The antique market is red-hot. Where you have item interest, you should also expect individuals who make forgeries as well. A visit to the eBay community thread will give some insight into just how many people are duped online. The posters also question how to deal with dishonest sellers peddling fakes on sites like eBay, so here is what Manzi antique appraisers recommend you do.
What Is an Antique Appraiser?
Antique appraisers use their knowledge and expertise to authenticate and determine the current market value of items such as jewelry, artwork, decorative art, furniture, or any other item that may be of historical importance, may be trending because of market interest, or may have a significant monetary value. An appraiser’s assessment also authenticates the item and its value to buyers.
How Can You Tell If an Antique Sold Online is Fake?
A question came up recently online asking how buyers can tell if antiques are fake. You rarely can unless you have antiquity knowledge. It becomes much more difficult to do when an anonymous person is selling on sites like eBay. Here is an online community thread asking about what can be done about fake antiques being sold online and why sites do not verify a seller’s legitimacy.
The antique buyer asked other online buyers and collectors about the online buying process on sites like eBay and how she could report fakes. As she noted in the thread, there are no forms or processes to notify eBay the sellers are committing fraud, and she would have to buy items to dispute the transaction, which can be a drawn-out process and often without a successful resolution.
Commenters in the thread noted how they too buy and sell on the sites and how antiques and vintage items are often mislabeled and marked up way above their market value. The online community also noted that there is no protection on sites like eBay to authenticate antiques. Commenters also noted that when it comes to buying and selling online, it is a buyer beware digital marketplace.
While this statement can be true, most antique collectors usually prefer to use the services of an antique appraisal expert because the market is so iffy. Appraisers are used to consulting and researching quickly because of the nature of the antique market. Buyers also would rather spend a small amount for the authentication rather than buying on the spot and losing a lot of money.
Does Manzi Appraisers & Restorer Consult with Online Antique Buyers?
Yes! Manzi’s antique appraisers use the same authentication strategies as face-to-face consults when it comes to valuing antiques online. We use images and video provided by the buyer to look for tale-tell signs of forgery. We also research the seller’s details to specify the history of the antique. We can also authenticate any antique type and provide you with the proper documentation.
Manzi Appraisers & Restorer has built its reputation on our expertise and trustworthiness. If you are looking at an antique online and unsure of its authenticity, we highly recommend calling our office at 617-995-0022 or sending a direct message at https://www.facebook.com/ManziAppraisers/ along with the details about the antique you are interested in currently purchasing.
