Acquiring Neofinetias Via EBay

[MattWoelfsen]

This intelligence gathering is INCREDIBLE! Jayfar and CM Bob got me thinking and doing my own search on "Mystic Orchid" and I came across several recent references. For example Mystic Orchid made a presentation on unusual orchids at the UofM, Ann Arbor, MI back in February. They seem to be regular participants in the Greater Cleveland Orchid Society. AND are sometimes posters on this BOARD! Their business is located in Williamsfield, OH--east of Cleveland.

I hope Mystic Orchid doesn't mind too much about my "snooping". This makes me more confident that I can purchase these plants and know that the vendor isn't some fly by nite organization. I have already chosen NINE gotta have Neos from their auction, including the Shitake Suruzume - Purple Tsuki, that I posted earlier. It's a good thing payday is Friday!

[Red Orchid]

Thanks Jay they do have a impressive collection of Neos.

[Joyorchid]

You guys should start your own detective agency. I can see it now: "Neofinetias P.I. Tracking down all your orchid needs"

[MattWoelfsen]

Originally Posted by Joyorchid

You guys should start your own detective agency. I can see it now: "Neofinetias P.I. Tracking down all your orchid needs"

I know!! I just didn't think about how that might look with Jayfar, CMBob and I accessing all kinds of information! I'd be scared if it wasn't for the fact that we are hunting down Neofinetia! I suppose this is the modern day equivalent of being Orchid collectors who used to scour the world for new Orchid plants.

That is pretty innocuous, right?

[Call_Me_Bob]

Originally Posted by MattWoelfsen

This plant: Shitake Suruzume - Purple Tsuki is up for bid by this vendor. I have not seen such a tsuke, and the picture shows the plant. I'm interested in bidding on this plant. But I'm a little bit hesitant because there is not the kind of information that would give me confidence that the plant would be a good purchase.

I've never seen or heard of anything like that, but it's BEAUTIFUL!!! I want it so bad, I'm considering bidding on it.

Originally Posted by MattWoelfsen

This intelligence gathering is INCREDIBLE! Jayfar and CM Bob got me thinking and doing my own search on "Mystic Orchid" and I came across several recent references. For example Mystic Orchid made a presentation on unusual orchids at the UofM, Ann Arbor, MI back in February. They seem to be regular participants in the Greater Cleveland Orchid Society. AND are sometimes posters on this BOARD! Their business is located in Williamsfield, OH--east of Cleveland.

I hope Mystic Orchid doesn't mind too much about my "snooping". This makes me more confident that I can purchase these plants and know that the vendor isn't some fly by nite organization. I have already chosen NINE gotta have Neos from their auction, including the Shitake Suruzume - Purple Tsuki, that I posted earlier. It's a good thing payday is Friday!

That lines up with stuff that I've found of them too!

Just what we need, another place to burn cash

Since you're out for that Shitake Suruzume, I'll let you have it You owe use pics though, when you win!

Originally Posted by Joyorchid

You guys should start your own detective agency. I can see it now: "Neofinetias P.I. Tracking down all your orchid needs"

Originally Posted by MattWoelfsen

I know!! I just didn't think about how that might look with Jayfar, CMBob and I accessing all kinds of information! I'd be scared if it wasn't for the fact that we are hunting down Neofinetia! I suppose this is the modern day equivalent of being Orchid collectors who used to scour the world for new Orchid plants.

That is pretty innocuous, right?

You guys can call me Quay if you want. By now any sense of internet mystery is passed

Haha! You guys might not want that, there wouldn't be many left for you all, we'd snatch them up!!


Into the jungles of the interwebs!

[Red Orchid]

Yup, we are indeed new world orchid hunters...restricted by the size of our bank accounts unfortunately. I like the way we are divvying up the spoils. I was looking at the Houmeiden but someone has bid on it. If it's one of the Board members I will refrain from bidding on it.

[jeremiah.chua]

I dunno about some of you folks out there, but I'm trying to be a more cautious (in my head, smart) buyer when it comes to neos. The Shitake Suruzume plant that is being sold sure looks nice, the plant itself as an individual, looks like it was grown well. However, if the key thing that sets it apart from the rest of the neos is the colored tsuke, then it is by no means, that special. Colored tsukes happen to many neos, perhaps not all, but it is not uncommon. My benikanzashi has the purple pigmentation. Shutennou, momoyama-nishiki, raikoumaru, benimatsu-no-tora and so on.

New variants are awesome, that's what makes Neofinetias so special. However, I'm starting to get the feeling that people can just start slapping new names onto any plant with a certain trait and charge people extra $$ for it. The sad thing is, people actually buy into these marketing "scams".

Of course, underlying rule we should all go by when buying neofinetia variants is still, "The eye of the beholder/buyer". So with that, to each his own. I just want to throw some awareness out there that not every neo is as "unique" as sellers may claim it to be. Be smart with your money and really go for the ones that are truly one of a kind

[Red Orchid]

Thanks Jeremiah very well said. I try my best in everything not to be taken advantage of. It is relatively easy for growers of Neos to do that since a few of them have a monopoly and sell no other orchids. We sometimes take their word because they are our specialist...authorities. I only buy what appeals to me I could care less about what is written about this very rare, unique plant that cost way over my budget. Collecting Neos is a hobby for me; one of many of my hobbies. All I want from them is to be healthy and be beautiful to my eye. Plus, I love chatting with you guys on this fun Board you are marvelous people; thank you.

[MattWoelfsen]

Thanks Jayfar for posting that link. I highly recommend it for a good read and a better understanding of the business of selling and buying Neos. It speaks to Jeremiah's post above.

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by jeremiah.chua

I dunno about some of you folks out there, but I'm trying to be a more cautious (in my head, smart) buyer when it comes to neos. The Shitake Suruzume plant that is being sold sure looks nice, the plant itself as an individual, looks like it was grown well. However, if the key thing that sets it apart from the rest of the neos is the colored tsuke, then it is by no means, that special. Colored tsukes happen to many neos, perhaps not all, but it is not uncommon. My benikanzashi has the purple pigmentation. Shutennou, momoyama-nishiki, raikoumaru, benimatsu-no-tora and so on.

New variants are awesome, that's what makes Neofinetias so special. However, I'm starting to get the feeling that people can just start slapping new names onto any plant with a certain trait and charge people extra $$ for it. The sad thing is, people actually buy into these marketing "scams".

Of course, underlying rule we should all go by when buying neofinetia variants is still, "The eye of the beholder/buyer". So with that, to each his own. I just want to throw some awareness out there that not every neo is as "unique" as sellers may claim it to be. Be smart with your money and really go for the ones that are truly one of a kind

Originally Posted by MattWoelfsen

Thanks Jayfar for posting that link. I highly recommend it for a good read and a better understanding of the business of selling and buying Neos. It speaks to Jeremiah's post above.

Just to bring the context forward, since my post was further back in this thread, see bolded text below (I don't think I'm supposed to provide direct links to other orchid forums):

Originally Posted by Jayfar

Actually, I think the bubble has already slowly deflated on many of the popular varieties as they became more widely propagated by cloning (as opposed to by division) and as the limited types that will reproduce true from seed by selfing are produced in quantity. Often Seed Engei's notes for a particular plant will point out that the price was is years past orders of magnitude higher.

Now if only Kinkirin would drop from 5-digit to 2- or 3-digit pricing I would be a happy camper.

Speaking of the biz side of fukiran, you might enjoy (or not) a thread on the slippertalk forum by an ultra-cynical naysayer, username Roth, from a couple years ago. Google the title: "Short note on neofinetia falcata cultivar disillusions".

Whether the ST poster's remarks are accurate or not, his comments leave us a lot to ponder.

I believe most of us already know that named varieties that we buy are usually at best mericlones. Some are selfings, in cases of those that will reproduce true from seed, although selfings still won't be perfectly identical to the parent. Seed Engei notes whether plants are clones or seedlings in the info blurbs that accompany their ebay listings. I don't expect that plants we buy are divisions of originals unless specified as such. I see some from Orchids Ltd. are listed as divisions. I'm less familiar with New World's, as I haven't purchased from them yet. The ST thread alleges that a lot of named varieties in the marketplace are simply random plants that happen to look close enough to a previously named variety.