I am writing this strictly from the chair of someone who is a serious collector of all manner of dog stuff.  I have been involved in the dog world for over 50 years, long before e-bay. My family has been deeply  caught up in the collectibles aspect too. If you wish to do this or legimately sell dog collectibles, then research is a must. I strongly recommend delving into source books like the Schroeder or Animal Figures books for a starter. As time passes, you will begin to appreciate that it is your responsibility if you wish to sell or buy to know what there is to know.  This will save you the frustration of both buying something not what it purported to be or selling something questionable and being confronted by an unsatisfied customer.

I regularly scroll  through topics like Antique Terriers, Cast Iron Dogs. and Dog Bookends looking at what's out there in the e-bay world and have spotted some helpful things to do and ask. All cast iron is magnetic. If it is not magnetic, it is not made of iron. Other metals can be easily identified by weight and color. Bronze - reddish and heavy. Brass - yellowish and lighter. Spelter - white and light. Do not assume that the color of a metal on the outside is  the base metal. It can be painted or coated with something else entirely. Patina is important. Cleaning or painting an old object will usually detract from it's value, just like if you were buying antique furniture. That will make an object look nicer but mislead buyers. A seller can repair an item to make it more like it's original condition if that is stated in the item description.

Maker's marks are very important. Some metal objects have them. Some do not. Learn what they mean! It can identify origin and age! Sellers and buyers need to learn  that words like "Hubley" are just words unless there is adequate research to tie the words to the product. Accurate weight and  dimension are the tools used in source books to properly identify collectibles. Words like"heavy" are not enough. Even maker marks can be misleading. Many maker marks are those to acknowledge repros. For instance, most dated glass has no marks. The repros do. True maker marks are not crude or confusing. Materials used are true to the period. Aluminum is a post WW II material in collectibles. Even screw type can date an item. Early screws were always flat head screws, not phillips or other types.

I have traveled around the world in my day and can tell you that the acquisition of items with age is tricky.  There are many purported things for sale that the clever have "aged" for the tourist trade. Vintage items must have a certain trust established between the seller and buyer. If a buyer has researched it,  he can spot the "buy" over the "cock and bull" story.  Otherwise, he only has what caught his eye. Everyone loves a good story, but is it true? Finally research can point your way to the true value of the item you are buying or selling. What to bid? What should I sell it for? Is the asking price out of line? The question should always be, "Do I actually know what I am selling or buying". One thing is certain. It is not always what I feel  it is or want it to be.

One can even do research without going to a lot of trouble. An encyclopaedia or good dictionary can be used to identify most dog breeds. A picture is worth a thousand words. A dog item cannot be that dog and be that old if the breed wasn't even around then.  A Scottish Terrier cannot have long legs or ears that aren't erect. An Airedale is not white with black or brown spots . A Boston Terrier is not black. It is black and white. Excuse the Japanese. Excuse the "Hubley" hound dogs. I hope this helps. There is a genuine "Laddie Boy" or a  "Hubley" for you IF you find out what it MUST be.  Time to get off the soap box.