FAKE ALERT!!

A Crash Course in Spotting Fakes on E-bay

The US oval buckle pictured above is as fake as a Confederate Toyota. "Shot buckles" like this have been found all over e-bay and other similar auction sites being sold as legitimate Civil War period relics. Fake Civil War items in general are so prevalent on e-bay, that the NVRHA (Northern Virginia Relic Hunter's Association) felt the need to create an E-BAY FAKES FORUM on their website and have experts in all areas of Civil War relic collecting surf e-bay and post and expose the sellers of fraudulent, misrepresented, fake and fantasy items. The buckle above is a reproduction with a dropped bullet stuck into a hole punched with a tool of some sort. Other things wrong with this buckle are: 1) The outer edge of the buckle is too wide, and the "patina" is rapid-aged. 2) The back hooks are wrong, the "patina" is applied, and the lead is badly overfilled. This buckle would make a seasoned collector laugh, but I have seen similar sell on e-bay for over $300.00.

How about this waste of scrap tin? As we all know, Confederate buckles bring a PREMIUM price. This buckle above is a fake Confederate "egg" style buckle. Like the US buckle at the top of the page, this monstrosity has been rapid-aged to fool the unwary bidder. The "patina" is applied, and it appears to be paint in some spots. The flimsy wire in the back isn't strong enough to clean a pipe with, much less hold up under battle stress. The buckle is a 100% repo. Total junk, but there are those that will happily buy it, only to regret it later.

What to Look For in an e-bay Auction

Luckily for the collecting community, the average dope selling fake relics on e-bay is not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer. Not much worry of these "auction-lice" finding the cure for cancer. Most would be lucky to be able to find their behinds with both hands and a flashlight. Like most criminals, these titans of trash have patterns they fall into on auctions. Below I have posted some photos of the above two buckles using some of the tricks the fakers use on a regular basis:

This is the "Flag Shot." You take a fake relic and use a Confederate flag as a backdrop to give the bidder a sense of association between the fake buckle, and the historical Confederacy. Don't fall for the hype. Most professional dealers use plain red, black, gray, or blue cloth for backdrops as it is the RELIC they want you to focus on, not some panorama.

This is the "Diversion" shot. You take the fake buckle, and pose it with some legitimate relics to create an aura of authenticity. It is the fake sellers hope that you will lose perspective on the actual item for sale as you see it in a grouping. It is like asking for a guitar-tech's autograph because he is the tech for Eddie Van Halen. You associate Eddie Van Halen's fame to the tech because he works with him(Strange analogy, I know).

This is what SHOULD be the most obvious clue that a seller MIGHT be trying to hide something. Can you see the detail in the back of the buckle? No? Exactly the point. You aren't supposed to see it. This is the "Blur-Shot." Most legitimate makers of reproduction Civil War buckles mark the backs with their initials. Gary Williams, owner of the Hanover Brass Foundry and a good friend, marks his buckles with "GW" or "HBF." Herb Parsley's buckles are marked with a "P" in a circle. The mark is there to ID the buckle as a REPRODUCTION. A fake seller will blur the photo to obscure the markings, and also to hide obvious flaws in the fake. Buckle hooks are hard to reproduce 100% accurately.

This is a Virginia style CSA buckle made for me by The Hanover Brass Foundry. These are beyond the shadow of a doubt the best made reproduction buckles on the market and have been for 40 years. Gary Williams is a pioneer in the art of relic-digging, and a pioneer in the lost art of making buckles. Note the "GW" initials in the top and bottom of the buckle back. This identifies the buckle as a reproduction. If these marks are removed, however, and the buckle is doctored, it could fool the best, book-writing expert in the collecting field....and has. If you are interested in purchasing a reproduction cast from an original plate, and made the way they were in the 1860's down to the last detail, go to www.hanoverbrass.com and get the top of the line.

Master buckle maker Gary Williams and his daughter Presley standing inside The Hanover Brass Foundry. Gary makes his buckles in the same way as the makers did in the 19th century. His work is incredible.

Some buckles that are in the finishing stages at The Hanover Brass Foundry.

Some buckles at The Hanover Brass Foundry that didn't make the cut and ended up in the scrap pile.

These are typical reproduction hooks on a reproduction buckle. They are thinner,

and rounded, where originals are at right angles. If you look behind the hook, you can see the

spot where the original hook on the pattern buckle was removed. This is always a giveaway

to a repro. (Images are courtesy of www.civilwarfakes.com)

FAKE KNIFE STAMPS

Here are 3 fake Knife stamps. You will see stampings like this on fake swords as well. Note also the fresh rust and corrosion around the stamps. These are stamped with modern die letters, and then dipped in acid or gasoline to age. That is why you get the fresh rust line. VERY FEW Confederate knives were ever stamped, and NONE were date stamped.

Fake relics are like VD. If you want to play, you need to understand the risks. Even the best and most knowledgeable collectors get burned on occasion. It has happened to me, and it will happen to you. The best way to avoid losing money on fake items is to EDUCATE YOURSELF!!! There are dozens of reference books available that cover all aspects of collecting from swords to clay pipes. Use the books, pick the brains of reputable sellers, and if you aren't sure about an item......DON'T BID!! Save gambling for Las Vegas. At least you expect to get hosed there. Go to www.americanrelichunters.com and enter the e-bay Fakes Forum and you will find a plethora of experts in all aspects of relic collecting. It is amazing how much you can learn. Collecting is fun, but so is drinking and both have pitfalls, so be sure you are prepared.

1) NEVER, EVER bid on a private auction!!!!!!!

2) If a seller says anything like, "I dunno if its real..." it probably isn't. That is a faker CYA line to protect from giving refunds after you discover that you just got hosed like a sailor in a strip bar.

3) NEVER, EVER bid on a private auction!!!!!!! That needs to be said again!!

4) Any bonehead that can't take a clear picture doesn't need your hard-earned money! Faker trick to hide flaws (Explained in detail earlier in this page).

5) Sitting Bull NEVER signed a frickin' playing card!! Please don't support pond-scum by buying one!

6) Any auction that contains about a page and a half of Civil War unit history copy-and-pasted from a website, and two sentences of item description is most likely a fake. The unit history is to take your mind off the fleecing you are about to receive. Fake Confederate flags are notorious for this crap.

7) Ask for provenance on items. Ask where it was bought, who sold it, and for any supporting documentation.

8) This seems to be common sense, but I find myself saying it anyway because I know there are still gullible folks out there. IF A SELLER SAYS ALL SALES ARE FINAL, NO REFUNDS.........why would you bid??? Would you buy a car, TV, lawn-mower, or ANYTHING with no refunds??? Of course not. Let that carry over to e-bay.

9) The worse the seller's spelling, the more likely you are dealing with a member of the IBB (Inbred Band of Brothers) from Bristol, Tennessee. Let common sense say.......no bid!

10) NEVER, EVER bid on a private auction!!!!!!!

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