Collector's Corner..On Collecting Dedicated Chess Computers

SirDave · Post by **SirDave** » Sun Mar 23, 2014 9:35 pm

I ended up buying the Mephisto Marco Polo from the Italian seller mentioned above. Funny thing is that I was trying to navigate the sale by doing a segment-by-segment Italian to English translation and after clicking on the Buy Now, the sale seemed to hangup on entry to PayPal with an 'Item May No Longer Be Available' (translated from Italian) message.

I assumed I was too late and that I didn't get the Marco Polo, but the next morning a message in my email was thanking me for the purchase and please PAY NOW!!

. I guess what had happened was that the PayPal part couldn't proceed until the seller put in the shipping. Which costs about 2/3 the cost of the item... Well, no one here is going to weep for me on that score

.

Actually, I've had some pretty good luck on eBay lately. I mention this because two of the units I got are mentioned above (if you equate the Star Diamond with the Diamond II). A few weeks ago, I purchased the following 3 boards from the same seller. Believe it or not, shipping (which amounted to $17.50 each) was free! All of them arrived in great shape.

Novag Diamond II - $145
Excalibur Karpov/Grandmaster 2294 (Novag Emerald Classic plus) - $75
Novag Zircon II - $52 (thanks to SteveB's heads-up)

I really like the Excalibur Karpov (aka Grandmaster, not to be confused with the Excalibur Grandmaster) 2294. From everything I can determine, including the wiki, it is exactly the same as the Novag Emerald Classic Plus and yet, the wiki ELO list puts the Excalibur 2294 at an Elo of about 1975-1980 and the Novag Emerald Classic Plus Elo at 2013.

Post by **Steve B** » Sun Mar 23, 2014 9:46 pm

SirDave wrote:
I really like the Excalibur Karpov (aka Grandmaster, not to be confused with the Excalibur Grandmaster) 2294. From everything I can determine, including the wiki, it is exactly the same as the Novag Emerald Classic Plus and yet, the wiki ELO list puts the Excalibur 2294 at an Elo of about 1975-1980 and the Novag Emerald Classic Plus Elo at 2013.

Nice additions to your collection Dave
methinks you are stung by the ol Collecting bug

anyway ...
The Wiki entries show both the Excalibur Karpov and the Novag Emerald Classic+ with the same elo's -1940

http://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/in ... assic_plus

http://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/in ... randmaster

i dont see an actual rating for the Karpov on the rating list although i do see the Karpov on the list placed in the range you mentioned
dont know how the wiki folks arrange things like that

Smitten Regards
Steve

Larry · Post by **Larry** » Sun Mar 23, 2014 10:56 pm

SirDave wrote:
Actually, I've had some pretty good luck on eBay lately.

Glad you have, Dave. I had a disappointment this week. I won an
auction for a Designer Mach4 at a good price, from the middle east.
The seller told me had had yet to set up a paypal account so I could'nt
pay him until that was done. Here's the auction:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/121292538206 ... 1439.l2649
Then a couple of days back he sent me this email:
----------------------------------------------------------------
"Dear Larry,

Sorry for the late response, I'm afraid that I won't be able to send the item due to some technical issues.
Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience.

Have a nice day"
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I wrote straight back and asked him to elaborate, because I'm pretty
handy at fixing minor problems with these things. Still no reply.

I'm wondering if he got a better offer after the auction closed. Some
people are quite without scruples.
L

SirDave · Post by **SirDave** » Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:29 pm

Larry wrote:
SirDave wrote:
Actually, I've had some pretty good luck on eBay lately.
Glad you have, Dave. I had a disappointment this week... Some
people are quite without scruples.
L

Well, that sucks big time. Unfortunately, rightly or wrongly, it makes one less likely to buy items from certain parts of the world.

Post by **Steve B** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 4:58 pm

Too bad this isn't an Ebay auction

http://www.warnemuende.cc/forum/viewtop ... 7a3bcf6f83

id love to see how high this sells for
personally I would not be interested in this ...
firstly..shipping it across the Atlantic would probably destroy it and lastly ..I'm just not a "Table" kinda guy

No Table Manners Regards
Steve

Sargon1972 · Post by **Sargon1972** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 5:02 pm

Hi Steve,

Yes interesting piece, no idea what the price should be for this ?? U any suggestion?

Kr.Hans

Post by **Steve B** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 5:07 pm

Sargon1972 wrote:Hi Steve,

Yes interesting piece, no idea what the price should be for this ?? U any suggestion?

Kr.Hans

Well its extremely rare as you know
never released for sale...they were given away as gifts to communist heads of state and foreign dignitaries
if I were living in Europe ..or somewhere where I could pick up the table...
id spend around 7500 Euro for it

Table For Two Regards
Steve

Sargon1972 · Post by **Sargon1972** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 5:19 pm

Hello Steve,

Yes I know the rare value of this table,

But U should pay that kind of money on it 7500 Euro??
then the owner MUST be disappointed that U live so far away !
Take your private plane and pick it up, U land the plane in the street

F.Castro regards.Hans

Post by **Steve B** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 5:37 pm

Sargon1972 wrote:Hello Steve,

Yes I know the rare value of this table,
But U should pay that kind of money on it 7500 Euro??
then the owner MUST be disappointed that U live so far away !
Take your private plane and pick it up, U land the plane in the street

F.Castro regards.Hans

I tell you what Hans
you buy table for 5000 Euro
you send to me..packed so perfectly there can be no damage
each leg wrapped in the finest Egyptian silks
the table top covered in bullet proof fiber glass plates
when I receive it I will inspect the table
if perfect ..I pay you

7500 Euro Regards
Steve

Sargon1972 · Post by **Sargon1972** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 6:25 pm

Hello Steve,

Well I can not have a vacation from work,so sorry

otherwise I would have done it and delivered it myself to U.In the meanwhile when U check the table,I would shop quick in your computers storage I think

Oh no then I need a plane the Antonov 225

to return home with that cargo

To much Customs cost regards,Hans

Post by **Steve B** » Thu Apr 03, 2014 1:12 pm

Lets see if this Fidelity EAG V2 ..with 6 dead reed switches ..goes for big bucks

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Elite-Avant-Gard ... 27e118cf1d

Observing Regards
Steve

Sargon1972 · Post by **Sargon1972** » Thu Apr 03, 2014 6:21 pm

Hi Steve,

Yes it will go high i think...
But on the last pics u can see the sunmarks of the fields,where the pieces are standing and that is very pitty i think
Otherwise u could have a good buy and let repair it and then it would be a very nice Mach III

Always out if the sun regards,Hans

Sargon1972 · Post by **Sargon1972** » Sun Apr 06, 2014 5:54 pm

Steve B wrote:Lets see if this Fidelity EAG V2 ..with 6 dead reed switches ..goes for big bucks

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Elite-Avant-Gard ... 27e118cf1d

Observing Regards
Steve

Hi Steve,

"Only a small 1200 Euro" for a not 100% working machine
But the repair looks easy I think
I hope mine Fidelity Excel Mach III will do the same

Kr,Hans

Post by **Steve B** » Sun Apr 06, 2014 6:49 pm

Sargon1972 wrote:
Steve B wrote:Lets see if this Fidelity EAG V2 ..with 6 dead reed switches ..goes for big bucks

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Elite-Avant-Gard ... 27e118cf1d

Observing Regards
Steve
Hi Steve,

"Only a small 1200 Euro" for a not 100% working machine
But the repair looks easy I think
I hope mine Fidelity Excel Mach III will do the same

Kr,Hans

Hmmmm
$1200 for 6 dead reeds
i have an Eag V2 with only 3 dead Reeds
well..not totally dead...weak is a better word
sometimes they register a move and sometimes not
complete with box,pieces and manual
i am tempted to put it on Ebay
what do you think?

$1500 Regarrds
Steve

Sargon1972 · Post by **Sargon1972** » Sun Apr 06, 2014 6:58 pm

Hi Steve

Well 1200$ is cheaper then 1200 Euro

Yes i think it depends how badly some people want it
For Example the last time with the Berlin Pro 68020 was CRAZY!! 1700+- Euro i believe , so hope that when u sell it, are some crazy ones who bid against each other

Kr,Hans