Quick dollar on eBay - saif

[Steve]

I don't normally post on this topic but check out eBay items #260584406750 and #280484279580. Just finished. It goes to show what a story will do. I hope whoever has bought this is not a forum member and refuses to pay.
Steve

[Battara]

I see your point - should be reported to ebay

[Dom]

the marvellous should be not only for "Thousand and one night"

other sale (not yet ended),
I sent a message to the sailer request him to be serious,
to don't sale a contemporaneous Indian dagger copy, as an antique Syrian one

shall see the reaction ...

à +

Dom

[ariel]

There is a recent plethora of obviously fake " Arab/Persian/Turkish" swords on e-bay.
I would like to show 2 very suspicious ones: look at the blade pattern ( both ended for a LOT of money)

Am I totally mistaken?

[kronckew]

that last number no longer is valid. maybe dom's message worked.

i found the other interesting, as i have worked for aramco & spent 10 years in dhahran, ksa. i remember a sword similar to that ebay one (in post no. 1) in a souk in one of the main new modern shopping centres in al khobar, it was priced at around a hundred dollars and was obviously artificially antiqued and distressed. the shopkeeper admitted he bought them from a dealer in syria that had them made as 'turkish' decorators. i did not buy one.

[ALEX]

Ariel, you're certainly not mistaken. The second sword you showed is undoubtedly new. The first one is old - the fittings look proper as well as the pattern. it's just seller's reputation makes it difficult to see:-) as this is not the first time he's selling similar items.
See this, folks: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=syria
Erlikhan warned us (the second link from above post shows more pictures -- see the same cartouche template was used on the Pala i.e. the same workshop).
As Kronckew mentioned, these swords sell for $100-$200 from the source:-) They are souvenirs... a costly mistake. But the main mistake here is buyer's ignorance!!!

[ariel]

Here is another one, the blade is virtually identical. Went for >$4K...
What the ...blip... is going on?

[ariel]

#2

[ariel]

#3

[ALEX]

Originally Posted by ariel

..... What the ...blip... is going on?

... business as usual :-) And there are plenty of examples to prove that greed and ignorance mix well together. just a few recent ones:

1. you'd think: who'd pay $6000+ for a new Indian dagger? apparently there was a bidding war. The hilt is not jade. the word Nephrite was not used in description. "Jade" was a reference to a colour:-) it was actually quartz i.e. green aventurine stone. The dagger is not 19th or early 20th Century:-), but similar to $200-$400 offered on eBay.

http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/l...7-63356f505432

2. the same is for these two daggers. but they even newer:-). sold as 18th Century.... for $7000+

http://www.sothebys.com/app/live/lot...ive_lot_id=219

The dealers see this, and do not want to miss out on opportunity. Today I saw one asking $15,000 for new Indian knife... I did not even bother to think:
"what the ...blip... is going on?" :-) :-) :-)

[kronckew]

i'd guess that sothebey's and christie's reputation fuelled those auctions, shame they had such misleading commentary, the new owners had they been aware could seriously injure these famous auction houses reputations. provenance adds a lot.

[Battara]

And thus there is no substitute for good knowledge and your own research....

[ALEX]

Originally Posted by Battara

And thus there is no substitute for good knowledge and your own research....

!!! Exactly !!!

[lionzden]

it's astonishing that in this day and age people can get away with selling these fakes. totally agree with Battara