Online vs show purchases

By James Mulvey; posted September 10, 2014

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Several reasons why buying online is not as good as going to a local show. These pictures illustrate a few observations. More and more pictures are distorted, some to the point where the correct identification of an article cannot be established. Cd's and U numbers become a guessing game. Seller states the item has a chip but doesn't show it. You don't worry about a chip and buy it. You might just get a surprise as to what some folks consider a chip. Image colours are not getting better. Seller says brown, but this insulator also comes in a pumpkin colour, so what is it ? Roll the dice and place your bet. Lots of stuff coming from Florida - irradiated insulators by the dozens, some close to authentic colours of high priced insulators. The next buyer is going to get burned. The seller finally got around to identifying his wannabe CD 162's which come in authentic colours. An undisclosed number of unmarked ones were sold into circulation years ago. Again, fine for the original buyer but the newcomers to the hobby, and the less educated are at risk. Other pitfalls found online - staining glass to imitate authentic or possibly newly discovered colors, and reglazing porcelain into more desirable and hard to get colors. Buyer beware ! [id=269704049;faked porcelains]

Go to a show, hold it, feel it, look at it in sunlight. Know what you are buying, not what you hope for.

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