Fake Militaria

[armouredwarrior]

I have been buying off Ebay for about 2 years now and have been shocked at the recent amount of UK sellers selling fake Militaria items so was pleased when somebody told me about a new site Ebid so i quickly registered.
My god what a joke!!!!!!!! Ive just browsed the WW2 section and couldnt stop laughing.At least on Ebay a lot of their fakes are quite convincing-here they are just pure rubbish with sky high prices.
I will hang around for a while to see if these were maybe one offs but first impressions arent good im afraid.

Airborne Hi

I am a new member to this site who like you, was scathing in my remarks about fake militaria on Ebay.

One guy was selling prints entitled "Stand-by, Stand-by" and because I knew the history of that particular print - the original used to hang in John Slough of London [Gunmakers] in Hereford, and because I have lusted after one since I first saw it, I bid for and purchased the print.

I should have guessed by the size of the package that it was a repro and a very badly computer glossy print at that.

Although I got my money back, I did complain to both the vendor and Ebay about the matter and, as usual, nothing happened.

I was so unhappy about this sad state of affairs, that I contacted a friend of mine in the Mob and pressure was applied to remove the item.

I myself am just about to dispose of my late uncle's collection of Kaiser and Third Reich militaria - most of which he took from prisoners during the war, but a few pieces have come from the Mike Rossi Collection and all items are original.

I know this is not the place to ask, but could you please let me know the definitive rules governing the sale of German militaria of WWII vintage? (I have just been kicked off Ebay for trying to sell a 3rd Waffen-SS Panzer Division "Totenkopf" Staff Car Pennant - as it "glorifies the Third Reich & the Nazi Party")

[dandan66]

Boy! ...I also would love to know Ebid's stand on German Militaria as well. I think they take a similiar stand as Ebay does... I'm only guessing this since I dont see anyone listing anything other than German WWII Books! ... before I commit to a lifetime membership, I want some guidance on what they frown on and what they allow (WWII German Militaria), just as you do!

[JanetB]

This might help for starters.

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[meebo1]

You might also like to contact support and ask if they would allow such listings

[well-tech.ltd]

Beats my why any auction site would have categories for things then not allow these things to be sold :-)

Try listing a 'gun part' in the 'gun parts' category and see what happens LOL

[deltadelta48]

This might help for starters.

x

I did not see any specific reference to Nazi items, nor WWII Japanese items either. Both are sold at my local auctions, and are hugely popular with bidders. And can't see banning one without the other, same war.

Since there are categories for them, it is logical to assume they can be sold?

[deltadelta48]

On subject of repros/fakes, some of us are at a disadvantage. While we might have an interest/specialty or two, we are first to admit we don't know everything. So don't wait for us to come to your aid and back you up when you spot a fake, we have no idea if it is fake or not. Please start to report those items that you recognize as fake so we can clear that junk out of here.

Otherwise it looks like these spotters are having a little fun with all of us!

[JaBek1]

I did not see any specific reference to Nazi items, nor WWII Japanese items either. Both are sold at my local auctions, and are hugely popular with bidders. And can't see banning one without the other, same war.

Since there are categories for them, it is logical to assume they can be sold?

I personally don't think historical items should be banned or outlawed. They are part of history, good or bad. However, I do believe that certain items from Nazi Germany are banned in Germany today. I haven't heard of such a ban on Japanese items from the same period.

Of course, there are those that consider items displaying the swastika to be symbol of racial hatred. Personally, I feel that purging these historic symbols from the public eye only leads to the younger generations not recognizing the evil they were used to represent. "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it" is how I believe the saying goes.

Artifacts are pieces of history. They are what they are and history is what it is. To deny it happened or hide it from our offspring is to fail to learn from our mistakes on a generational level. If knowledge of our past mistakes is to be denied to those who come after then perhaps books should be burned. Isn't that what the Nazi's did in Berlin?

I have no problem with "reproduction" re-enactment items as long as they are clearly identified as such. When someone attempts to pass them off as authentic to the period pieces it is a different story. However, since many people, myself included, would be hard pressed to identify a forgery, I think it is logical for those that are knowledgeable to pass that information on to admin for action.

Dennis

[bidnwin]

It really is a sensitive issue, I have quite a lot of items that are stradling the line and am often unsure but I think common sense prevails here and the only way is to use one's judgement and a degree of sensitiity, I speak as a seller of the specifics that are mentioned here.
Thanks for the link Jan

This might help for starters.
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But I must admit I prefer this part

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of your message lol.

[Queensman]

Hi all, I am currently advertising a very nice reproduction Nazi SA belt buckle on ebid, and have had no problems regarding this issue as yet. Hopefully they will realise that these items are of historical significance to collectors, even quality reproductions (we cant all afford the real thing!).
The selling and buying of these artifacts does not mean that we support the unpleasant ideologies that are associated with them. What we are asking for is a free market, as long racial hatred is not espoused.