Fake Roman Antiquities

[spotty-nose]

Reading previous postings about Roman Antiquities I decided it was time to add updated info.

Out of curiosity, I browsed the Antiquities sites and was horrified at the many, too many sellers with FAKE antiques, particularly Greek coins, i.e. Alexander the Great and Bactrian coins. Also, sites based in Thailand seem the worst perpetrators, eg. - . These dealers are selling ridiculous so-called Roman seals, swords and axes, such as elephant or tiger-headed bronze weapons that look fake and are Asian in style. Anyone with nous knows the Bronze Age was well over by the time the Romans were making swords and they used iron which usually rusted after 1000's years in the ground.

I don't know why many of these so-called antiquities dealers are allowed to trade, it's illegal, but then there is the saying that a fool and his money are easily parted.

[comics-scifi-collectibles]

@spotty-nose   There is a report item link on every listing just above the description box on the right-hand side.

Ebay does not read the listings.  They do not have experts to determine if an item is genuine or not.   

[donsdetour]

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@spotty-nose wrote:

Reading previous postings about Roman Antiquities I decided it was time to add updated info.

Out of curiosity, I browsed the Antiquities sites and was horrified at the many, too many sellers with FAKE antiques, particularly Greek coins, i.e. Alexander the Great and Bactrian coins. Also, sites based in Thailand seem the worst perpetrators, eg. - . These dealers are selling ridiculous so-called Roman seals, swords and axes, such as elephant or tiger-headed bronze weapons that look fake and are Asian in style. Anyone with nous knows the Bronze Age was well over by the time the Romans were making swords and they used iron which usually rusted after 1000's years in the ground.

I don't know why many of these so-called antiquities dealers are allowed to trade, it's illegal, but then there is the saying that a fool and his money are easily parted.

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As for fakes on the internet: buyer beware.

Ebay has no way to say an item is, or is  not fake.  Reporting this is a waist of time.

[maxine*j]

The majority of antiques, antiquities, collectibles, artworks, and tribal arts, crafts and artifacts listed on eBay at any one time are misidentified or misrepresented -- sometimes innocently, and sometimes intentionally.

This is a huge international free-for-all and flea market, and I'm convinced the very phrase  "caveat emptor"  was coined by someone who could see into the future and saw eBay.

All anyone can do is what you have done:  Educate and protect yourself.  It is up to each buyer to do this because it is impossible to police eBay's approximately one and a half billions listings.

[sonomabarn67]

I'm shocked.

[tropicaldaze23]

So is there ANY way to find and purchase an authentic piece (even a small smackerel) of Roman iridescent glass? 

[sonomabarn67]

Yes, locate a specialist and buy from them. Most of what is on offer will be chipped, broken, restored but you need to search out those who deal in antiquities.