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Posting a horn on ebay has led to a cavalcade of buyers who want to know the serial even though i clearly say the horn is from xxx year based on the serial. What gives? Are these people who don't read, or is there some other reasons buyers are so interested in that magic number?

Guessing it's because they don't trust that you're right. Nothing personal, just the internet...

As someone who buys "vintage" horns, sometimes we find that either the seller is off in his date, or, more often, that serial numbers [where there is actually one on the horn] will reflect a range of years, e.g., 1870-1880. It is important to try to pin it down a bit more in some cases, hence the precise serial number. I have also found sometimes what a seller thinks is a serial number is actually a numbering set for the valves and sometimes a patent date is mistaken for the manufacture date. There is not a lot of standardization back then.

You may choose to ignore them.

When people ask questions of me - which are actually answered in the description...and even more directly than in the way you've answered - I ignore their questions.

ie. Please notice that this wagon is painted RED.

...so, what color is it?

The worst thing that could happen would be to sell/ship something to some idiot, imbecile, or even moron (ie. from most any institution of higher learning), who would ask to return it because "It's really nice, but - well... - It's just not right for me".

Is there a reason to not post the serial number? Working in the piano world, serial numbers are quite important to some buyers, so I try to provide as much information as possible. Just curious.

“scammer” wrote:That instrument was stolen from me about three years ago.

“seller” wrote:Let me see about getting it back to you, then… Just recite the serial number.

As a potential seller, this has actually happened to me, and a legitimate victim of theft actually was able to recite the serial number. The instrument was then returned to them promptly.

Fortunately for me, the person who sold it to me I was/is a stand-up person, and refunded my money. In turn, I tried to do that person a couple of nice favors.

Not to mention the copy paste scams of legit auctions that happened recreated for pennies on the dollar that pop up on ebay with auctions starting at 2.83 dollars.