Ebay fakes - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

Nobbysr · #1 05-03-17, 04:07 PM

I have just noticed that Castle Militaria have a load of known restrikes and fakes for sale on Ebay .
My question is should a known copy or fake be sold on and if so does a dealer risk his reputation ??
I do use some of the restrikes and fakes I have collected over the year s for casting cross guards and bolster for custom knives so it does at least keep some out of circulation and is cheap brass. But in many other areas fake and forgeries are taken and destroyed so should cap badges be the same I wonder

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/hantsreg/m...p2047675.l2562

Cheers
Nobby

Roy · #2 05-03-17, 04:26 PM

Hi Nobby,

I can't speak for anyone else but the few dodgy badges I have ever had, I always just give them away to anyone who wants them for reference etc - even if it originally cost me good money!

I'm personally not comfortable selling a fake badge even if described as such.

Each to their own I guess.

Cheerio,

Roy

Cribyn · #3 05-03-17, 04:28 PM

Hello Nobby

I suggest you read the posts here before opening up this debate again. http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...ad.php?t=60202

Stand by for flak!

Roger

Sonofacqms · #4 05-03-17, 06:04 PM

"I do use some of the restrikes and fakes I have collected over the year s for casting cross guards and bolster for custom knives so it does at least keep some out of circulation and is cheap brass".

How does this work?

Rob

Drummajor · #5 05-03-17, 10:05 PM

Sounds to me like he melts them down for the brass.
Phil.

Sonofacqms · #6 05-03-17, 10:16 PM

I am interested as to what heating is used to melt them down.

Rob

Nobbysr · #7 06-03-17, 04:59 PM

Yes its for the brass I also use some of the old brass offcuts I have let over from other jobs . I know someone with an induction casting furnace, I don't do enough casting to
own my own

Nobbysr · #8 06-03-17, 05:11 PM

Hi Roger
Talk about can of worms .. my view is a simple, any attempt to deceive should be stamped out. Anything that sells with a makers name that is a fake should be destroyed . I also believe that an item which is a copy should be marked as such, other wise its an attempt to deceive . I would suggest that anyone who sets them selves up as a dealer loses credibility if they sell on fakes
For me its when does a copied item become a counterfeit item?? If it was nike trainers we would know very quickly !!!

Peter Brydon · #9 06-03-17, 05:22 PM

The following question is a bit like the old chestnut "Have you stopped beating your wife ?"

Whilst the answer to this question should perhaps be neither- they shouldnt be sold at all, isnt it better for copies/ restrikes /duds etc ( what ever you want to call them ) to be described as such when being sold, rather than to be passed off by some dealers as the genuine article ?

P.B.

Nobbysr · #10 10-03-17, 04:24 PM

Hi Peter
That's the dilemma, unless the item is marked as a fake a less scrupulous individual will have them on ebay in a flash ..

What I find odd is that if its was a "branded" product fakers would be hunted down and the products destroyed, same in stamps, art .. a fake is a forgery etc
cheers
Steve

Cribyn · #11 10-03-17, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nobbysr

Hi Peter
That's the dilemma, unless the item is marked as a fake a less scrupulous individual will have them on ebay in a flash ..

What I find odd is that if its was a "branded" product fakers would be hunted down and the products destroyed, same in stamps, art .. a fake is a forgery etc
cheers
Steve

Hi Steve

I think you are absolutely right but the problem with badges, at least as I see it, is that firstly there seems to be a general reluctance to call them out and out fakes. They are called 'restrikes', 'reproductions', 'copies', 'gap fillers' or whatever but you very rarely see anyone selling a badge using the word 'fake'. All credit to hantsreg for daring to use the 'f' word but even they call them 'restrikes or fakes'.

Secondly there is no big name or financial interest wanting to protect badges in the same way that there is for designer clothes, watches, stamps and fine art! As you say, if ebay sellers were regularly listing 'reproduction' or 'restrike' Rolex watches they wouldn't last 5 minutes.

Just my observations, I'm not trying to stir things up or offend anyone!

Roger

Peter Brydon · #12 10-03-17, 06:04 PM

Roger,

Most interesting, it reminds me of page 226 of Kipling and King,Volume Two and the formation of Crown Imperial in 1973 ( was it really 44 years ago ? ).

Crown Imperial was formed to try and do something about the problem of restrike ( or whatever you want to call them ) badges about which the MHS did not appear to be prepared to do anything about.

As has been said, if there was a large commercial organisation ( such as Rolls Royce, Nike,Christian Dior, etc etc ) loosing money because of the work of these fakers (instead of ordinary guys being sold crap as genuine collectables ) the weight of the law would have fallen on the sellers of fake badges years ago.

P.B.