I can't see the photos (won't load) but authenticating things can get pretty complex. I would reccomend you look in a few places to get an idea of what the situation is like. Here is a pretty good article on Fake Chinese Antiques
Finally, keep in mind if the deal is too good to be true, then its probably a fake.
Â
Â
Here's a cool statue of Lao-Tzu going on eBay for $100 right now:
Supposedly, it's 7" tall and 1200g of silver from 1800-1849 in China...
Â
But, there are a LOT of fakes, knock-off's and reproductions of Chinese antiques. So, how would you be able to tell if something like this is authentic or not & appraise its value? China has such a long history and modern "craftsman" are quite adept at making decent fakes - so I think this can be a tricky market where "caveat emptor." You've got to really know your stuff.
Â
I mean, this piece here is advertised as "OLD CHINESE SILVER HAPPY BUDDHA WITH DRAGON STATUE"
And yet is going for only $10? Although the price of silver alone right now is $13.50/oz and the metal tone here looks more like aluminum than silver.
Â
Does anyone else here collect Taoist/Chinese antiques/paraphernalia? Any experts in da house here?
Taoist Collectibles & Chinese Antiques?
in General Discussion
Posted
I can't see the photos (won't load) but authenticating things can get pretty complex. I would reccomend you look in a few places to get an idea of what the situation is like. Here is a pretty good article on Fake Chinese Antiques
Â
You can also read these guys Blog about Chinese antiques and reproduction furniture - I know its not specific to statues but they do touch on a wide range of topics, including ebay.
Â
Finally, keep in mind if the deal is too good to be true, then its probably a fake.
Â
Â