Need your opinion…update May 25th

[BDW]

I received a Franklin Mint ‘Clash of the Time Lords’.
I had asked the seller if it was new and in good condition.
He replied: “new and coa ex condition check out my fee back no box”.
🙁 What I received was nowhere close to new; It was caked in dust and residue. I can still clean it but it was also scratched at several places and one head fin is bent and another one was repaired. I want to keep it but I never would have paid US $675.00 not including shipping at $80.00 if I would have knowed that it he had used it at his home for years (he did admit to that) and that is was so filthy.
I did tell him that the sculpture was beautiful but very dirty and damaged:

“Hi Billy,
I received the CLASH OF THE TIME LORDS BRONZE, it’s beautiful!
But I notice that it must have been droped or hit something before it was ever packed since it has damage that could not have happened in the shipping process(scraches in the wing feathers and the top of one of the dragon has a bent spike and another has been previously repaired at one time).
There is also something (film) and lots of dust covering the whole sculpture and the sphere.
If you need pictures I can send them to you but will need your email.
Awaiting your reply,
Thank you”

This was his responce:

“Hi Natalie,
I am glad you like the sculpture. I can honestly say that it has never been dropped nor repaired as i purchased this brand new. It has been om display in my home. It may be dusty as you say but it has never been damaged . If you are unhappy with the piece by all means return it and I will refund your money less the shipping. Thanks, bill”

I don’t see why I should not get back the shipping since it is not in the condition he said it was. I want to keep it but at this point I would have expected a small refund for the damage and the condition of the sculpture.
At this point what would you guys do?
And also is it true that now sellers can’t give negative feedback anymore? Did it kick in yet?
I’m afraid of leaving negative feedback if this seller turns nasty and wont work with me.
I received a negative feedback once in retaliation and I don’t want that to happen again.
Sorry for the message being long, but thanks for reading and any help at this time would be great! 😀

Here is a picture from the auction (it does not look dirty there):

Here are close-up of the damaged one I received:

I verified different pictures of some for sale and this is what it should look like :

Mine:

What it should look like

Scratches on mine ( they are hard to picture but to the naked eye it is evident):

And lots of caked on dust and residue:

Oily residue with dust on the sphere:

PS: when I got him and notice his filthy condition I immediatly started to clean him with a soft toothbrush but themn remebered that I should take pictures of him before to prove that it was filthy.
I should have done that right at the begining. 🙄

Again there is no way that I will send him back since it would cost me another $80.00 to do so and then I would be $160.00 down the hole! 😡

Thanks guys!

[BDW]

[Stephanie]

Aww, that’s a huge bummer.

To me, it doesn’t look like the same piece…I’m not sure what advice to give, though. I’m sure others here have dealt with this sort of thing more than I have!

I hope it works out.

EDIT: Actually, the fin looks bent in the ebay picture…perhaps the pictures are old photos, and he hadn’t cleaned it since then?

[Bob]

I wonder now what condition mine is in. I have #1 of the 2000 world wide and it has been on display since I bought it. Only you can make the decision on how badly you want it. I would at least ask for a partial refund because of the damages

[Kujacker]

There is another one on ebay right now, and take a look at that horn. It is also bent. http://cgi.ebay.com/FRANKLIN-MINT-BRONZE-DRAGONS-CLASH-OF-THE-TIME-LORDS_W0QQitemZ290204253989QQihZ019QQcategoryZ553QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247 That can’t be a coincidence… maybe something happened in the factory at some point when they were casting them?
Don’t know about that sig though… looks really rubbed off.

Oh and btw, I’d say keep it. If a couple scratches and some dust is all that is wrong with it (sans the crest), I don’t think that’s worth being out of $160 to basically “rent” it.

[BDW]

😯 Oh I am definitely keeping it. But since it’s not new but damage I would expect a partial refund because of the fact that he did tell me it was new and I thought that is what I was paying for.

🙁 The seller won’t work with me and denies it was damaged before he packaged it.
I know for a fact that it could not have happened in the shipping process.

I remember reading something about eBay’s new rule about sellers not being able to give negative as retaliation, did it already start?
I can’t find the thread here or on eBay.

Edit: I just found it on ebay and it starts in May.

[Pegasi1978]

Blackdesertwind wrote:

I don’t see why I should not get back the shipping since it is not in the condition he said it was. I want to keep it but at this point I would have expected a small refund for the damage and the condition of the sculpture.
At this point what would you guys do?
And also is it true that now sellers can’t give negative feedback anymore? Did it kick in yet?
I’m afraid of leaving negative feedback if this seller turns nasty and wont work with me.
I received a negative feedback once in retaliation and I don’t want that to happen again.
Sorry for the message being long, but thanks for reading and any help at this time would be great! 😀

Sellers can still leave negative feedback until sometime in May 2008.

[BDW]

😆 😆 😆 Pegasi you did it again 😆 😆
I posted my edit and then saw your post. 😆
Maybe I should refresh the thread before I post. 😉

[Jennifer]

I wouldn’t be too worried. You got a real deal on that piece, and the scratches can easily be removed. Unlike a windstone where a scratch means the paint was removed, it looks like something bumped this piece and left a mark. It’s solid bronze so you can get the marks off easily. The only thing I’d be sad about is that Julie’s signature is so worn… but again, you got a good price.

The ‘bent’ fin is typical in many of these pieces. The seller may not have bent it.

Volunteer mod- I'm here to help! Email me for the best response: nambroth at gmail.com
My art: featherdust.com

[BDW]

Jennifer wrote:

I wouldn’t be too worried. You got a real deal on that piece, and the scratches can easily be removed. Unlike a windstone where a scratch means the paint was removed, it looks like something bumped this piece and left a mark. It’s solid bronze so you can get the marks off easily. The only thing I’d be sad about is that Julie’s signature is so worn… but again, you got a good price.

The ‘bent’ fin is typical in many of these pieces. The seller may not have bent it.

Any advice on how to remove the scratches?
They are a little bit grooved in. 🙁

[Jennifer]

Blackdesertwind wrote:

Jennifer wrote:

I wouldn’t be too worried. You got a real deal on that piece, and the scratches can easily be removed. Unlike a windstone where a scratch means the paint was removed, it looks like something bumped this piece and left a mark. It’s solid bronze so you can get the marks off easily. The only thing I’d be sad about is that Julie’s signature is so worn… but again, you got a good price.

The ‘bent’ fin is typical in many of these pieces. The seller may not have bent it.

Any advice on how to remove the scratches?
They are a little bit grooved in. 🙁

Do they sell “Magic Erasers” up there? They look like a sponge but they’re for removing marks on painted walls, etc…

I found that it removed the marks off of one of my bronzes well. It has micro abrasives in it. Use gloves though, they have an alkaline base that can cause skin irritation.

Volunteer mod- I'm here to help! Email me for the best response: nambroth at gmail.com
My art: featherdust.com

[BDW]

Yes I have one of those!
😀 Thanks Jen you’re a saviour!

Do you have any advice on the signature, a special marker I could use to go over it maybe?
I’m a little hesitant to do that but it saddens me too not to have a clear signature.

[Bob]

I have good news!! It’s not bent. I just checked mine closely and mine is like that too on the right side to the lower dragons head. I don’t know where that magazine picture came from but I have #1 and I am the only owner of it. It least as far as I can tell

[BDW]

Thanks Dragon master for verifying! 😀

[Purplecat]

Wow…that’s an incredible sculpture! 😯 😯 I’d keep it, it looks beautiful!!! Perhaps with a little love and touch up, it will be back to good condition…it’s a shame the signature is dull, but otherwise I think it can be touched up ok.

[Author]

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