Things that make you go humm.......

      It's no secret that I watch eBay everyday,  like a lot of you I'm sure.  Every once in a while I will see a sale that just confuses me.   This is the tale of just such an item.

A piece from a 1960ish Trippensee

     In this picture you'll see a broken piece from a early 1960's Trippensee planetarium.  The moon is gone, the metal is starting to corrode, and the globe is OK, but certainly has some finish issues.   Lately whole working examples of these planetariums have been selling at the $400 level,  down from $6-800 just 2 years ago.  So why then did this piece generate excitement up to $280 plus shipping, so let's say $300?
     I know auctions, I understand auction fever ,  but there were 4 seasoned bidders that took this thing up, up, up,  to a seeming dizzying height.   Now certainly if you own a Trippensee with a badly damaged globe you MIGHT be interested in this for a swap,  I guess that has to be it,  but then why not wait for a whole one, at say $400 swap out the globes then re-list and capture most of your money back?  If your savvy enough to search out the missing part then surely you are going to think of this?
      I better end here I don't want to sound like I'm a ranting lunatic,  but this auction made me feel like I was in one of those twilight zone episodes where the guy is normal and the whole world went crazy..............

P.S.  if you were in on the bidding, either the winner or an under bidder, I'd love some insight,  please send me an email at ktl340@aol.com.