Step3
Warning signs for fakes and forgeries:
1. Blurry, out of focus photos. This is often used to mask poor condition, damage or obvious fakery.
2. Items listed under reproductions that the seller lists as "probably original", "original", etc., to try and get around the auctions site's rules on selling reproductions as original. ("Well they should have known it was in the reproduction area!")
3. Listing paragraph after paragraph about the history of an object but not the particular object involved. Giving little or no history, description or condition of the object being sold. (Often supposed original "Civil War" items are presented this way, with six paragraphs of general "Civil War" history that has nothing to do with the reproduction being sold.
4. Never, Never, buy from private auctions. EBay monitors its auctions, private auctions can take you highest bid with no way to verify if anyone was bidding against you except the seller!
5. Photos taken of the object of all the areas except where identification marks, seals, manufacturing dates, etc can be seen.
6. Photos with groups of genuine items in the background, simular to the object you want to bid on, but not part of that group. The item should be photographed on its own, with condition and marking shown or described. Some unscrupulous sellers try to bait buyers with real swords and sell the fake in the group.
7. Items listed with a high price, as would be the original. With the words "I don't know much about this", "don't know if it is real", "looks real", in the listing. If your going to list it with a high price, then you must have a reason. See this a lot in fake medals, confederate bowie knives, buckles and Nazi items.
8. Don't assume because it is marked "Capo Dimonte" it is old. Many companies with valuable glass, porcelain, china and silver are still in business and making "new" items. If you collect these things get books that identify makers marks, these marks are valuable in identifying dates of manufacture and location.
9. Civil War items. Assume all Civil War items are fake. 80% of all buckles sold online are fake. Buttons should have the backs as well as the fronts shown. Dating of most but not all Civil War buttons can be determined by makers marks (go to -http://pweb.netcom.com/~jimyce/bm.html for a listing of back marks and dates). Do your homework.
10. Nazi items. Most german medals and insignia online are fake, as are Nazi daggers.
Step4
With some care and experience you can find some wonderful items online at auctions. However, buying at online auctions does not substitute for buying from reputable, knowledgeable dealers whom will give you written guarantees and stand by their items. These dealers both online or in a shop can direct you to specific sources of information, (books, articles, location of experts) and give you valuable hints and suggestions on buying the best items for you dollars. Professional antiques and collectible dealers want to educate you so that you make good decisions and buy genuine antiques and collectibles. Remember buy antiques you love not just for investment. You may have an object for a long time before it increases in value. Generally, good quality, original, genuine antiques will increase in value over time, fakes and forgeries will not.
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The best way to keep from buying fakes or forgeries is do your homework. Decide what you are going to collect and then check out web sites, books and articles on identification and values. Knowledge is key in the antiques and collectible world. Know what condition codes are. Most books and listed values are for items in perfect or excellent condition. That $125.00 plate you thought you got for a steal, with a crack or chip may be worth $2.00.
Check out fraud alerts online. There are whole web sites to reproduction medals, knives, pottery, porcelain, dolls and toys. Helps to know what is being faked. Photos online don't always show you what you need to see to identify something. Remember you can email for more information, a better or different photo.
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