I know a lot of you do not necessarily read the Antiques Trade Gazette, however, you can read much of it online and it's always full of interesting stories. This one caught my eye this morning. It's about fake antique carriage clocks on eBay.
The clocks are believed to have been made in China and a specialist dealer contacted Antiques Trade Gazette to point out that three identical clocks had been listed on the site within two days earlier this month. Two achieved substantial sums. One from a seller in the UK received 35 bids before it took $1025 on August 10, while another from the USA closing the following day took 14 bids and achieved $1100. Another listed in China failed to achieve its reserve in August.
What was particularly interesting about the listings was that the sellers stated that they would not accept returns; in the world of eBay this is always something to look out for. Also you should be sure to read the descriptions in as detached a way as possible. Try not to get excited by what's on offer; something, of course, that you cannot see, touch or smell. If you have any doubts email the seller and ask questions. The tone of their reply may give you a clue. Ultimately the overwhelming majority of things for sale are genuine and the sellers are equally genuine. Just like in any auction or sale situation don't let your heart rule your head.
