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Warning! Counterfeit Tom Eltang pipes on eBay!

Why don't you expand on this in a little more detail and let us know exactly why they might be fake.
 
I contacted Tom Eltang directly and was informed this was a fake.  Tom said stem is wrong, rustication is wrong, stamp was definitely wrong (which is what clued me in).  Since then, the seller has omitted the photo of the stamping and replies to questions about a photo of the stamp that there is no stamp on the pipe.  This is also incorrect, because all Eltang's pipes are marked.  This seller actually has been selling several different counterfeit pipes through their ebay store (Beckers, Castellos to name a couple others).  There was more discussion of this on the BoB forums here as well:
 
http://www.brothersofbriar.com/t25612-warning-counterfeit-tom-eltang-pipes-on-ebay
 
Nice follow up and detective work!

The link takes me directly to a sign in page. I can get to the forum, but have no idea what the topic title is, or what section title it's in?

Thanks!
 
Oh, it's in the Trading Post...I think you do have to sign in to view that forum.  Thread is about 3 pages long, otherwise I would repost it here lol.  Here are a couple older listings by this seller:
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TOM-ELTANG-pipe-unsmoked-/221294690825?nma=true&si=JNt%252FnJ5s7Fnyt%252F8sMKuP%252FoYuKBY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TOM-ELTANG-pipe-unsmoked-/221304537934?nma=true&si=JNt%252FnJ5s7Fnyt%252F8sMKuP%252FoYuKBY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
 
Check out the 2nd to last photo on each of those of the stamp...it looks horrible!
 
And look at the stamping on these "Castellos":
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Castello-pipe-Natural-Vergin-KKKK-unsmoked-/221314336370?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33875cc672&nma=true&si=JNt%252FnJ5s7Fnyt%252F8sMKuP%252FoYuKBY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Castello-pipe-Sea-Rock-KK-unsmoked-/350923777308?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51b4afe51c&nma=true&si=JNt%252FnJ5s7Fnyt%252F8sMKuP%252FoYuKBY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
 
And some poor SOB paid $8.1k for this "Bo Nordh" - Check out the fissures in the 2nd photo!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/B-NORDH-PIPE-SWEDEN-77-/350928496730?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51b4f7e85a&nma=true&si=JNt%252FnJ5s7Fnyt%252F8sMKuP%252FoYuKBY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
 
And here is a little more insight from DoverPipes' post:
 
"I think the mystery has been solved! A little internet detective work and bang!

This site comes up that sets off alarm bells!!!. The biggest clue was the "Silver Castle" pipes that this vendor is selling. Who ever heard of "Silver Castle"?
icon_scratch.png
  I contacted him a while ago about these pipes and got a weird answer of "Two guys in Canada". Not much of an answer at all!. Anyone who sells pipes and is worth their salt as a collector, knows a hell of lot more about what they are selling!

If you check out this site, http://www.51tjz.cn/tjz/ you will see Caminettos, Paolo Becker, Dunhills, Neilsens, Don Carlos, etc etc etc going for $45 USD!!! The prices are quoted in Japanese Yen, even though the site is in CHINA!!!. I used www.xe.com to convert the prices using today's exchange rate.

It "appears" to be a counterfeit site!
affraid.gif
 
After going through most of the pipes and looking at the stamps in the pictures, I think I can safely say that these are all counterfeits! This will be a HUGE problem down the road for collectors if these pipes keep going into our trading / selling circles. I am now suspect of any high end on the net!

Granted, these pipes look nice, I have no idea how they would smoke or what they are even made from! China is notorious for using hazardous materials in their manufacturing. On a personal note, I deal with counterfeit goods being smuggled into our country every single day through my job. I have never seen knock off pipes coming in, yeah I see sneakers, I-Phones, Laptops, clothing, etc. Pipes? Damn it!!!

I will refrain from accusing the seller outright, there is a possibility that he was unaware of the source of his high end pipes (I highly doubt it though) and he posted them believing them to be real.

Gentlemen, if we have any honor at all, we will not buy from this site and then turn around and sell these item as "authentic". Alas, I know that this won't happen. There will be a few out there, like this seller on E-Bay, who will continue to do this.......
icon_mad.gif
"
 
Is there no way to report the sale as fraudulent goods to eBay?
 
Great follow up work.

I just shake my head when I see someone brag about their obviously fake " cuban cigar" they picked up from their BIL who was in Cancun last week, but big money for counterfeit pipes, watches, etc is really sad. eBay always was buyer beware, probably always will be.
 
jfields said:
Is there no way to report the sale as fraudulent goods to eBay?
Click to expand...
 
Yeah, several people have been using the "Report Item" link on this seller's auctions, but they still seem to be selling and ebay is still allowing it.  Even worse, is the 100% feedback rating...
 
nismo270r said:
Is there no way to report the sale as fraudulent goods to eBay?
Click to expand...
 
Yeah, several people have been using the "Report Item" link on this seller's auctions, but they still seem to be selling and ebay is still allowing it.  Even worse, is the 100% feedback rating...
Click to expand...
I had the same problem with a rare discontinued perfume my wife loves. For years I purchased from there with not issue. Recently, I got two bottles from two different sellers and both were counterfeit. The packaging was pretty good, but the fragrance on both was not even close. After I did some research I found that eBay is overrun with fake perfumes, with the main supply culprit being China.
The first seller refunded my money right away. The second guy told me GFY..... Did this long thing with pictures showing all the issues with the bottle lettering, and how the control numbers on the label didn't exist. Got my money refunded in the dispute, being able to prove it counterfeit, but noticed the seller is right back on there selling the same wares.
 
jfields said:
 
 


Is there no way to report the sale as fraudulent goods to eBay?
Click to expand...
 
Yeah, several people have been using the "Report Item" link on this seller's auctions, but they still seem to be selling and ebay is still allowing it.  Even worse, is the 100% feedback rating...
Click to expand...
I had the same problem with a rare discontinued perfume my wife loves. For years I purchased from there with not issue. Recently, I got two bottles from two different sellers and both were counterfeit. The packaging was pretty good, but the fragrance on both was not even close. After I did some research I found that eBay is overrun with fake perfumes, with the main supply culprit being China.
The first seller refunded my money right away. The second guy told me GFY..... Did this long thing with pictures showing all the issues with the bottle lettering, and how the control numbers on the label didn't exist. Got my money refunded in the dispute, being able to prove it counterfeit, but noticed the seller is right back on there selling the same wares.
 


 
Yeah, it's kind of crap ebay doesn't do more to keep that stuff at bay.  I'm sure it would easily be a full time job for several people.
 
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