I did a blog on this..but thought I'd stick over here too.

Fakes from Asia of Asian Antiques are Everywhere!

A couple of years ago I wrote a guide for buying Asian works of art and in particular Chinese and Japanese porcelain on Ebay.

Back then it was pretty bad, today the caution needed is three times as tough. The forgers in China have gotten much better, after all practice makes perfect. Today no only are the fakes of Chinese things superb, but alas they are now making really really really great fakes of Japanese Imari. They have been making these for a number years anyway, but of late they have gotten amazingly good.

• In particular be on the lookout for FAKE Chinese Song, Ming and Qing Bronzes. They are easy to make and to age and are VERY VERY hard to detect. They are all over the palce now. 
• Repro Jades are and have bee a big problem for a while now. Be carefull especially of white jade, jades can easily be carved by machine and buffed out to resemble the real thing with great ease. Major auction houses have already been stuck with them and are now being extremely carefull on taking Jade Consignments.

RULES FOR BUYING are these:

NEVER , EVER buy ANYTHING being sold as Antique from China. PERIOD. Please don't argue about this with me. 99.5% of whats being sold is NEW. I know how good they look, the feet are good, the color is great, all the little imperfections you've read about in Hobson's books are there..right? Well, its a fake.

The latest problem is the number of well known live auctioneers selling the fakes. Before I go ANY further, these auctioneers KNOW what they are selling are fakes. They just advertise them pretending ignorance. "Gee it came from a house here in town" or "A really good picker brought them in". ALL a pack of fibs.

One auction house in Maryland many of you know buy container loads of copies in Hong Kong and Shanghai and sell them as real. Sure some pieces get sent back, but many don't.

I know my saying all this might sound a bit harsh, but as a dealer of 33 years I can tell you, this is a MAJOR problem. The reality is if you see what looks like a rarity from a Chinese dealer in Asia saying he's trying to build a business buy selling things VERY reasonably or with ads so badly written in English you think.."Ahh huh!! this guy doesn't know what he is selling.." call me so I can have someone come to your house to slap you for being stupid. Chinese dealers ARE CHINESE and THEY know very very well what they are selling and they know they are selling fakes to gullible Americans who think they are Smarter than Asian dealers. Well I am here to tell you, YOU'RE Not!

Ok...so have I said this firmly enough? If you have some "amazing" things from China you think are  authentic on your watch page..FORGET IT..delete them. REPROS!!!

Spend your time looking through listings here in the States, England and Holland. But still be careful. Be very careful of Chinese looking sites or Ebay sellers whose spaces are just loaded with Imperial Bowls, Xuande Ming pieces, Rare Song Bowls, Superb Song Jades, Ming Jades, Qing Jades coming form Asian dealers on Ebay. 

Santa Claus doesn't spend his "Off Time" on Ebay giving away millions of dollars of Asian Art..or anything else for that matter.

Please read this!!

..and one more thing,  if you buy or own luxury goods and don't care whether or not they are bootleg knockoffs.  Please STOP! Your fake bag, belt, scarf, hat, shoes, necktie..is the result 100% of the time of the practice of forced Child Slavery.

 Whatever it is, it was made or handled by child slaves, 100%  child slave involvement. Scary stuff...

If you are a father or a mother please do remember buying these illegal kniockoffs support the trade in Child Slavery throughout the world.

It is estimated that several hundred thousand children are forced laborers in this horrifying system, do not support it.

All the bootleggers do use child slaves..ALL OF THEM.

So if you're or your wife are walking around with a designer knock off Gucci, Armani, Coach or Louis Vuitton product knock off (to name but a few)  just know as a FACT...some little kid in Asia is getting used as a slave in conditions you wouldn't let a dog live in to make them for you.

Oh when I say little, I mean many kids as young as 5 years old, yes  5 years old! These kids never get an education, often are abused in EVERY manner imaginable. You might be helping to keep it going..so please please don't this stuff. Buy the real thing..or live with what you have and let these kids have a chance.....

I DO hope this information reaches many people, if they do not know..if you agree..Vote on this post!