I have done in my will because it is that important to me).


Otherwise sisters, pins will continue to end up on eBay and estate sales. I'm all for the purchasing/selling/collecting of pins between other Thetas but it hurts me and makes me quite irritated to keep seeing our beautiful badges on eBay (especially today since i just watched my chapter initiate our new members last night and got a "ritual refresher").

[AzTheta]

Let this be a lesson to us Thetas.....please have written instructions regarding your pins following your death. If it is to go to another Theta or to a chapter, please state this in writing somewhere. If it is to be sent to HQ, please place this in writing somewhere (which is what I have done in my will because it is that important to me).


Otherwise sisters, pins will continue to end up on eBay and estate sales. I'm all for the purchasing/selling/collecting of pins between other Thetas but it hurts me and makes me quite irritated to keep seeing our beautiful badges on eBay (especially today since i just watched my chapter initiate our new members last night and got a "ritual refresher").


Amen, ThetaPrincess24.

I attended Initiation at a chapter on Saturday, and reflected on how badges could be lovingly used in chapters, as honors for outstanding new members, for scholarship, etc. The actives love to look at my badge and hear me talk about my own initiation.

And the historic badges ... our Archives certainly are a fitting repository. When we study our history, and the history of our badge, it becomes all too painful to think of where badges are going on Ebay.

Stay tuned, Thetas.

[Blondie93]

Let this be a lesson to us Thetas.....please have written instructions regarding your pins following your death. If it is to go to another Theta or to a chapter, please state this in writing somewhere.

This can't be said enough.

I have it stated in my will that my three badges (I have purchased 2 vintage pearl badges on ebay) are to go to three of my Theta friends. When I mentioned to my friends that they were in my will they seemed surprised that I was doing this, but then flattered that I thought of them. It was also a great opportunity for me to remind them that they should also make provision for their badges.

Each friend also promised to return the badge to my daughter should she one day pledge Theta.

I also put the reminder at least once a year in our alumnae chapter newsletter. We have several 75 year Thetas in our area, and a bunch of 50 year Thetas, who have received special recognition pins from HQ. I would hate for either their badge or recognition pin to wind up at Estate sales.

[kaokite]

Hi All, clearly I don't check greekchat very often or I would have seen this thread a lot earlier.

Dyer-Ratliff is/was (their phone has been disconnected, but their website is still up??) a jeweler based in Indianapolis, and has been making badges for the last ~100 years. sidebar: does anyone know definitively if they have gone out of business? While they are not the official fraternity jeweler, it is/was possible to order a custom badge with a gem of your choosing. Many of the Indiana Chapters (Alpha, Beta,Gamma specifically) ordered up custom badges during the 30's-60's for their members, often in custom gem configurations like this. These badges are/were not cheap, but of a MUCH higher quality than the standard badges of today. You get what you pay for!

My chapter has a Dyer badge as the president's pin, which I ordered when I was the chapter VPF. It is plain, with no gems, but it has such spectacular elongated points that it does not need any embellishment. Part of the officer job sell for the president is that you get to wear the pointy badge! I was very disturbed to find the badge was damaged and almost lost over the last 2 years-I worked with the chapter president to get it repaired and it is now being worn again, proudly at official chapter events. Yay! :)

a few words on the winning bid price. Dyer badges come up on ebay every so often and sell for top dollar, usually upwards of $500. ( vs. the ~$100 or so for std pearl badges from balfour/burrpatt) This opal dyer is the first to show up in 10+ years, and maybe the third opal badge to come to ebay ever. Hence the high price and the willingness of the winning bidder to pay top dollar. I've written at length about badge collectors (I consider myself one and have many collector friends) on other threads in the Theta forum so I won't rehash any (polarizing) opinions here. ;)

Incidentally, there is no prohibition against opals (or any other gem combo) in our current badges-you just have to do a custom order from the jeweler. In the interest of full disclosure I should mention modern day opals are not as high a quality as those in older pieces (good opals are not cut up into small chips nowadays!). If you choose to order a custom badge, i would recommend you ask the jeweler to send you a few loose gems for approval prior to shelling out the $$ for a custom badge you might hate. The deposit on the stones should around $50. My husband did this for me a few years ago..

With the holidays coming, I'm going to remind everyone about the crummy 'marriage' pieces starting to appear on ebay, just in time for the holidays. (in jewelry terms, a 'marriage' = 'multiple pieces not originally meant to be married together'). Anything w/a coat-of-arms on it is suspect, so be wary. There have been a number of ebay sales this year w/loose c-o-a pieces for sale. These get purchased and glued on cheap base metal trinkets and resold for high profit. Often they are marketed as 'old'. If the listing doesn't state the specific metal content (10k/14k/sterling) it probably isn't a quality item. Look at the photos carefully! Re-read the listing and look for language around the age of the piece too. Buyer beware! I've seen so many of these over the last 2 years go for $$$, and those buyers were completely conned! If you have a specific question-just PM me. I'll try to be better about checking my messages here.

[AzTheta]

Thanks to kaokite for the great information and updates. Regarding stones/jewels, here's an FYI- Tucson AZ hosts the Gem and Mineral Show every February (google it). It is the largest show of its kind in the world. There are spectacular finds and I imagine that quality loose stones can be purchased if one so desires, to put into a badge. I know that many of my friends buy loose stones each year to have put into custom jewelry.

The Tucson show is preceeded by a show in January in Quartzsite AZ, but I don't know what it's like, and I don't particularly want to drive out there as it is literally in the middle of nowhere.

[ThetaPrincess24]

Hi All, clearly I don't check greekchat very often or I would have seen this thread a lot earlier.

Dyer-Ratliff is/was (their phone has been disconnected, but their website is still up??) a jeweler based in Indianapolis, and has been making badges for the last ~100 years. sidebar: does anyone know definitively if they have gone out of business? While they are not the official fraternity jeweler, it is/was possible to order a custom badge with a gem of your choosing. Many of the Indiana Chapters (Alpha, Beta,Gamma specifically) ordered up custom badges during the 30's-60's for their members, often in custom gem configurations like this. These badges are/were not cheap, but of a MUCH higher quality than the standard badges of today. You get what you pay for!

My chapter has a Dyer badge as the president's pin, which I ordered when I was the chapter VPF. It is plain, with no gems, but it has such spectacular elongated points that it does not need any embellishment. Part of the officer job sell for the president is that you get to wear the pointy badge! I was very disturbed to find the badge was damaged and almost lost over the last 2 years-I worked with the chapter president to get it repaired and it is now being worn again, proudly at official chapter events. Yay! :)

a few words on the winning bid price. Dyer badges come up on ebay every so often and sell for top dollar, usually upwards of $500. ( vs. the ~$100 or so for std pearl badges from balfour/burrpatt) This opal dyer is the first to show up in 10+ years, and maybe the third opal badge to come to ebay ever. Hence the high price and the willingness of the winning bidder to pay top dollar. I've written at length about badge collectors (I consider myself one and have many collector friends) on other threads in the Theta forum so I won't rehash any (polarizing) opinions here. ;)

Incidentally, there is no prohibition against opals (or any other gem combo) in our current badges-you just have to do a custom order from the jeweler. In the interest of full disclosure I should mention modern day opals are not as high a quality as those in older pieces (good opals are not cut up into small chips nowadays!). If you choose to order a custom badge, i would recommend you ask the jeweler to send you a few loose gems for approval prior to shelling out the $$ for a custom badge you might hate. The deposit on the stones should around $50. My husband did this for me a few years ago..

With the holidays coming, I'm going to remind everyone about the crummy 'marriage' pieces starting to appear on ebay, just in time for the holidays. (in jewelry terms, a 'marriage' = 'multiple pieces not originally meant to be married together'). Anything w/a coat-of-arms on it is suspect, so be wary. There have been a number of ebay sales this year w/loose c-o-a pieces for sale. These get purchased and glued on cheap base metal trinkets and resold for high profit. Often they are marketed as 'old'. If the listing doesn't state the specific metal content (10k/14k/sterling) it probably isn't a quality item. Look at the photos carefully! Re-read the listing and look for language around the age of the piece too. Buyer beware! I've seen so many of these over the last 2 years go for $$$, and those buyers were completely conned! If you have a specific question-just PM me. I'll try to be better about checking my messages here.

Great Info!

[Smile_Awhile]

Theta ladies:

Pardon the crash. I saw this on Ebay, and I thought you might be interested. It looks like a Dyer badge to my (untrained) eye.

http://cgi.ebay.com/10K-OLD-KAPPA-ALPHA-OMEGA-PIN-FRATERNITY-SORORITY-SCRAP_W0QQitemZ110457043859QQcategoryZ11145QQcmdZV iewItemQQ_trksidZp3907.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DSIC% 26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDS IC%26otn%3D20%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63#ht_1874wt_1065

[ThetaPrincess24]

Theta ladies:

Pardon the crash. I saw this on Ebay, and I thought you might be interested. It looks like a Dyer badge to my (untrained) eye.

http://cgi.ebay.com/10K-OLD-KAPPA-ALPHA-OMEGA-PIN-FRATERNITY-SORORITY-SCRAP_W0QQitemZ110457043859QQcategoryZ11145QQcmdZV iewItemQQ_trksidZp3907.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DSIC% 26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDS IC%26otn%3D20%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63#ht_1874wt_1065

Obviously the seller isnt greek, "Kappa Alpha Omega"

[ThetaPrincess24]

This 1909 Teapot is on eBay


http://cgi.ebay.com/GLEAMING-SILVER-TEAPOT-W-KAO-1909-KAPPA-ALPHA-THETA_W0QQitemZ330376286716QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAnti ques_Silver?hash=item4cebf611fc

[thetalady]

Hmmm...wonder if there is a way to tell with any degree of certainty that the engraving is original or just a recent addition?

[kaokite]

Another e-selling scam showed up today on our fav. website.. I won't mention any sellers or item numbers, but you'll be able to see what I'm talking about.

it seems sellers have noticed the pointy badge shape brings more money. Beware of digitally altered photos that have been 'stretched' to make the badges look longer. The listing in question is actually a pin from the late 80's when we were using Pollock as the official fraternity jeweler. As a general rule, Pollack pins are junk-the pearls are set at uneven heights, the top or bottom points were sometimes crooked, and the enamel and overall badge were terribly thin.

Beware ladies!

[thetygerlily]

Another e-selling scam showed up today on our fav. website.. I won't mention any sellers or item numbers, but you'll be able to see what I'm talking about.

it seems sellers have noticed the pointy badge shape brings more money. Beware of digitally altered photos that have been 'stretched' to make the badges look longer. The listing in question is actually a pin from the late 80's when we were using Pollock as the official fraternity jeweler. As a general rule, Pollack pins are junk-the pearls are set at uneven heights, the top or bottom points were sometimes crooked, and the enamel and overall badge were terribly thin.

Beware ladies!

Ha, that is too funny. I'm not a Theta and even I can tell! You have to love that the picture in the body is stretched longer than the main photo. That seller's got class.

[ThetaPrincess24]

Okay now I have to check that out for myself! :)

[ThetaPrincess24]

I cant tell with my untrained eyes that the pin picture looks stretched per say, but I can see where the bottom point is seemingly sharper than the other three points and the pearls do look placed funny.

[GTAlphaPhi]

Hello Kappa Alpha Theta ladies,

I saw this pearl-encrusted Theta badge (http://cgi.ebay.com/OLD-GEM-SET-KAPPA-ALPHA-THETA-FRATERNITY-PIN_W0QQitemZ300368403654QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Def aultDomain_0?hash=item45ef5a1cc6) on eBay today. The auction ends on November 24, 2009, has a starting price of $39.95, and currently has no bids. As an Alpha Phi who recently failed her first attempt to rescue a badge from the hands of collectors, I really hope one of you will be able to rescue this badge. Good luck!

With Greek love,
GTAlphaPhi

[palm0213]

Hi, ladies. Having been a college student with zero extra dollars, I never purchased a badge for myself. Now, over ten years since my initiation - I want one! I know I can buy a new one with my own info on the back, but I really like the idea of a vintage badge; one with some real life Theta history behind it. Alums may be a resource, but I admit I'm currently not active with my local alum chapter.

So... trolling for badges (eBay) is sketchy. I don't want to encourage the sale of these to/from the general public. But how else can you find a vintage badge? Any ideas? I'm also not able to spend mass amounts of money. Buying a new one, I'd be going with the basic, $100 badge. I'd love to hear people's comments and thoughts on this!

[ThetaPrincess24]

paging kaokite!!!! :)

[Save Ferris]

Kappa Alpha Theta Badge on Ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/Kappa-Alpha-Theta-Official-Sorority-Pin-NIB_W0QQitemZ260565362244QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Def aultDomain_0?hash=item3caae7e644#ht_500wt_1182)

$150 starting bid or $200 for buy now. Not sure if that's how it's normally priced. It's really pretty though.

Kappa Alpha Theta Badge (http://cgi.ebay.com/Kappa-Alpha-Theta-Fraternity-Sorority-Pin_W0QQitemZ230446205897QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Def aultDomain_0?hash=item35a7aa0bc9#ht_500wt_1182)

I am not sure about the authenticity/condition of the badge. Just giving you lovely ladies the link.

[AzTheta]

Kappa Alpha Theta Badge on Ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/Kappa-Alpha-Theta-Official-Sorority-Pin-NIB_W0QQitemZ260565362244QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Def aultDomain_0?hash=item3caae7e644#ht_500wt_1182)

$150 starting bid or $200 for buy now. Not sure if that's how it's normally priced. It's really pretty though.

Kappa Alpha Theta Badge (http://cgi.ebay.com/Kappa-Alpha-Theta-Fraternity-Sorority-Pin_W0QQitemZ230446205897QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Def aultDomain_0?hash=item35a7aa0bc9#ht_500wt_1182)

I am not sure about the authenticity/condition of the badge. Just giving you lovely ladies the link.

Thanks for pointing this listing out; it's not a vintage badge, no engraving. Looks like a (former?) member selling a fairly recent badge, in reading the description.

There are two other standard badges also up for sale right now; neither is 10K gold, but instead is "gold tone".

Caveat Emptor.

[PJS]

Heads up, ladies. There is another beautiful badge on ebay that you should be aware of. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320583659975&_trkparms=tab%3DWatching

It does not have any engraving on the back (other than 14K and a tiny stamp), but has the seed pearls/diamonds and looks "pointy." There are still over 4 days left on the listing, and it is already at $281.

Another e-selling scam showed up today on our fav. website.. I won't mention any sellers or item numbers, but you'll be able to see what I'm talking about.

it seems sellers have noticed the pointy badge shape brings more money. Beware of digitally altered photos that have been 'stretched' to make the badges look longer. Beware ladies!

The picture doesn't look stretched to me, but I always think CG movies look real so who knows? lol Actually, the vendor lists the dimensions
(1 1/16 x 3/4 inches) and states that it is 1/4" longer than the current Theta badge sold via the KAO website. If someone is interested I didn't want you to miss it. (My daughter is a Theta but our $ is going for tuition and books these days. . . )