How eBay became an auction house for ancient TREASURES

Dealers are using the site to sell ancient relics, clothing, coins and pottery
Items range from 6th century Athenian pottery to 20th century kimonos
In many cases, the antiques sell for between $400 (£262) to $1,000 (£655)
However, listings during the past 30 days have exceeded $65,000 (£44,500)

Victoria Woollaston for MailOnline

Published:
14:08 GMT, 5 February 2015

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Updated:
15:13 GMT, 5 February 2015

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EBay has become the go-to place if you want to clear out your wardrobe, or buy second-hand gadgets.

But the online auction site is also a hub for antique dealers to sell myriad ancient artefacts from 6th century Athenian pottery to 20th century Japanese Kimonos.

Buyers can purchase authentic coins, clothing and relics at the click of a button, with some items being offered in excess of $65,000 (£45,000).

Antique dealers are using the California-based online site to sell ancient artefacts from 6th century Athenian pottery to 20th century Japanese kimonos. Buyers can also purchase authentic coins, clothing and relics at the click of a button, with some items (such as this Roman bust) being offered for $68,000 (£45,000)

After it launched in 1995, eBay was criticised for stealing business away from traditional auction houses.

It has more than 155 million users around the globe and its reach has extended beyond household items to larger products. Quirky items, such as wedding dates, houses and even a woman’s virginity have also been listed.

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In 2012, a handwritten letter by Albert Einstein was sold by an anonymous owner to an unknown online bidder for $3,000,100 (£1,964,200).

In the so-called ‘God Letter,’ Einstein discussed religion, tribalism and his disbelief in a biblical God.

The anonymous seller bought it from Bloomsbury Auctions in London in 2008 for $404,000 (£264,500).

EINSTEIN LETTER SELLS ON EBAY

In 2012, a handwritten letter by Albert Einstein was sold by an anonymous owner to an unknown online bidder for $3,000,100 (£1,964,200).

In the so-called ‘God Letter,’ Einstein discussed religion, tribalism and his disbelief in a biblical God.

The anonymous seller bought it from Bloomsbury Auctions in London in 2008 for $404,000 (£264,500).

This started a trend which led to eBay launching and expanding its Collectables and Antiques category.

A search for ‘Roman’ in the Antiques category today, for example, shows almost 22,000 listings, with one listing of a Roman bust being offered for $68,000 (£44,500).

Other items that have sold on eBay in the past 30 days include a 19th Century Chinese silk embroidery costume court hat and helmet from the Qing dynasty.

It sold for $3,081 (£2,021).

This item was listed by London Oriental Gallery – an online store that currently has Arabic manuscripts, Ottoman seal marks and miniature paintings from India for sale.

The store offers returns made within 14 days, and lists the condition of items, but there is no mention of guaranteed authenticity.

The store does, however, have a positive feedback rating of 99.3 per cent, suggesting it is a reputable seller.

Palmyra Heritage also made $1,849 (£1,212) from the sale of a 1st to 8th Century BC ‘eyes ensemble’ taken from an ancient Egyptian mask (pictured). It came from a private Brooklyn collection and was acquired in the 1940s. The online store guaranteed its authenticity

A search for ‘Roman’ in eBay’s Antiques category shows almost 22,000 listings. This ancient Roman marble figure, said to represent Telamon is currently being offered for $65,000 (£42,720)

EBay store Palmyra Heritage recently sold a 6th century BC Athenian Lekythos pot decorated with images of Heracles (left) for $1,354 (£888). The listing said the pot had previously been part of the estate of surgeon Dr Elmet Belt. A Greek amphora from 520 BC (right) was later sold by eBay member herberta36 for $981 (£644)

This 2nd century AD seated figure from a private French collection sold for $487.80 (£319.00)

Last month, an online eBay store called Palmyra Heritage sold a 6th century BC Athenian Lekythos pot decorated with images of Heracles for $1,354 (£888).

The listing explained the pot had previously been part of the estate of surgeon Dr Elmet Belt, and its authenticity was guaranteed.

Palmyra Heritage also made $1,849 (£1,212) from a recent sale of a 1st to 8th Century BC ‘eyes ensemble’ taken from an ancient Egyptian mask.

Meanwhile, a Greek amphora from 520 BC was sold by eBay member herberta36.

The seller said the item was part of a European collection from ‘a research chemist based in Austria’ and was sold with a certificate of authenticity.

It sold for $981 (£644).

An Egyptian heart scarab from 900 BC made of quartz recently sold for $426.83 (£279.00), and a 2.5-inch (6.5cm) tall statue of a baboon made between the 7th and 11th centuries was bought for $425 (£279).

In the Clothing and Apparel section of the site, an original 1890’s Native American Sioux dress was recently sold by member tatersoup for $2,203 (£1,444).

A quartz Egyptian heart scarab (left) from 900 BC recently sold for $426.83 (£279.00). A 2.5-inch (6.5cm) tall statue of a baboon (right) made between the 7th and 11th centuries was bought for $425 (£279)

The dress is made of blue trade Cloth with white trim and has a yoke of dentalia – or tusk – shells.

A vintage, hand-embroidered Japanese kimono, made between 1900 and 1940, then sold for $1,067 (£699).

As with any sale, eBay will act as mediator and offers a resolution centre for anyone who feels an item was misrepresented.

But purchases are made without being able to inspect items, unlike at a physical auction house.

Other items that have sold on eBay in the past 30 days include a 19th Century Chinese silk embroidery costume court hat (pictured) and helmet from the Qing dynasty. It sold for $3,081 (£2,021)

In the Clothing and Apparel section of the site, an original 1890’s Native American Sioux dress (pictured) was recently sold by member tatersoup for $2,203 (£1,444). The dress has a yoke of dentalia – or tusk – shells

In what could be considered a sign of eBay’s popularity in such markets, the online site teamed up with Sotheby’s last year to offer access to web auctions from the fine-art dealer.

Sotheby’s offers its own online auctions, but was said to have wanted to attract a wider range of customers.

At the time, Sotheby’s said it didn’t believe eBay could reach the highest of its high-end customers, but it could help expand the middle of its market.

This includes auctions that sell between $5,000 (£3,270) and $100,000 (£65,000).

These pieces of jewellery were recently found by a metal detectorist in the UK. They are said to date back to the Roman Empire, between 200AD and 400AD, and are being sold on eBay by Mosquito Bay Trading