Greetings,

    I am writing this guide because I still see a lot of  fake Asian items described as old, antique, antique like, and so forth. Where can you find help? I know we all would like to find a good deal, but the truth is, that Asian antiques are in so much demand now,  it is not necessary for an Asian dealer to post things like that on Ebay. Many of the antique beads for example, have tripled in price in the past few years. I still see DZI beads for under $100 on Ebay said to be 100 years old. The fact of the matter is, DZI beads, the real ones, are 1500-4500 years old, not 100. This is a trick of dealers that just want to get some easy money, leading you to believe that their items are old. The same is true with snuff bottles. Bottles from the Qing Dynasty are worth several hundred dollars or more even in poor condition. If you do a search for Qing Dynasty items, you will sell see a lot of items advertised as antiques for under $100. The price would be the first give-a-way. It is unlikely you will find any antique for this price, let alone one in perfect condition. Most of the good antiques are guarded in private collections. For the most part, a lot of dealers dump items on Ebay that are either hard to sell or questionable. Not only do you have to look out for fakes, but many real items are repaired, sometimes even areas that were damaged or missing are fabricated. Be very careful about Chinese Porcelain. The marks that tell age are often fake. Totally avoid all .99 auctions advertising they are Qing Dynasty or older. This will save you time and money. Always get a second opinion if you want to buy something expensive. Try to get some kind of money back guarantee or a certified paper of origin and value of the item you want. This also is not foolproof, but it will help cut fraud. For example, it is inexpensive to have a piece of Jade examined in China, and certified as to the quality and value. Almost every piece of decent Jade I post is examined by a pro I can trust. Take time to read what other people say about this dealer that claims to have antiques. But don't let be the main factor in your purchase. I have found dealers that sell fake beads for a lot of money, and never get a bad feedback.  So what I am saying, is avoid treasure hunting. Look for pratical deals, or favorable deals, but don't expect too much. Same with live auctions and dealers that appear to be dealing high end. I once sold an ivory snuff bottle on Ebay around 1998 that had an antique look and feel. The exact age was unknown, and I stated that. I saw my bottle listed a few monthes later at $35,000 as part of an estate collection. I was quite astounded, and at that time, I had limited experience on Ebay. Now just a word about fakes. Sometimes reproductions or fakes can have a high value. It depends who did them, and if they are signed. There are some people that have a strong interest in history and collect just such items. Now there are also dealers that know the value of the real thing, and will offer their reproduction at somewhat below the real market value, hoping to catch somebody that way. Now that I said that, the rarest case, and that is "once in a blue moon" somebody will unknowingly put something up really valuable for pocket change. But it is rare. Always ask a lot of questions before you get involved. If this is some kind of family heirloom, you would be doing the person a favor by directing them to seek help in figuring about the value of their item so they don't lose on it!  I know what I said here won't solve all your problems buying on Ebay, and maybe I did not say a word you did not already think of. My dad always said "work an honest days work for an honest dollar". Granted, you may not get rich doing that, but you will feel a lot better about what you did. Give yourself a break too! Make it a rule. Don't buy .99 antiques, in fact, be very careful looking for real antiques. If they were that easy to find, they would not be antiques! And if I saved any of you a single dollar, or made you think more before you go out and bid again, then I did my job!

Mygemgarden