Monday, November 10, 2008

What is the difference between a fake and a reproduction telescopes?


Pony Express This scope was sold on ebay for $280.00 to an unsuspecting buyer. The aged green patina is fake and the overall condition of the scope is poor enough to make it pass for real in a photo. Unfortunately, rarely does a week go by without at least one "Pony Express" telescope on ebay along with many other "Wells Fargo" items. The seller usually claims that they bought the item at an "estate sale", and therefore know nothing about it. Some of the more unscrupulous sellers use private auctions, which hide the identity of prospective buyers, making it impossible to warn them. There is a brass or copper plate on this scope saying "Pony Express Est. 1860 Property of C.O.C.&P.P. Express Company." The label alone should have warned the buyer, since it is highly unlikely that companies plastered their name all over every tool used by their employees. This is reminiscent of items marked "HMS Titanic" or "Orient Express." Closed, it is about 3 inches and opened, a little over 6 inches. The new glass objective and the low power both betray this item, but these cannot be seen in the ad.

Read about fake and reproduction telescopes

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