Writers for the sports collecting newsletter, Sweet Spot, did a survey of 100 baseballs that were offered for sale on eBay. Babe Ruth supposedly signed all of the balls. Not surprisingly, 85 of the balls were deemed unauthentic. Even more disturbing was the fact that 23 of the 85 questionable balls were offered for sale with a Certificate of Authenticity.
The lesson here: it’s not a good idea to invest your hard-earned money on a big-ticket item that can easily be forged. Most of the big person-to-person auction sites, like eBay and Amazon, offer authentication services. But, if the appraisers are viewing the same photo as the one posted on the auction page, their word is no better than the seller’s, or yours. An appraiser must see and handle an item to determine value or authenticity.
Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it is.
Buyer Beware, Part II
A fellow collector mentioned about an interesting item for sale on an online auction site. The title of the item was “Geauga Lake Beach Park Carousel Postcard PIC.” The accompanying picture showed a beautiful postcard in very good condition. He was about to bid on it, but changed his mind after he read the description carefully.
What stopped him? The description stated, “This is a photo copy of a vintage postcard…” Our friend was dismayed, but amused. The clincher: The copy sold for $16.50, and the winning bidding had to pay $3.20 for Priority Mail shipping.
Here’s A New Version Of An Old Scam
Reproduction art glass vases that look like items made by Durand, Steuben, and Tiffany were offered for sale on eBay along with a signed-to-order fake signature. AntiqueWeek reported that one seller stated a vase could “ … be signed at you request but the cost will be extra” when selling “one of the finest reproduction Tiffany/Steuben style floriforms you will see.” No one bid on this item.
When contacted, an eBay spokesperson said the sale was against the site’s policy and that the seller was notified and advised against future sales of such items. The sellers of fraudulent items are contacted only after eBay has been alerted by a concerned user.
The problem goes beyond online auctions. Glassware with fake signatures has been spotted since the 1900s. Don’t buy because of the signature. Know your glassware by sight, touch, and style research.
Information supplied by the Kovels

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