A Lesson: Unsavory types aren't just on Ebay

[thunderw21]

Yesterday I bought what appeared to be an original December 7th 1941 Honolulu Advertiser newspaper at a local antique shop for $45, more than I would have like but oh well. After a quick examination at the shop it appeared to be correct but upon reading through it back home I found that it was a 1974 reprint. The only evidence of this was "Pacific Film Corp. 1974" in tiny, almost unreadable print under the heading on the front page. I wasn't too happy.

So, I took it back to the antique shop, new information in hand, to see if the seller would want to sell it for less, otherwise I was going to get a full refund. The manager calls the dealer who proceeds to say "of course it's a reproduction, everyone knows that" and "an original would be in a musuem". He would not accept my offer for a lower price so I returned it and got a refund. Nowhere on the seller's price tag did it state that the newspaper was a reprint, leading me to believe that either the dealer did not know it was a reprint until we told him or he knew and was trying to screw us over. Either way, he said he is going keep the newspaper and frame it.

Be careful where ever you buy militaria/antiques.
Regards,
Will

 

[ScionPI2005]

Thanks for the heads up; definitely something to keep in mind. Glad you got your money back; I was thinking as I read that that they weren't even going to allow you a refund. Very glad they did.

 

[thunderw21]

Thanks for the heads up; definitely something to keep in mind. Glad you got your money back; I was thinking as I read that that they weren't even going to allow you a refund. Very glad they did.

Yeah, things worked out this time but you never know. [huh]

 

[Twitch]

Truth in packaging was with you all the way. A reproduction of anything has to be so labeled. And saying that it's obvious that the original would be in a museum is pure defensive BS. People in the private sector buy and sell old publications all the time. I own photos 100+ years old that I've see copies of in museums! Doesn't mean mine are fake.

I find it rather curious the retailer didn't know. He got it from someone. Of course if he displayed 10 copies it would be obvious. Possibly he's ordered them before from his supplier. But if he honestly never noticed it was a repro that doesn't say much for his reputation, does it?

 

[Senator Jack]

This is why when I walk into a shop that has obvious repros (tin signs, mechanical banks, etc.) I immediately walk out. It's becoming all too common lately.

 

[RondoHatton]

Recently bought an old looking, rotting, mouldy newspaper, headline "Germany Surrenders!" with a WWI dateline. Upon careful unfolding, there were other front pages with headlines of till then world shaking events. I assume it was a WWII era repro. As it was among a roomful of ephemera at an estate sale, there was no issue of an unsavory attempt to pass off a ringer, it just was what it was among old railway tickets and expense records, sold for a few cents.

 

[Sefton]

At least you got a refund. If the dealer had been quicker on his feet he might of said "Sure it's reprint,but 1974 is vintage..."

 

[Doh!]

I think I have the same paper -- my folks went to Hawaii in the '70s and brought back such a thing. I'm not sure where it is, though.