Ebay Dreams and Stranger Things

Three months ago I used this blog space to take a look at the most interesting, expensive and unusual tennis items for sale on Ebay.



With the pro seasons winding down, another look at the goofy world of online auctioning seems in order before the Rafael Nadals and Kim Clijsters of the world settle in for their long winter's nap.

Once again, pages of tennis bracelets stand between me and blogging gold. A couple of old favorites, notably the $28,500 Sambot ball machine robot make an early appearance as well.

Alas, Hall Groat's painting of Arthur Ashe and Jimmy Connors at the US Open is all still unsold, now down to $9,025.

Our new top bizarre item is the Tennis Made Easy cubist original painting by Anthony Falbo, going for a low, low price of $3,900. According to his own Ebay page, Falbo is "one of today's hottest international contemporary artists." I find that highly debatable however. Dude doesn't even have his own Wikipedia page.

After a whole bunch of weird table tennis robots, we get to a pair of tickets to the 2011 Australian Open men's final going for $3,000 Australian. The picture attached is apparently guaranteeing a Federer-Nadal final, so get your bids in early.

A few ticks down the price list gives us the very fresh Leroy Neiman signed original print entitled "Sudden Death." I don't have $2,950 to spend on much of anything these days, but if I did, I might actually consider buying this.

The most expensive racquet for sale on Ebay is a Head MG Radical used by Andre Agassi during post-retirement exhibition matches. Yours for just $2,000. There's only one picture of it, showing a close-up of his initials (A.A.) inside. But how do I know this racquet didn't belong to Anthony Anderson, Alan Alda or Anne Archer?

At the other end of the spectrum, we find a vintage Wilson Jimmy Connors racquet going for 99 cents, plus $8 shipping.

Sounds like a perfect stocking stuffer.