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Assignment: Victoriana on Ebay

For the past two years, I've run a business selling stuff on Ebay. (Although I've never sold Victoriana; my market is large-size clothing for women.) So, I have dealt with Ebay up close and personal for some time. It's always interesting to see the changes in the online sales market and try to adjust one's marketing techniques to it.

In general, I've noticed that items of true worth, things that are authentic, in good condition, and which would be valuable in any case, will always bring a good price. It helps if they are presented with a good description and clear photographs, but (see high tops below) value will win out over presentation if given a chance! So when I went looking for items with the words Victorian and shoes in the title, it did not surprise me to find 288 items. When I searched Completed Auctions, I found over 700 entries. However, as I looked through the auctions, I found that 9 out of 10 were for the decorative porcelain shoes that seem to be popular now, or for shoe pins, and other non-Victorian items. There were a few Victorian shoe accessories, such as shoe (button) hooks. It is sometimes difficult to tell from the title which auctions are for real shoes and boots and which are not.

Of the authentic Victorian shoes, many were for children's and babies' shoes - perhaps these survive because the babies don't actually have to walk in their shoes and they don't get worn out? It was also gratifying to see that items that were authentic and well-presented usually brought a good price, that is, between $30 and $400, depending on the item.

I really liked these little black velvet child's boots with buttons and tassels.

Photo courtesy of Theresa Nichols (ya15913@navix.net).

It doesn't really surprise me that there were items listed as "Victorian" that were not. Many sellers don't bother to educate themselves on the particulars of their wares, and, I will confess, I think many Americans believe that ANYTHING old is "Victorian." (I don't think they make the connection between "Victorian" and "Victoria." Of course, I've met Americans who were convinced that the UK could only have Queens and didn't believe that Prince Charles would be allowed to become king!) If most high schools are like the one I attended, the teacher is either a) the football coach, who prefers American history to world history, and showing films of last weekend's game to either, or b) very methodical, going through world history slowly and accurately, so that by the time 1850 comes around it is May and then they have to hustle through the next 150 years in 2 weeks.

It tends to give Americans a skewed view of the timeline! In addition, "old" is a relative term. On Ebay, "vintage" usually means "contemporary to the time in which it occured." For instance, a "vintage 70s platform shoe" means a shoe that was actually made in the 1970s. A reproduction of that shoe would not be considered "vintage." An "antique" is apparently anything over 50 years old, or so battered that it LOOKS over 50 years old. (I wonder if that refers to people too? ....) It's amazing what will sell on Ebay! Take a look at these high tops!

About a year ago, I happened to be browsing through the Ebay listings and came upon a stocking for sale that had once belonged to Victoria Regina herself! Apparently the Queen purchased these items in bulk, and had her initials (VR) embroidered on them. There was no proof that this item was ever actually worn by the Queen, but it was enough that she had owned it. The last time I looked at the item, the bidding had gone over $500.

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Updated on February 3, 2004
by Jean L. Cooper
Copyright 2001 Jean L. Cooper