How to spot fakes

[13RED]

I have searched I promise, but I couldnt find anything.

I've just spent an hour or so reading up about a guy making recast statues (I work in education and it's the summer hols. Im not a bum I swear) and it got me thinking. I have no idea how to spot a fake collectible. From bust and statues to figures.

Obviously a COA goes a long way, but I wouldn't know what a fake one of those looks like either.

Im starting from the beginning collection wise, and having seen some of your collections, I feel I'm overly eager to spend! I don't want to fall in to the "too good to be true" trap and end up with some badly painted, over priced door stop.

Any tips or things to look out for? I would always try to buy from a legit site, but when it comes to ebay, how do I spot a fake from a bargain?!?!?

Cheers.

 

[Darkmatter]

i learned a long time ago to purchase from a well known seller on either the boards, ebay or retail online. when you go out of bounds, you're asking for problems. if you're purchasing from a well known or previous seller you've done business with, chances are greatly if not completely in your favor not to buy a forgery.

 

[Dr Lexus]

I buy on eBay all the time, just check the seller's feedback score, no one with a lot of feedback and a 100% score will risk their rep on a fake, and to be honest you can almost always tell from photos if something is an original or not, the recasts always tend to suffer from poor paint app or other issues. I've yet to see a single convincing fake that would fool me.

 

[Collectorcol]

I buy on eBay all the time, just check the seller's feedback score, no one with a lot of feedback and a 100% score will risk their rep on a fake, and to be honest you can almost always tell from photos if something is an original or not, the recasts always tend to suffer from poor paint app or other issues. I've yet to see a single convincing fake that would fool me.

Poor paint apps???
All my recent purchases must be fake then

It makes me laugh when people say 'it must be real I have the COA' If the item can be copied why wouldn't a little piece of card saying it's genuine be copied also? (there is no COA with SS items)

I've been collecting for a few yeaes now and never come across a fake.

 

[13RED]

I've been looking at ebay and a lot of the auctions are using stock photos. I guess if it's legit, they'll have no problems supplying pics of the actual item.

To be honest, I hadn't even considered that people would make fakes until I joined up on here.

Is there anywhere I can see pics of recast stuff?

 

[Collectorcol]

Yeh, always ask for pictures of the actual item.
You will get genuine sellers saying it's packed up and ready to go though.

 

[Mr Quimper]

/shameless promotion

Have you checked this out....
8-rules-when-buying-statues-off-the-secondary-market

May save you a headache or two.

 

[13RED]

/shameless promotion

Have you checked this out....
8-rules-when-buying-statues-off-the-secondary-market

May save you a headache or two.

Very useful, thanks. Bookmarked your site too. Looks like a great blog.

Thank you all for the help!

 

[Stampe]

I have searched I promise, but I couldnt find anything.

I've just spent an hour or so reading up about a guy making recast statues (I work in education and it's the summer hols. Im not a bum I swear) and it got me thinking. I have no idea how to spot a fake collectible. From bust and statues to figures.

Obviously a COA goes a long way, but I wouldn't know what a fake one of those looks like either.

Im starting from the beginning collection wise, and having seen some of your collections, I feel I'm overly eager to spend! I don't want to fall in to the "too good to be true" trap and end up with some badly painted, over priced door stop.

Any tips or things to look out for? I would always try to buy from a legit site, but when it comes to ebay, how do I spot a fake from a bargain?!?!?

Cheers.

It's alway funny / strange to see a new member asking "Any tips or things to look out for about recasts?" If you were the paranoid type you would think: "here's a recaster asking "how do I avoid my recasts to be spotted""

But then again - you have to be kind of paranoid to think that. After all - this is a internet messageboard and we all believe that some randon anonymous dude who just joined are for real.

 

[jkno]

/shameless promotion

Have you checked this out....
8-rules-when-buying-statues-off-the-secondary-market

May save you a headache or two.

Good article!

 

[Collectorcol]

Fakes are usually very firm with no natural movement/sag

 

[Vitus]

I would also advise using a credit card and if you do get a fake file a dispute for forgery / fake / counterfeit.

 

[RobertoBagg10]

Fakes are usually very firm with no natural movement/sag

A bit like breast implants! and they are fake! Mmmmmmmm.....

 

[GE 7]

I've been looking at ebay and a lot of the auctions are using stock photos. I guess if it's legit, they'll have no problems supplying pics of the actual item.

To be honest, I hadn't even considered that people would make fakes until I joined up on here.

Is there anywhere I can see pics of recast stuff?

Nah, IMO stock photos are used for convenience, if I am a seller who have 100s of items I wouldn't set and take pictures of each and every one of them, and I like to buy from those people who use stock photos and/or the stock description of the item I am looking for because this way they commit to give me the exact same item.

 

[Darkmatter]

Nah, IMO stock photos are used for convenience, if I am a seller who have 100s of items I wouldn't set and take pictures of each and every one of them, and I like to buy from those people who use stock photos and/or the stock description of the item I am looking for because this way they commit to give me the exact same item.

i use stock photos when the item is new and never displayed, which are about 98% of what i sell. i sometimes use stock for a used item but disclose that the item was previously displayed and pointing out any imperfections if present. i also adjust the price because it was previously displayed and/or for any imperfection to make it worth picking up for the buyer.

 

[13RED]

It's alway funny / strange to see a new member asking "Any tips or things to look out for about recasts?" If you were the paranoid type you would think: "here's a recaster asking "how do I avoid my recasts to be spotted""

But then again - you have to be kind of paranoid to think that. After all - this is a internet messageboard and we all believe that some randon anonymous dude who just joined are for real.

Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not after you....

 

[Swantiago]

I always use stock photos when I'm selling stuff to save time/effort/money etc, but I add in the description that I'll provide photos of the actual item if requested.

It's only ever genuinely interested buyers who will ask for photos so it motivates to take lots of good quality photos rather than rushed , sloppy ones.

 

[NASEDO]

China or Hong Kong = Fake

 

[SAB]

If it says 'Storm Toys' then its fake

 

[NeoDragonKnight]

China and HK are good signs of fakes, though Ive had a few figures from Japan that were fake too. From my experience, if the price is too good to be true, it usually is...