Repros in Antiques Category!

[deltadelta48]

I list my vintage linens in the Antiques category, and do not think that the 95% fake estimate is correct. Many good sellers use this category and sell authentic items.

But it happens, and if that is your specialty, and you spot a fake, then please report it and get it moved to the proper category. That does everyone a favor..

[JudesNiceThings]

I would also say 95% is not at all correct - I was looking the other day and it was full of repro pictures, and bathroom tiles (!) showing famous artists' paintings - ALL being sold as 'NEW' and as some of them were very famous indeed, I doubt that they were 'out of copyright' anyway!

[deltadelta48]

I agree with you. It is a messy mix of stuff that does not belong there. Seem to be listings by 1. people who know it is not old (list it as NEW) but list it as antique because it has that look, and 2. people who have no idea what it is so assume it is old?

What is best thing to do I wonder? I suppose close down listing is only way as a lister can not change a category on an active listing anyway. But there are so many.

Is this the only category with so much confusion?

[Gothicina]

The seller can move them using bulk edit, support can move them as well, although they're more likely to close them.
I've seen support move them when a seller has obviously made a mistake with the bulk upload
I don't think most of the items wrongly listed in antiques are due to a mistake.

[JaBek1]

I agree with you. It is a messy mix of stuff that does not belong there. Seem to be listings by 1. people who know it is not old (list it as NEW) but list it as antique because it has that look, and 2. people who have no idea what it is so assume it is old?

What is best thing to do I wonder? I suppose close down listing is only way as a lister can not change a category on an active listing anyway. But there are so many.

Is this the only category with so much confusion?

Actually, there should be no NEW items listed in the antiques category at all. If it's NEW it cannot be antique. Period.

Of course, just because an item isn't antique doesn't mean it isn't collectible or decorative.

Items made to look old in order to deceive someone into believing they are antique are fraudulent. Copies of artworks done in an attempt to deceive people into believing it was done by someone else is a forgery. Both are criminal offenses.

Dennis

BTW, I subscribe to the view that to be antique the object must be 100 years or older.

[TexasAda]

The word "vintage" is a little confusing too. I confess I use it occasionally with my listings. However, when I stop to think, "vintage" might refer only to wine grapes? Will have to go to dictionary.com, etc.

Trying to make the most out of the characters allowed in a listing title, I should use "OLD" instead of "Vintage". Probably I use "Vintage" because I am under the impression buyers use that in a search phrase.

[JaBek1]

Vintage is usually connected with a particular period such vintage 1950's or WWII vintage. Vintage is a fairly subjective term as opposed Antique which has been defined by customs authorities as being over 100 years old.

However, copies of a vintage item are not vintage and should not be described as such. To use the word vintage in the title of an auction for a modern reproduction of a genuine period piece would, if I'm not mistaken, be keyword spamming.

Dennis

[deltadelta48]

So technically Antique is 100 years old or more. Exporters/customs using this definition. Vintage is supposedly less than 50. So the category Antique does raise questions, but like Dennis said, new is new. You can't pretend a tin sign is Antique or Vintage when it has a bar code on the back.

And it is irritating to go thru looking for an old tin sign, and finding all these repros. And this stuff shows up at charity shops with higher prices, gee they priced it like that because they saw it under antiques at an online auction site!!!!!

Such a big mess right now. I suppose that if people had the alternative of listing it under Collectables (expand the categories?) maybe they would leave the antiques category of old stuff only?

[DutchDelftware]

What are all those Egyptian repros doing in the Antiques category? Didn't you learn anything from ebay? Are you serious? My first impression of ebid is now...they allow fakes/repros in the Antiques category.

Is the same with hundreds of books listed in the various catagories.

I thought I give it a try but this way it is useless.

[deltadelta48]

A good idea. Kind of a "new but looks old" category in collectables?

While some people put repros in antiques on purpose,still others have no idea as they know nothing about the item and are guessing it is old. Hard to separate the two. We all buy things to list that we are not expert on. Yet whatever the reason, the categories are clogged with stuff that should not be there.