Before I left for Europe, Brenden sent me this listing for a haunted wine cabinet on eBay. A few months ago I posted this ghost in a jar on Technoccult (the listing’s not online anymore, though).
I don’t remember what the jar sold for, but the wine cabinet sold for $280. I have no idea what it was worth. But it occurs to me that this sort of writing could be a new way to make money and find an audience in fiction. Taking an object, giving it an interesting backstory, and sell it on eBay. How much of this goes on?
And yes, I suppose the story could be true. I want to believe that there’s a John Constantine out there scouring eBay for magical objects as much as the next guy.
December 9, 2004 at 11:01 am
After hearing the stories of the biker and the wedding dress earlier this year and now the cane with a ghost, I really appreciate the creative writings that are appearing in ebay. I used to love reading the J Peterman catalogs, kind of the same vein, just for the creative fiction. Have you pursued this as an income generating service? If so, how do you market it?
Just curious
February 4, 2005 at 5:28 pm
I haven’t pursued it as a income generating service, but I think it’s an interesing possibility. Essentially, any old junk could be sold and the value would not be based on its actual usefulness or collectibility, but on its story. The buyers of the actual object are like art patrons.