This piece is scheduled to appear in future publications issued by the Michigan State Auctioneers Association and Ohio Auctioneers Association.
If you haven't seen one yet, you will.
Civil War tintypes that seem the holy grail. Soldiers with two or even three guns stuffed into their belts. Rare Confederate views. Black soldiers of the Great Rebellion. The cream of the crop to collectors.
Except they're not. They're fake.
The bogus tintypes have begun to flood eBay in a trend that seems to have taken hold in recent months. While some are sold as reproductions, others are sold as the real deal. Even those labeled as fakes bring money in the hundreds of dollars. Those that aren't labeled as fakes do, too, as unsuspecting buyers snatch up what appear to be great deals. And why does anyone pay hundreds of dollars for the images disclosed as reproductions? Because they'll probably sell them as the real deal for a lot more.
It's only a matter of time before they wind up on your doorstep, as consignments for the next auction. Some will surely knowingly peddle these fakes as the real deal. But countless others will get a hold of fakes they bought as the real thing from someone else, either on eBay, at a flea market or another auction. And what will they do?
They'll bring the image to auction, put it back on eBay or otherwise offer it as the real deal.
You may very well get excited, as will your bidders. The price might soar, and yet another sorry buyer will end up with a pricey tintype with little value.
I can't proclaim to know the motivations of the handful of eBay sellers that move these fakes on a near daily basis. I'm not even entirely sure how these things are made. I bought one to examine it, and had the seller pull out of the deal, supposedly because of an eBay sanction. It's too bad. I would have liked to examine the thing in the flesh. I still will as soon as I buy one and get it delivered.
In the mean time, here are some tips.
Of course, looking at as many of the real thing as possible never hurts.
Real tintypes are attracted to a magnet (tintypes are indeed not tin, but on a thin sheet of iron), and most often have a deep and rich contrast and are black and gray or black and a deep gray brown. Those that I have seen online that are clearly fakes have a strange color. Green in tone, or blue, and with little contrast. Their backs are often unusual too.
Just about all real tintypes have a back that japanned black or is brown in color, but has not had any heavy coating painted on.
These fakes, though, seem to wind up with a coating on the back for whatever reason. That's another thing to watch out for.
While low quality repros have been floating around for quite a while, these better copies today seem to be coming out in larger numbers. They're sure to end up at your auction house soon, and they seem to get harder to spot by the day.
The sad result will be a depressed price for the legitimate item. I've already been contacted by one seller who had a 'Reb tintype returned after a buyer accused it of being a fake. I'm convinced it was real, but as soon as the fakes flood the market everyone becomes suspicious.
Here are a few fake tintype images from eBay, with my thoughts on them:
This image clearly lacks contrast depths of a genuine tintype. Gradation in tone is also poor. It fades from light to black very quickly. It also has a uniform yellow color.
Back appears coated, unlike most tintypes
This lack of tint and contrast, along with the green color and complete lack of surface wear, belies this as a fake.
The back had a treatment similar to the above tintype, but was sanded to add "age." It was also bent a few times to add the appearance of age. As with all antiques, one must look for signs of authentic age.
Poor contrast and color. These fakes are often tinted, and often elaborately, to add some sense of authenticity. Tinting does not make a tintype authentic. In fact, too much of it might call it into question if some of the other issues are also present.
Also has the sanded back, worn in a way that is not also apparent on the front. Pure fakery.
Excessive tinting in the flag, but no tinting elsewhere. Lack of contrast and tone. Strange green color.
Treated back.
Again, the strangely tinted flag and odd tone.
This image is trickier. It has been cut to an oval, and had paper applied to the back as if it once resided in an album. Do not be fooled. Look closely at the treated back and odd tone on the front.
Again, poor contrast and tone/color gradation.
A strange blue color and little contrast and gradation.
This one is trickier, but still has a very sharp transition from dark to light, which gives it away, as does some other strange bleeding in the colors at his elbow to our right.
And the back has the treatment that gives it away.
Please do not be fooled by these. If you come across an image and aren't sure, don't hesitate to contact me at adrian@burnsbid.com
