There are tons of counterfeit silver Judaica items offered.  Don’t be fooled!  How do you know if it’s a fake?

The items are usually claimed to be Russian and from the 1800s.  Think about it:  how many of these items would have survived the pogroms and the Holocaust?  If they did, they would be museum pieces, not offered at auction for a few hundred dollars or less.

Common counterfeit items include:  circumcision clamps, yads (Torah pointers), besamim (spice) boxes, fancy marriage rings and figurines (“chess pieces”).   Who would fake a circumcision clamp?  I don’t know, but several are for auction as I write this review.

The items typically look new and polished, although sometimes there is a fake patina.  Consider this:  these antique items were meant to be used on a regular basis.  They should have signs of wear and dents.  If they look new, they are new!

The same types of items are auctioned over and over again.  How many times can the same seller auction a supposedly “rare” item?

The stamped fake hallmarks are almost always the same or very similar.  Usually there’s a date in the 1800s.  After a while, you will immediately recognize the fake hallmarks without difficulty.

To add further insult, many of the items incorporate sad-looking, so-called Jewish figures (“rabbis”).  Why would a Jewish person buy a pathetic caricature for themselves?

Don’t be fooled!  Look at the seller’s feedback to learn what he or she has sold before.  If they have sold several of these “rare” items before, ask yourself how the seller obtained so many of them.  Another clue:  many of these auctions hide the bidders’ names in “private” auctions.  This is so watchdogs such as me cannot contact the buyers.

A new strategy is to offer the item to losing bidders as a “second chance” once the auction is completed.  The seller has several copies of the counterfeit item and is using this strategy to unload them. 

It is disheartening to see these sellers repeatedly offer counterfeit items.  If we don’t bid on them, perhaps they will stop.  If you have any questions, please contact me.

Addendum:  since the time I first wrote this guide, there are less counterfeits being sold on the US eBay site.  However, I have discovered many more counterfeits on the European site, mostly from German sellers.

Below, this ring is offered over and over again as a marriage ring from the 1800s.  Look again:  it’s shiny and new.  They usually sell on eBay for 50 to 150 dollars.  A real one would cost thousands, if you could find one.



Fake circumcision shield–the slot is much too wide to perform a circumcision.  I once bought one out of curiosity.  It was very flimsy and could not be used for any procedure.  These are sold over and over again on eBay.  They are typically shiny and unused.



Here’s another fake circumcision shield from the same vendor.  Where did he get the truckload of shields?  Again, the slot is much too wide to work.



This filigree, so-called besamim (spice) holder appears on eBay from time to time.  Each one may have some variations, but they always look new and are claimed to be “rare” antiques.  There may be a slim, boyish figure holding up the container.  At other times, the figure may be a sad “rabbi.” 



Here is a close-up of the hallmarks on the above besamim holder.  These are the typical counterfeit Russian hallmarks.



Here are the sad “rabbis” holding up the besamim container.  They look more like Star Wars figures.



This was advertised as a kiddush (wine) cup.  I give the auctioneer credit for creativity.  If you turn the item over, it becomes a fake Jewish “chess piece!”



Here is another fake besamim (spice) holder.  This seller always seems to have one available for auction.  How rare can it be?



Finally, here’s a real laugh.  This was listed as an antique silver jewelry box.  Now tell me:  how antique can a COMPUTER be?



I hope you enjoyed this guide and have found it helpful.

–bobmeyer99

New!  Go to auctiontrack to see past Judaica auctions. 

This is an eye-opener:

http://auctiontrack.tripod.com

Here’s another link about counterfeit Judaica:

http://circcentral.tripod.com/index.html

To read this guide in German/zum Lesen dieser Anleitung in Deutsch:  http://reviews.ebay.com/Fake-gefaelschte-Judaica-ACHTUNG_W0QQugidZ10000000010529303



By: Bob Meyer

About the Author:

In order to find auto body shops in Plano all you have to browse through the internet. Same applies to auto body shops in Dallas. You can look into directories or the yellow pages to find auto body repair shops in your locality. But these sources will not tell you about the quality of their services. However, it is usual for an auto body repair in Dallas or Plano to have ones own website. The website can be trusted to provide complete information about the services on offer.

While choosing a local auto body repair shop you should look for some basic things. Most of the local collision repair in Plano and Dallas provide advanced repair services. The vehicle will drive as well as it did when it was in good condition. Moreover, the looks of the vehicle are also restored to looking like new. The repainting of the vehicle is done uniformly. Most of these collision repair shops in Dallas and Plano provide a repair guarantee for the life of the vehicle.

Apart from these basic repair services, there are many additional features that you should look for when choosing an auto body repair shop in your local area. Most auto body repair shops in Plano and Dallas offer additional services like 24 hour towing, free pick up and delivery and free estimates. In order to ease the inconvenience of having your car in repair, they also provide courtesy cars and cars on rental. You can use these cars as long as your car is under repair. This ensures that you can attend to your daily routine with ease. Auto body repair shops in Dallas also provide similar services.

It is important to look for the quality of services provided by an auto body repair shop. A vehicle is supposed to not just guarantee comfortable transit from one place to another, it should also guarantee your safety. This is the reason that vehicle repair, especially after a collision, should be very accurate. A small mistake made in the repair shop could narrow the distance between your life and death.



By: Editor123

About the Author:

We all like to be complemented on the way our home looks, to impress our guests.  If we don’t remember when it last happened, it’s because it happened too long ago, and we need to do something about it. The living room is a very important room in our house, because it’s the place where we invite our guests, and where the entire family spends most of the timeWe should try to make a it a space where we always like coming back to, a place to have fun and relax with our loved ones.

We can redecorate our living room and make it look great, with a modest budget, but an impressive imagination. All you need is to have a spare weekend, and some good ideas, and you can become your own interior designer. We’ll show you how you can give your living room a totally new look, for little money.

1. First of all, you have to make a plan. Make a list of the things you need to change, the things you want to change, and the ones you wish you could change. This way you will see exactly what are the changes that really need to be done, and what are the changes that can be delayed.

If you are good at drawing, try to put together a formal plan of your living room. This way, you will noticewhat the empty areas are, and where you can add something new.

2. If you’re on a tight budget, and you can’t afford to buy new furniture or add some French doors, it’s a good idea to reposition the existing furniture Another good and affordable idea is to refurbish the furniture. The same goes for your couch: give it a makeover, change the upholstery!Choose a color and fabric that will fit in the new color scheme you used in the living room.As a final touch, throw some pillows on the new couch, to make it more cozy.

3. The walls are always a good place to start when you’re redecorating. You can go simple and elegant, and choose light, creamy colors, or you can be bold and try some rich, dark color for a dramatic effect.Try giving one wall a different color than the others, and decorate it with a big painting.

4. Don’t forget about the windows. The curtains are there not only to protect you from the sun, but also serve an aesthetic purpose. Sun exposure damages fabric and fades colors. That’s why the curtains should be changes every once in a while They don’t cost much, but the right curtains can really make you living room stand out.Depending on the style you chose for the living room, you can pick modern simple curtains or classic, luxurious ones. You can be bold and go for a more exotic looking choice: African, Moroccan or Indian It’s a good idea to add some blinds so that your curtains are protected from the sunlight.

5. Last, but not least, the decorations.Now you can let your imagination run wild. There are so many decorating items that would make your living room look fabulous: like wall clocks, small, colorful rugs, big vases, wall hangings, photos, candles, lots of pillows.

Follows these simple plans, and soon you’ll hear that phrase that you’ve been long waiting for: “I love what you did to your living room!



By: Calin S Dragomir

About the Author: