Resources

Antique & Collectors Reproduction News
Website: http://www.repronews.com
Mark Chervenka is undoubtedly "the authority" on reproductions in the antiques and collectibles industry. Mark writes numerous articles and columns on the subject and distributes the monthly Antique & Collectors Reproduction News publication which features a continuous parade of reproduced items and announces "new" reproductions and fakes as he becomes aware of them. Mark's website includes a complete index of Antique & Collectors Reproduction News articles.

Just Glass
Website: http://www.justglass-online.com/repro.html
Reproduction Alert by Just Glass is an excellent resource on what is being reproduced in the glass area--art glass, depression glass, elegant depression glass, 40's-50's-60's. If you have questions about reproduction collectible glass and cannot find your answer in this section, feel free to contact Just Glass by e-mail: justglassauctions@aol.com

Nippon Collectors Club
Website: http://www.nipponcollectorsclub.com
The Nippon Collectors Club's website has a tremendous visual and informational section on reproduction Nippon. Fake Nippon first appeared on the market in the early 1980's. The information on this site gives a good overview of the serious problems which have plagued the collectors of this hobby area for too long.

The American Society of Military Insignia Collectors
Website: http://www.naples.net/clubs/asmic/index.htm
ASMIC is the oldest and largest organization of collectors of military insignia in the world. They have a section on reproductions and fakes on their website.

McCoy Pottery Collectors; Ohio Pottery
Website: http://www.ohiopottery.com
This site covers information on a number of Ohio pottery makers. They have an entire section on reproductions and fakes, particularly related to the McCoy area at: www.ohiopottery.com/mccoy/reproduction/index.htm

McCoy Reproduction Cookie Jars from NMXpress
Website: http://www.members.aol.com/mccjs/repro.htm
This excellent site for `McCoy Lovers Everywhere' has a good visual & explanation section on McCoy Reproduction Cookie Jars. They also explain by definition and example the difference between reproductions, commemoratives and look-a-likes.

American Political Items Collectors
Website: http://www.apic.ws
The American Political Items Collectors have aggressively documented and challenged reproductions in their hobby area for several decades. They were one of the original co-sponsors of the Hobby Protection Act. the APIC website has a large section on Brummegem (the word for fake or worthless item) which documents the political items' fakes and reproductions. The site also carries the text for the Hobby Protection Act in their site archives.

World of Wades
Website: http://www.worldofwades.com/fakes.htm
E-Mail: jean@worldofwade@uk2.net
Site offers a section on fakes, including Guinness and Sylvac.

The Hardware Companies Kollectors Klub
Website: http://www.thckk.org/fakes-page.html
The website offers news about fakes and reproductions in the hardware collecting area. Included is a tremendous photo feature highlighting a display of Keen Kutter and Winchester fake, fantasy and reproduction items. The display was at the 4th annual meeting of the Club.

International Scouting Collectors Association
Website: http://scouttrader.org/References/fakes.htm
According to the website individuals are reproducing hard to find Boy Scout insignia items. The site offers information and links to other sites on reproduction insignia.

Wehrmacht Collectors Association
Website: http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com
In their promotion the association for German Militaria states, "it's a horrible feeling to know you've been ripped off, and it doesn't just happen to collectors. Dealers run the risk of unknowingly purchasing multiple copies of the newest fake and losing enormous sums of money. It can ruin your trust in the person you bought from and in the hobby itself. That's why we started the collectors association; to help protect against the dangerous fakes that have hurt this hobby since its origin over 50 years ago."

R. S. Prussia Collectors
Website: http://www.rsprussia.com
This website contains a tremendous feature article on Fakes. Go to the "articles" section and look up "Prussian Thoughts - Fakes, A Course Fueled By Greed." This is not only a thoughtful articles about reproduction R.S. Prussia, but also includes at least 30 photos supporting the article.

Hatpin Collector's Website
Website: http://members.aol.com/frankie854/fakes.html
This website has two major sections on reproductions, a `Fake of the Month' page and an educational section on Fake Hatpins and Holders which follows a question and answer format. This is a great reference for collectors in this collecting area and covers reproductions, fantasies and marriages. (In this case marriage means, for example, an old stem plus a new top or a new stem plus an old top.

Coxsackie Antique Center, West Coxsackie, New York
Website: http://www.coxsackie.com
E-Mail: antiques@coxsackie.com
The Coxsackie Antique Center, which includes 100 dealers, is a Repro-Free Zone. Bill Johns, owner, explains "We have a very strict policy on fakes - they are not allowed in the building. Their website has a large section entitled Repro Alerts covering news and information on fakes and reproductions in a broad variety of collecting areas.

Calgary Coin & Antique Gallery
Website: http://www.cadvision.com/calcoin1/reference/fakes/fakes.htm
This site offers articles on fakes, forgeries and counterfeits of ancient coins.

Barry & Darling Ancient Coins
Website: http://www.bitsofhistory.com/info/fake_or_real.html
E-Mail: kbarry@bitsofhistory.com
Kevin Barry's site offers a good dissertation on ancient coins, trying to determine whether they are fake or real.

Matchbox Fakes, Reissues and Reproductions
Website: http://members.cland.net/carnahan/fakes.htm
A thorough discussion and documentation on the whole area of fakes, reproductions and reissues of Matchbox toys.

German Tank Badges of World War II Fakes/Reproductions
Website: http://tankbadges.homestead.com/Fakes~ns4.html
This site starts out with the statement, "The reproduction and out right fakery of Third Reich items on the market has accelerated through the years." Offers tips on how to try to tell the difference.

All Information About Jewelry Collecting
Website: http://jewelrycollecting.allinfo-about.com/a081801a.htm
"Fakes, The Collector Scourge" is an excellent article from The Archives. Sometimes it doesn't "come up" with the url given and you may need to go to the home page and work your way through to find it.

Rhinestone Rainbow
Website: http://www.rhinestonerainbow.com
E-Mail: dkos@radix.net
This is the site of Debbie Kosnet who collects and deals in rhinestone jewelry and is considers an expert in fakes and reproductions of costume jewelry. She has a good section on the site under "Is It Real or Is It FAKE?"

A.A. Importing Company
Website: http://www.aaimporting.com
An excellent way to learn more about current reproductions on the market is to order a catalog from distributors of reproductions as a reference. A.A. Importing Company, St. Louis, Missouri, is a wholesale distributor of antique reproductions for authorized resellers only. The fact that they have been in business for over 65 years, it is not uncommon to find items that have been in a family for 2-3 generations but is still a reproduction, having been originally purchased from the A.A. Importing Company.

Castle Antiques and Reproductions
Website: http://www.castleantiques.com
An excellent way to learn more about current reproductions on the market is to order a catalog from distributors of reproductions for authorized resellers only. Castle has been in business for over 20 years with headquarters located at Hawley, Pennsylvania. Their latest catalog features 16,000 items.

O&D Reproductions
Website: http://www.odreproductions.com
An excellent way to learn more about current reproductions on the market is to order a catalog from distributors of reproductions as a reference. O&D, located in Fultonville, New York, specializes primarily in landscaping repros like cast iron urns, water fountains and statues.

American Antique Reproductions, Inc
Website: http://www.americanantiques.com
An excellent way to learn more about current reproductions on the market is to order a catalog from distributors of reproductions as a reference. American Antiques (as they like to be called) is located in Chattanooga, Tennessee and has been operating since 1970 offering direct wholesale importers and distributors of antique reproduction furnture and accessories including a large selection of depression glass, Majolica, stoneware and blue & white ceramic.