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2 Aug, 2013
2013-8-2 6:54:43 AM UTC
Reply from seller:
Thank you very much for your email. I am quite surprise about it.I bought it in London around 7 years ago, it cost me 1000 pounds, I think I have the invoice from an antiquary shop.Why you are so sure that its a fake???, I think its so frivolous...Please send me all the info that you have to attest it, and I will check it myself with a specialist person. If its a fake I will remove it, but never before.

7 years ago - mmmmmm I think not

Lets hope the specialist person gives seller the seller the same message
2 Aug, 2013
2013-8-2 5:57:50 PM UTC
Rest assured he now has

"PROVENANCE: LONDON ANTIQUARY FIVE YEARS AGO"

I'm convinced and I bet Mr Formhals wishes at the Court Case that he said "They are all genuine signatures, I've got provenance, I bought them at a London Antiquary 5 years ago"
5 Aug, 2013
2013-8-5 1:43:50 PM UTC
I have set up a new ebay buyer called tolkienfkesignature, he will almost certainly cancel my 7000 Euro bid, no intention of paying, but I hope it might stop some people bidding.

There might be some merit in this, lets see what happens, but if everyone sets up a second ebay account, with no correct details (my address is Scotland Yard on this account) or payment info, we may be able to stop ebay selling crap like this
5 Aug, 2013
2013-8-5 8:53:32 PM UTC
I think you should have at least come up with a better name!
What about buyingonbehalfofallanformhalswhoisinjail?
I think that would've been more memorable...

BH
6 Aug, 2013
2013-8-6 4:15:08 PM UTC
I have set up a new ebay buyer called tolkienfkesignature, he will almost certainly cancel my 7000 Euro bid, no intention of paying, but I hope it might stop some people bidding.

Bidder ids are hidden so your id is not visible to others.

IMHO your bid is more likely to give the item some credibility rather than put others off. Also, if you have outbid others at the end of the auction, the seller can still second chance offer to them after you pull out.
6 Aug, 2013 (edited)
2013-8-6 7:47:42 PM UTC

Deagol wrote:
Bidder ids are hidden so your id is not visible to others.

IMHO your bid is more likely to give the item some credibility rather than put others off. Also, if you have outbid others at the end of the auction, the seller can still second chance offer to them after you pull out.

I was hoping my bid may put off people who want a 'bargain' signature (we all know why it is a bargain, NOT)

I am interested in the point about my bidding adding credibility, I don't know, do people think it does? (thanks for bringing this up as it is a point I had not considered).

Interested in views.

Very surprised that my bid has not been cancelled yet.
6 Aug, 2013
2013-8-6 8:57:36 PM UTC
While I agree that this signature may well be a fake, is this not vigilantism?
6 Aug, 2013
2013-8-6 9:20:49 PM UTC
It is, I am trying to stop Alan Formhal's fakes being resold on secondary markets, so yes it is.

Do you think I should not bother about his fakes?
6 Aug, 2013
2013-8-6 10:04:47 PM UTC
I don't have a strong view on this one way or the other. I don't have a great interest in or knowledge of signed items full stop. While it isn't healthy for collecting in general for people to get ripped off, ultimately if they don't do their research then they leave themselves open to this type of thing - whether the seller is aware of the fake or has themselves been duped.

Don't get me wrong, I don't disagree with private individuals getting involved, I just raise the thought for discussion - a moral maze type question if you will. Somewhere down this road is a line not to be crossed, but where is it? Who decides what is genuine and what is fake? How far should one go to prevent a sale, etc.
7 Aug, 2013
2013-8-7 7:13:40 PM UTC
Was that a wee BBC Radio 4 reference there Deagol?

I'm also fairly ambivalent about this. The only thing I'd question is, perhaps, discussing some of your action(s) in the public part of the forum --is this entirely wise? I mean, I've no idea how many people read these forum discussions, but you're laying it all out for everyone to read. Just a thought...

BH
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