A Tale Of Two Prints

A Tale Of Two Prints

Recently I finished a book by John Kinney.  He was a Marine pilot on Wake Island in World War II…you may have read my previous blog containing this subject.  I recalled I had a print depicting the action at Wake…and John Kinney himself signed it.  As I delved deeper into the book, my interest garnered.  The aviation art piece was lost among the many displayed in our workout room (yes, it is used for more than just hanging laundry).  It was the latest print I had framed, and also one of the largest.  I decided that it should be awarded a more prominent place.  After I finished John Kinney’s autobiography, I hung the picture above our fireplace.

With this premiere spot now taken, I was left with little wall space.  It prompted we to go through my vast collection of World War II memorabilia.  As I emptied out my closet I looked like Mike or Frank from American Pickers going on a pick.  I went through each item to see what had value and what I could resell.  Many items I had were what they would call “smalls”.  They were worth money, just not a lot of it.  I did come across two aviation art prints that I felt I might be able to part with.  They could bring in several hundred dollars, but it would not be easy on me.  I never sold anything before and was not sure I could bring myself to do so.  I thought if I could sell one of them, others would be much easier.  I now fully understood the term the pickers used “Breaking the Ice”.  I would list both of them on eBay and it would take a few months before they would sell.

The first print I posted the artwork itself was good, but it did not fit with what I had.  Even though it was from the Pacific theatre, the scene was bland and boring.  What the print did have was signatures of passed on pilots, the likes of which we may never see again.  That was the reason I held on to it for so many years.  The print had not been framed since it was not something I thought I would ever display.  It made sense to sell it.   I placed the print on eBay with a high opening bid.  I could understand the trepidation of such a purchase since our economy is not exactly soaring.  However, I did not want to drop the price, since it was not an easy print to part with.  I eventually got a bid on the item in such an appropriate way.  Christina and I were saying goodbye to the 56^th Fighter Group restaurant.  As she was taking my picture with my iPhone the eBay app went off.   Startled she did something wrong, she clicked on the notification.  Seems the artwork was finally bid on.  I would be saying farewell to my WWII print while I was saying farewell to a WWII landmark.

I recognized the bidder.  He was a dealer and I had purchased prints from him in the past.  At this point I felt I must have put the opening bid too low.  Much like the guys in American Pickers, he must have seen an opportunity for “meat on the bone”.  I now know how it must feel for some of these pickers once they see their items sell for much more than they received themselves.  I understand that I may not have the connections or the available buyers that this dealer may have.  It didn’t make it any less painful.

The second print I placed on eBay I am not sure why I ever purchased in the first place.  It didn’t fit with anything else I had.  It was of the European theatre and I was not familiar with the pilots who had adorned their signatures upon it.  This would be an easier one to part with.  This print also sat for a few months on eBay.  A day or two after the bid on the first print, coinciding with our visit to the 56^th Fighter Squadron restaurant, I received an inquiry on the item.  He gave me a low-ball offer.  I figured this would just be a starting point.  However he wouldn’t budge. I was a little miffed there was no leeway in his haggling and he expected me to come down to his price.  Well, he must have known something…because I did.

After shipping out the print and its arrival at its destination, I received an e-mail.  I never like getting e-mails back from buyers.  It is never anything good.  Most times the e-mail contains complaints, even though I know they got the better of the deal.  This time it would be different.  The buyer of the print said the item arrived safe and sound.  He appreciated the discounted price I had given him.  He already had a copy, but he has two young boys, ages 5 and 7, that seem to be taking up his interest in aircraft and aviation art.  He needed one for each.  Also, he is a 1/2-hour from Robert Shoens, who was the pilot of Our Gal Sal, which is also depicted in the print.  He is going with his boys to have the pilot sign it.

This curmudgeon was touched.  The buyer obviously knew his budget having two boys with similar interests.  He was not trying to low-ball me.  Furthermore, he was fueling his sons’ interest.  I was born only 20 years after the end of World War II.  It was still fresh in the minds of family and friends.  Now, with these boys being born some 40 years after me and 60 years after the war, it is good to see there might still be a passion.  I was glad that my print went to one of these children.  Maybe one day, they will pass this print on to one of their boys.  The deeds of these pilots in this print, and others that fought in WWII, will live on.

Much better than sitting in my closet.