Topic: PY dragonfly Fakes - Beware

[SophieB]

Hi All,

Just a note of warning!!!

I have noticed a PY dragonfly fake at Lindsay Burns in their sale of 29/30 April 

http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/lindsay-burns-and-company/catalogue-id-2898785/lot-21842341?searchitem=true

And another fake (dragonfly in a basket this time) was sold at McTears last Tuesday (McTears had been warned about this; they reduced the estimate and noted 'copy' on the lot number - However, nothing was said during the auction and the lot was sold on commission for £150 - I hope the buyer realised that it was a fake...).

I wonder whether someone in Scotland has a number of these fakes and is trying to sell them off (aware or not of their dubious origins).

Anyway I thought I should warn the community on this board.

Sophie

[Nick77]

I informed McTears of the fake they had, they did email back to say they would withdraw it, I replied that it would still sell but needed to be correctly described as a fake, very sad they didn't make this clear, I also informed  Lindsay Burns yesterday and have just had a "thank you for your email" reply, hopefully they will correct their catalogue entry.

Nick

[tropdevin]

***

Hi Nick.

Like you I informed both, and got the same responses!

Alan

[KevinH]

... and the lot was sold on commission for £150

That has been the general price paid by many people for several years now. Which is a pity really because it has also been a general price for many genuine PY weights from his Harland period signed with an H cane or unsigned.

[SophieB]

Hi there,

I had also informed Lindsay Burns and got a 'Thank you for your email' too.

Kevin - I know that fakes sell well but £150 + 20% commission is definitely too much IMHO.

Sophie

 

[Nick77]

The price is up to whatever the buyer is prepared to pay knowing what it is, BUT they should not be misled into buying something that is not what is claimed.

Nick

[Roger H]

Thanks for the info and warning.  A few years ago I bought a fake PY butterfly in a basket which was very good but I sold it a while back and wish now that I hadn't done so. I got back what I paid for it but wish I had kept it as a fake example to study.
          Regards Roger

[Nick77]

So despite subsequently sending me this reply
"Thanks for your email and comments. 

I thought as much, but the vendor was insistant that it was a PY weight.

 

Regards

Lindsay Burns & Company"

They carried on with the sale description unchanged and it realised £300!

Appalling!

Nick

[neil53]

Hi, in the same sale, just a few lots further on,  Lindsay Burns had a "Georgian" Williamite baluster wine glass dated as 17C/18C by them but clearly a 19C reproduction.  It went for half-way between the value of the original and a reproduction - something like £740.00 inclusive of buyer's commission.

[SophieB]

By way of conclusion!!

The fake PY dragonfly in a basket that was sold at McTears on 8 April for £150 + commission (see link below) was sold recently on Ebay (Item n. 181406490411) for £210.77. Not much of a profit but the buyer has recouped his/her investment.

http://www.mctears.co.uk/auctions/lot.aspx?id=af6a2fa6-89c0-48e2-93d4-636ff4d422d4&page=5&referrer=illustrations

SophieB