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.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 1997, first edition, hardback issue, inscribed by the author pre-publication. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Autograph sketchleaf including a probable draft for the E flat Piano Quartet, K.493, 1786. £150,000 to £200,000.
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.
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Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 156: Cornelis de Jode, Americae pars Borealis, double-page engraved map of North America, Antwerp, 1593.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 206: John and Alexander Walker, Map of the United States, London and Liverpool, 1827.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 223: Abraham Ortelius, Typus Orbis Terrarum, hand-colored double-page engraved world map, Antwerp, 1575.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 233: Aaron Arrowsmith, Chart of the World, oversize engraved map on 8 sheets, London, 1790 (circa 1800).
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 239: Fielding Lucas, A General Atlas, 81 engraved maps and diagrams, Baltimore, 1823.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 240: Anthony Finley, A New American Atlas, 15 maps engraved by james hamilton young on 14 double-page sheets, Philadelphia, 1826.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 263: John Bachmann, Panorama of the Seat of War, portfolio of 4 double-page chromolithographed panoramic maps, New York, 1861.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 265: Sebastian Münster, Cosmographei, Basel: Sebastian Henricpetri, 1558.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 271: Abraham Ortelius, Epitome Theatri Orteliani, Antwerp: Johann Baptist Vrients, 1601.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 283: Joris van Spilbergen, Speculum Orientalis Occidentalisque Indiae, Leiden: Nicolaus van Geelkercken for Jodocus Hondius, 1619.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 285: Levinus Hulsius, Achtzehender Theil der Newen Welt, 14 engraved folding maps, Frankfurt: Johann Frederick Weiss, 1623.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 341: John James Audubon, Carolina Parrot, Plate 26, London, 1827.
![<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/00d5fd41-2542-4a80-b119-4886d4b9925f.png "<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.")
