Taoist Collectibles & Chinese Antiques?

[gendao]

Here's a cool statue of Lao-Tzu going on eBay for $100 right now:

Supposedly, it's 7" tall and 1200g of silver from 1800-1849 in China...

 

But, there are a LOT of fakes, knock-off's and reproductions of Chinese antiques. So, how would you be able to tell if something like this is authentic or not & appraise its value? China has such a long history and modern "craftsman" are quite adept at making decent fakes - so I think this can be a tricky market where "caveat emptor." You've got to really know your stuff.

 

I mean, this piece here is advertised as "OLD CHINESE SILVER HAPPY BUDDHA WITH DRAGON STATUE"

And yet is going for only $10? Although the price of silver alone right now is $13.50/oz and the metal tone here looks more like aluminum than silver.

 

Does anyone else here collect Taoist/Chinese antiques/paraphernalia? Any experts in da house here?

Edited June 4, 2007 by vortex

[ACF CHINA CO.]

I can't see the photos (won't load) but authenticating things can get pretty complex. I would reccomend you look in a few places to get an idea of what the situation is like. Here is a pretty good article on Fake Chinese Antiques

 

You can also read these guys Blog about Chinese antiques and reproduction furniture - I know its not specific to statues but they do touch on a wide range of topics, including ebay.

 

Finally, keep in mind if the deal is too good to be true, then its probably a fake.

 

 

Here's a cool statue of Lao-Tzu going on eBay for $100 right now:

Supposedly, it's 7" tall and 1200g of silver from 1800-1849 in China...

 

But, there are a LOT of fakes, knock-off's and reproductions of Chinese antiques. So, how would you be able to tell if something like this is authentic or not & appraise its value? China has such a long history and modern "craftsman" are quite adept at making decent fakes - so I think this can be a tricky market where "caveat emptor." You've got to really know your stuff.

 

I mean, this piece here is advertised as "OLD CHINESE SILVER HAPPY BUDDHA WITH DRAGON STATUE"

And yet is going for only $10? Although the price of silver alone right now is $13.50/oz and the metal tone here looks more like aluminum than silver.

 

Does anyone else here collect Taoist/Chinese antiques/paraphernalia? Any experts in da house here?

[doc benway]

I'm an expert at the following - Evil Bay is a very good place to get ripped off!

I once got burned on a Japanese tsuba. I don't know anything about Chinese collectables but I know a bit about Japanese swords and sword fittings and Ebay is not for people who value their cash when it comes to collectibles. The vast majority of products are rip offs. Buyer beware!

Good luck.

[mbanu]

What makes an old Lao Tzu more precious than a new Lao Tzu?