Will eBay act against sellers who forge artist signing to increase selling price ?

[49lloyd01]

I had an instance where I bought 2 glass items from a seller, and it was apparent that the "artist signatures" had been added recently (the artist died 4 years ago !).  As I asked around the enthusiast community it became crystal-clear that this behaviour was on-going from the seller, and I became aware of two other cases where colleagues had sold un-signed pieces to this person, only to find them advertised on eBay soon after with forged signatures on the base.

As might be expected, I gave adverse feedback to the seller, and was shocked when I received a blow-back from him with some appalling lies trying to justify his behaviour (and denying the well-proven forgeries).  I am now left with no way of responding further, and the seller continues as an EBay marketer.

[repentatleisure1952]

"As might be expected, I gave adverse feedback to the seller".

I would not have expected that.

I would have used the eBay Money Back Guarantee.

You can still leave a follow up to your feedback if you are desperate to engage in a war of words.

Btw... the seller tells a different story in his reply to you.

There are three sides to every story.

What the buyer says happened.

What the seller says happened.

What really happened.

eBay will not act  on your word alone... move on.

Many buyers seem pleased with their items from this seller... although they have a few negs.

This makes it seem you may have other motives.

[sugar249]

The sellers reply to your feedback seems reasonable,   just because you dont agree with it doesnt make it wrong.

Ebay arent going to remove a seller just because you say they are doing something incorrect.

[sandypebbles]

You want to post on a public forum what you bought is a forgery 

Did you open not as described disputes?

Have you notified the police?  some rep for the artist's 'estate' (or the like)

Funny how you say it is on-going yet the seller's feedback does not show this

Have you had the enthusiast community take their proof and show it to the relevant authorities ?

eBay is not going to take your word for it

Take your proof somewhere that will 

[49lloyd01]

In this case, "what really happened" can be proven outright, as I have the two absolute examples of forgery which were performed on items provided by people that I know (who sold 'clean' items to the re-seller).  Unfortunately, we seem to be touching on the murky side of the art market - where people of dubious character are prepared to copy artworks  or forge signings to claim big profits for themselves.

My only motive in entering this discussion has been to try and improves the integrity of this market ........

[repentatleisure1952]

Posting on  here will not  "improves the integrity of this market".

Perhaps the police may be able to help you... idk.

Have you read the other replies?

[sandypebbles]

Then report them, as already been said

posting here is not going to achieve anything

Going by that logic, did you search the forum before you purchased to check if anyone else had posted about this same issue with the seller?

If not, why would you think other potential buyers would?

You say you have the proof, then use it where it might do something

Give the proof to those who actually have the power to investigate and act

You have the proof, then you have the power

[49lloyd01]

The authorities in Australia seem poorly-equipped to deal with art fraud (recall the big court case involving the Brett Whitely forgeries, and the pathetic handling of technical/style issues by the lawyers and the courts).  Seems to me that one needs to serve it up to the police 'on a platter', either with a written confession or by means of an elaborate 'sting', and even then our police are unlikely to intervene.

The replies here suggest that eBay as a marketplace simply cannot be trusted for artworks.

[domino-710]

You'd better read that court case - yet again - it could not be proven they weren't purchased as ' fakes ' - knowingly.

[sugar249]

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@49lloyd01 wrote:

The replies here suggest that eBay as a marketplace simply cannot be trusted for artworks.

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Why,  you don't have any hard evidence,  just because a couple of your colleagues say so,  doesnt mean they are dodgy.

Present hard evidence,  not say so,  even judge judy will have a laugh at you.