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Another Possible Reproduction TSR Buckle.
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Post Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2018 6:42 pm 
 

This time it's the brass version of "The Game Wizards" buckle.  This is the eBay seller's auction description, "NICE TSR BELT BUCKLE...THE GAME WIZARDS...NOT SURE BUT MAYBE REPRODUCTION".  I contacted the seller and he stated, "They were in a huge belt buckle collection I bought a while back..I got 2 left" and "some one emailed me and said it looked like a repro but they just look too good to me".  

At least "reproduction" is mentioned this time.  Looking at completed sales, 10 have been sold since October (and he has two more).  If these are fakes, which I suspect, they've upped their game.  The post that goes into the belt hole is now one piece with the leaf design on the tip.  The incorrect post was the big red flag last time.  :?



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Post Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2018 8:04 pm 
 

Not questioning you at all, but do you have a link to the auction in question?


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Post Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2018 11:13 pm 
 


** expired/removed eBay auction **



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Post Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2018 11:48 pm 
 

Since the seller has 7 completed listings for identical TSR buckles, prolly safe to say they're modern reproductions.


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Post Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2018 7:04 pm 
 

Interesting that the seller is also from Texas, which if IIRC was where this whole mess started from in the first place, right?

Also, if as you point out the stem is different(and better), then if anything that makes things even worse.  I guess it is possible that they just lucked into a bunch of legit ones somewhere and the whole thing is just a big coincidence, but that's implausible at it's best.  To be clear, even presuming the absolute best outcome in this case (and as a point of disclosure I don't own any of these, nor have I ever owned one nor do I really want one), but man if you're in the market for one of these, province is going to be pretty much essential.  That is not to say you should not be careful with anything you buy, but these are going to absolutely require some serious and significant scrutiny every time they come up. Which is really kind of sad.


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Post Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2018 6:26 pm 
 

bclarkie wrote in Another Possible Reproduction TSR Buckle.:Interesting that the seller is also from Texas, which if IIRC was where this whole mess started from in the first place, right?

Also, if as you point out the stem is different(and better), then if anything that makes things even worse.  I guess it is possible that they just lucked into a bunch of legit ones somewhere and the whole thing is just a big coincidence, but that's implausible at it's best.  To be clear, even presuming the absolute best outcome in this case (and as a point of disclosure I don't own any of these, nor have I ever owned one nor do I really want one), but man if you're in the market for one of these, province is going to be pretty much essential.  That is not to say you should not be careful with anything you buy, but these are going to absolutely require some serious and significant scrutiny every time they come up. Which is really kind of sad.


Yes.  Michael Pearson was in Gladewater TX and Joe Pendleton was in Santa Ana CA.  The current seller's initials are also M.P., the clear cellophane bag the brass buckle was in is the exact same type bag the other buckle was in, Michael Pearson told me Joe Pendleton had other buckles or other versions of the buckle available but never told me what they were.  

It could all be coincidence.  More importantly, as the values of early collectibles continues to rise, I think we are going to see more reproductions and outright fakes.  Caveat Emptor.



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Post Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2018 1:39 pm 
 

I have one of these that someone purchased knowing it was probably a fake. They are slightly smaller than real buckles and the back belt attachment stem and the belt fastening hoop are both different.


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Post Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 9:37 pm 
 

Wanted to respond here as I just got bit by this same seller - Michael Parish/ alpca9214 from Montgomery Texas. Going through recent sold records he sold copies 02/26, 03/21, 04/06, 04/14, 04/17 (I'm not telling you which one was mine  :oops: ) I did check the seller's address and tax records match the account name, so at least that part isn't fugazi. I asked what made him think it was a repro and his response was "Sorry I have not gotten back to you sooner but just got back into town. These came in a very large belt buckle collection I bought a while back and there was several in it. The reason I put that in there is that some one thought it was a copy but he didn't know for sure either" - I've followed up to see if he has any others or any other styles and we'll see what he says. No idea how many sold on etsy prior to this, but the 9 he 'found' in that collection are likely getting pretty sparse.

I'm new, so please message me if I'm doing something inappropriate (I'm happy to revise if needed) but wanted folks to know these are still being sold (to schnooks like me) by this seller.  :D

  


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Post Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 9:49 pm 
 

muaddib5 wrote in Interesting eBay alert! TSR belt buckles:
The two original guys running this scam were Joe Pendleton and Michael Pearson (2015).  The Etsy seller's name is Mike Parish (MP, like Michael Pearson?!?!?!).  I contacted the seller and asked if they had more buckles.  Mike Parish responded, "I have 9 left".  I asked if the buckles were recasts and he replied, "I have no idea..these were bought with a huge collection of buckles".  $29.88 each or $19.88 and free shipping for three or more.

More investigation is warranted, but my suspicions are definitely raised.  :?


Also had a thought (quoted the above from another thread, so as not to resurrect too much in one night) - did anyone flat out tell this person they were selling fakes? If so, let me know, certainly makes me less likely to be charitable about the recent sales.

  


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Post Posted: Sat May 04, 2019 11:46 am 
 

To wrap this up, I messaged the guy telling him this was a copyright violating fake and asked what we should do. He responded that I could return it as he had other people interested in buying it. I've decided to keep/destroy it instead, and left him negative feedback explaining he's selling known fakes. Might keep someone else from getting bit. Hope so at least.

  

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Post Posted: Sat May 04, 2019 6:04 pm 
 

cdenham wrote in Another Possible Reproduction TSR Buckle.:I have one of these that someone purchased knowing it was probably a fake. They are slightly smaller than real buckles and the back belt attachment stem and the belt fastening hoop are both different.


This could be because someone made a mold of the original buckle to cast a reproduction.


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Post Posted: Sat May 04, 2019 10:57 pm 
 

The older fakes also have a clearly different post on the back.  They changed it to be like an original after this was pointed out on the acaeum.

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