Are you tired of finding rare original titled-prints of cartoons only to lose or way too expensive? Are beautfiul prints too hard to find these days? Well, take it from me who won an eBay auction recently with these tips.
#1: Don't buy faded prints unless there's a missing scene or if the cartoon was not made in Technicolor.
You see lots of red these days, because since there was no home video and film rental companies used cheap Eastmancolor to print it. The only thing you should buy that shifted to red is original broadcasts of TV shows and specials with commercials (especially Christmas specials!) Anyway, they're nothing but junk for theatrical cartoons, with bad reissues
#2 Sometimes, one screenshot is a thousand words
You can get a better bargain if they are listed with just one series card, character head, screenshot or poster.
That's how I was able to get a beaten up but bright Technicolor print for cheap that looks better than the DVD master, as well as a gorgeous blue track of a wacky adventure with a certain ill-tempered duck.
WARNING: Please read the description or ask the seller when doing this, because not all prints are guaranteed to be what the seller listed. I had to return a print that didn't have enough Paramount Technicolor footage a year ago or so, I would have forgiven the description if the seller wasn't vague about how much footage was from a red Harveytoons print of a "Herman and Katnip".
Anyways, I had confidence because I know Blue Tracks have original titles for this particular studio, and the seller was a fanatic of that studio's original distrubutor.
#3 Don't get something you already have with original titles on DVD
I skipped buying

cartoons in Cinemascope that a popular eBay film seller had since I already own the DVD. If you thought it signfigantally looks better in IB Technicolor where there's a huge difference between the Blu-ray and the film print go ahead but it's just time-travel double-dipping.
#4 Ask the seller
Don't bid on the print unless the seller says it has the original titles on it. This works if tip #2 applies to your bidding
#5 If you have a big pocket, look at the screenshots
Look at the titles and the print before bidding if screenshots are available. However more people gawk at the original titles so bids will be expensive. Like if it's a UM&M print of a

or Fleischer Screen Song, you can pass.
#6 Ask for gift cards on those special occasions
Birthday, Christmas, whatever you celebrate if presents are partly involved ask for eBay Gift Cards from your relatives. Collect your eBay gift cards and you're GUARANTEED to WIN THE AUCTION.
#7 Your highest bid IS NOT ALWAYS THE FINAL PRICE
I realized this when buying that certain cartoon with the ill-tempered duck. I bid about $120 but ended up having to pay the starting price. What a deal
#8 Film Collecting Terms to look out for:
-IB Tech
-IB Technicolor
-Blue Track
-B&W
-Print
-Dupe
#9 DO NOT BUY REISSUES if YOU'RE SERIOUS ABOUT FILM COLLECTING
I don't buy reissues. I just don't. Some of the few exceptions are:
-Rainbow Parade titles of "The Sunshine Makers" and "Pastry Town Wedding"
-Alpine for You

-Lost films
-Recently banned films (i.e. "Mouse Cleaning" and "Cassanova Cat"

)
-Color prints of Technicolor films only seen in B&W dupes (The Snowman)
#10 Bidding isn't gambling on eBay
If you lose an auction, your money isn't paid at all. Only when you win do you need to worry..........
#11 Search often......
You never know when a deal pops up!
Well, that's most of my tips for winning eBay auctions. What do you think?