An experiment

Ian · 27th August 2005, 06:25 AM

Rivkin and Erlikhan:

You are both correct of course. On the matter of "doctoring" genuine weapons to make them more "attractive," I offer one tale.

Several years ago I purchased on eBay a Turkish sword (sidearm) from WWI. I believe it was a German pattern briquet, c. 1850s. Lightly engraved on the blade was an inscription that placed the sword at Gallipoli, a famous battle site where Australian, New Zealand and British soldiers were landed at the wrong place on the coast and were cut to pieces by Turkish defenses. It was a monumental defeat for the invading forces, but Turkish losses were also substantial. This was the birth of the ANZAC legend, and the event is celebrated annually by a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand.

However, the English dealer who sold me this sword said the inscription was almost certainly a fake, and in the style of a well known English forger. The script used for the inscription was unusual and apparently characteristic of this particular felon (who had not been caught by the authorities last I heard).

I purchased the sword for what it was, a WWI period Turkish sidearm, and paid a small amount commensurate with that fact. When I was in Australia, a dealer spotted the sword with its inscription and begged me to sell it to him. I told him the inscription was almost certainly phoney. He still wanted the sword, and offered me twice what I paid for it (knowing that the inscription was phoney).

Next thing I see it in an auction catalog with a reserve of five times what he paid me and with a claim that it was an historically important relic from WWI. Thank God there was no made up "provenance" to go with the item. It was purchased by a very experienced Australian collector who should have known better.

This whole story taught me a lot about fakes and the market place. Basically there is a conspiracy between the forger and the person who buys a fake. The forger just wants to make a profit. The buyer deparately wants to own this item of "value," and if it is "rare" and a "great deal" so much the better. They have a common interest. But it is the middle man/dealer who makes the real killing!

Ian.

27th August 2005, 06:25 AM	#6
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,198	Forgeries and fakes Rivkin and Erlikhan: You are both correct of course. On the matter of "doctoring" genuine weapons to make them more "attractive," I offer one tale. Several years ago I purchased on eBay a Turkish sword (sidearm) from WWI. I believe it was a German pattern briquet, c. 1850s. Lightly engraved on the blade was an inscription that placed the sword at Gallipoli, a famous battle site where Australian, New Zealand and British soldiers were landed at the wrong place on the coast and were cut to pieces by Turkish defenses. It was a monumental defeat for the invading forces, but Turkish losses were also substantial. This was the birth of the ANZAC legend, and the event is celebrated annually by a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand. However, the English dealer who sold me this sword said the inscription was almost certainly a fake, and in the style of a well known English forger. The script used for the inscription was unusual and apparently characteristic of this particular felon (who had not been caught by the authorities last I heard). I purchased the sword for what it was, a WWI period Turkish sidearm, and paid a small amount commensurate with that fact. When I was in Australia, a dealer spotted the sword with its inscription and begged me to sell it to him. I told him the inscription was almost certainly phoney. He still wanted the sword, and offered me twice what I paid for it (knowing that the inscription was phoney). Next thing I see it in an auction catalog with a reserve of five times what he paid me and with a claim that it was an historically important relic from WWI. Thank God there was no made up "provenance" to go with the item. It was purchased by a very experienced Australian collector who should have known better. This whole story taught me a lot about fakes and the market place. Basically there is a conspiracy between the forger and the person who buys a fake. The forger just wants to make a profit. The buyer deparately wants to own this item of "value," and if it is "rare" and a "great deal" so much the better. They have a common interest. But it is the middle man/dealer who makes the real killing! Ian.