Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2006 12:37:30 -0700
To: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org
From: Mary Decker <marydeck-AT-earthlink.net>
Subject: [Puptcrit] Heads up about Ebay


Hi All.  I think Ebay is a wonderful thing, in general; but I want to 
make sure that everyone knows that the majority of puppets on Ebay 
are misrepresented in one way or another. For example, there was the 
"Frank Paris Carmen Miranda" that was made by Burnham -- not Frank 
Paris.  (The real Frank Paris is at the Conservatory of Puppetry 
Arts.) The seller even included an L.A. Times obituary about Frank 
Paris to "prove" his claim!  Then there was the Mexican Santo puppet 
which was "guaranteed" to be over 100 years old.  It was actually a 
beat-up Rajasthan marionette of more recent vintage with missing 
skirt and paint.

There is one fake African antique on Ebay now that particularly 
disturbing.  PLEASE BE WARNED and do not bid on this fake.  The title 
is "African Antique Sculpture, Kulango Puppets" and the Ebay number 
is 300022861031.  I almost got sucked into this auction, but then I 
realized that the "encrustation" is too uniform -- as if it had been 
sprayed on -- and there are no cracks or dings in the wood. That is 
almost impossible, given the heat in Africa.  I sent the photo to an 
expert in African artifacts, and he confirmed that the piece is most 
likely a fake.  He also said that the spray "encrustation" is a 
common way to fake African antiques.

Ebay is wonderful, but....

Mary Decker






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