About a month ago I bid for and won a 1913 Middletown, New York phone book. As I
have learned, this being the third early Hudson Valley phone book I've bought in
eBay auctions, such directories tell an interesting story about the development of
an area. Politics, geography and money are all on display. The footprint of
history is often in sand. Phone books provide a permanent record of the transitory
nature of change and development. On eBay they typically cost less than $75 and often much less.
In any event I was happy to acquire the item and immediately made payment via
PayPal. A week or so later I heard from the sellers, Warren and Marilyn, that they
had not received payment. I then checked my PayPal account and saw the ominous
note PENDING. I didn't immediately understand why it was pending but later noticed
in a further email from W & M that their email address was different by ONE letter
from the email address specified in their eBay auction. Warren and Marilyn then
asked that I cancel the payment and I did. I then incorrectly assumed that during
the next three days the seller's email would be corrected or at least the record
altered so payment could go through on the next try. Again the payment went to
PENDING.
I then contacted PayPal using their dispute resolution software. I could not
however find any category of problem that seemed to fit my situation. I could
dispute and complain but I didn't see anything that looked helpful such as
"Provide help completing Payment to a defective email address." In time I found a
way to register a claim and get a one hour telephone opportunity to call PayPal
customer service. I did.
The PayPal rep was very helpful especially after I explained, "I'm trying to pay a
seller." This is apparently not what they deal with most of the time. The
representative looked at my account and saw the second PENDING payment. I had
already tried to cancel it and the rep explained I couldn't until my commitment to
pay the seller expired. And how long will that take? "About a month." "But will
the payment to the defective address ultimately go away?" "Yes." Then, I said,
"let's make a direct transfer to them at their correct email address." Then, while
I was on the phone, the representative told me what to do. I typed in their
correct address and the correct amount and then innocently marked "payment for eBay
item." I then submitted and confirmed. Done! As a last step I sent an email to
Marilyn to confirm payment.
Three days later I heard from Marilyn that they did not receive payment after all.
Well, I knew the email address and amount were correct and so tried to reach eBay
customer service again. My access code, issued 4 days earlier, was for one hour
and it's 96 hours later. "Houston, you have a problem." Rather than try to
remember how I was able to get an PayPal phone access this time I simply Googled PayPal
customer service. This brought up an extensive selection of numbers, some provided
by unhappy eBayers. Previously I was provided a 408 number. Now I have an 800.
This is progress.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("Martinus Luther") to His Friend the Theologian Gerhard Wiskamp ("Gerardo Xantho Lampadario"). $100,000 - $150,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: An Exceptionally Fine Copy of Austenís Emma: A Novel in Three Volumes. $40,000 - $60,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Presentation Copy of Ernest Hemmingwayís A Farewell to Arms for Edward Titus of the Black Mankin Press. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Manuscript Signed Integrally for "The Songs of Pooh," by Alan Alexander. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Manuscript of "Three Fragments from Gˆtterd‰mmerung" by Richard Wagner. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Original Preliminary Artwork, for the First Edition of Snow Crash. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("T.R. Malthus") to Economist Nassau Senior on Wealth, Labor and Adam Smith. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides Finely Bound by Michael Wilcox. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: First Edition of Lewis and Clark: Travels to the Source of the Missouri River and Across the American Continent to the Pacific Ocean. $8,000 - $12,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Original Artwork for the First Edition of Neal Stephenson's Groundbreaking Novel Snow Crash. $100,000 - $150,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: A Complete Set Signed Deluxe Editions of King's The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King. $8,000 - $12,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("John Adams") to James Le Ray de Chaumont During the Crucial Years of the Revolutionary War. $8,000 - $12,000.
Sotheby’s Book Week December 9-17, 2025
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Hooke, Robert. Micrographia: or some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies made by Magnifying Glasses. London: James Allestry for the Royal Society, 1667. $12,000 to $15,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Chappuzeau, Samuel. The history of jewels, first edition in English. London: T.N. for Hobart Kemp, 1671. $12,000 to $18,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Sowerby, James. Exotic Mineralogy, containing his most realistic mineral depictions, London: Benjamin Meredith, 1811, Arding and Merrett, 1817. $5,000 to $7,000.
Heritage Auctions Rare Books Signature Auction December 15, 2025
Heritage, Dec. 15: John Donne. Poems, By J. D. With Elegies on the Author's Death. London: M[iles]. F[lesher]. for John Marriot, 1633.
Heritage, Dec. 15: Edgar Rice Burroughs. Tarzan of the Apes.
Heritage, Dec. 15: F. Scott Fitzgerald. Tender is the Night. A Romance.
Heritage, Dec. 15: Jerry Thomas. How to Mix Drinks, or the Bon-Vivant's Companion, Containing Clear and Reliable Directions for Mixing All the Beverages Used in the United States…
![<b>Heritage, Dec. 15:</b> John Donne. <i>Poems, By J. D. With Elegies on the Author's Death.</i> London: M[iles]. F[lesher]. for John Marriot, 1633.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/8caddaea-4c1f-47a7-9455-62f53af36e3f.jpg "<b>Heritage, Dec. 15:</b> John Donne. <i>Poems, By J. D. With Elegies on the Author's Death.</i> London: M[iles]. F[lesher]. for John Marriot, 1633.")
