**General Comment**
In defense of better collectibles and antiques, too many people see something that is real, sell for 'money', when looking at their cell phone, and go looking for it and 'think' the thing they find, at the thrift or co-op or what not, IS the real thing when it is just another knockoff, replica, style, just-like, as-good-as, from some Far East country or dubious source, that was shipped in a year or decade ago. It doesn't cost anything, so they can sell it for next to nothing, even if it does look a little ratty, but 'looks just like'.
There are sooooo many people, resellers, would-be and wanna-be entrepreneurs out there that have no idea what the a 'real thing' is and will sell it at cut-rate prices that it drives serious collectors, as well as would-be serious collectors to look elsewhere. I went to one of my favorite upper-end thrifts, where I seldom buy anything any more (not much high-end comes in any more) and saw one of hot-shot, 'up and comers' looking at a white bowl. After a few minutes he put it down and walked away. I walked over, picked it up, examined it and, for $3.00, came home with a 17th Century, white glazed, hidden design, Chinese bowl with a 4 character impressed reign mark worth in the 4 figure range. Not only are the real things getting rare, but the people that recognize and know what is real are few and far between any more. As well as the fact that there are so many people willing to take the gullible, impatient buyer for all they can. Only so many real, good Chinese porcelains have survived and come available and only so many Rookwood Arts & Crafts were made and show up and only so many Hiroshi Yoshida watercolors were painted, but one can find thousands of look-a-likes and pass them off as 'style' or 'I think this is real, so it must be'.
How many on ebay deal in commodities? Just like Amazon or Walmart or Sears? How many follow the toy or music or video or game markets? They are easy to sell - just follow the current market and current fads - and make a killing. You don't have to know anything. It's like paint-by-number kits. People all over the world have jumped on the bandwagon because one doesn't have to know anything - or take the time to learn.
And, the people who DO know their wares suffer because of the ones that 'think' they know something.
(personal opinion - your mileage may vary)
Not saying 'NO' doesn't mean 'YES'.
The foolishness of one's actions or words is determined by the number of witnesses.
Perhaps if Brains were described as an APP, many people would use them more often.
Respect, like money, is only of 'worth' when it is earned - with all due respect, it can not be ordained, legislated or coerced. Anonymous
