Various reports have surfaced in recent weeks about a scandal involving what experts claim are counterfeit ’30s-’40s horror movie posters, window cards, and lobby cards. Some reporting on this story estimate that several million dollars worth of this material has been sold and traded into the marketplace, which has purportedly resulted in at least two lawsuits. [Read more…]
In what is being called a landmark decision, a jury in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California this week found that two ISPs and their owner are liable for contributing to trademark and copyright infringement for hosting sites selling counterfeit Louis Vuitton merchandise. [Read more…]
This article continues coverage of Superman costumes and costume components offered for sale publicly in the marketplace attributed to use in the Superman films of the 70s-80s starring Christopher Reeve and characterized as “original” and “authentic”. [Read more…]
This is a follow-up to previous articles (see kellysheroesmilitaria Original Props…, Update 1, Update 2, Update 3, Update 4, Update 5, Update 6) in which “original prop” auctions by “kellysheroesmilitaria” on eBay were compared with non-movie prop matching items available for sale from online retailers, as well as non-movie prop purchases made on eBay by “kellysheroesmilitaria” and items that appear to match being offered for sale as “original props” from the same eBay account. [Read more…]
As noted previously (see kellysheroesmilitaria Original Props: Update 4, eBay Third Party Reporting Case Study), I had used the eBay third party reporting systems (see eBay & Third Party Reporting (Fraud, Violations of Policy) to alert eBay to problematic listings while testing the effectiveness of sharing material information directly with eBay through their public systems in an effort to help them to enforce their own policies. This article serves as an update and conclusion, marked by the occasion of kellysheroesmilitaria relisting one of the primary auctions reported to eBay. [Read more…]
This is a follow-up to previous articles (see kellysheroesmilitaria Original Props…, Update 1, Update 2, Update 3) in which original prop auctions by “kellysheroesmilitaria” on eBay were compared with matching items available for sale from online retailers, as well as non-movie prop purchases made on eBay by “kellysheroesmilitaria” and items that appear to match being offered for sale as original props under the same eBay account. The subject eBay listing of the Update 4 article has been canceled by the seller for the following stated reason:
This is a follow-up to previous articles (see kellysheroesmilitaria Original Props…, Update 1, Update 2, Update 3) in which original prop auctions by “kellysheroesmilitaria” on eBay were compared with matching items available for sale from online retailers, as well as non-movie prop purchases made on eBay by “kellysheroesmilitaria” and items that appear to match being offered for sale as original props under the same eBay account. A reader drew my attention to a new set of auctions, which is followed by a note about eBay third party reporting in practice. [Read more…]
One of the most frequent topics that original prop collectors bring up with me is with regard to fraud on eBay. This is often coupled with expressions of frustration by collectors who have found that they do not understand how to report fraud and violations of eBay policy with eBay directly, when they are not party to any transaction. Though eBay has a number of appropriate policies in place, it is challenging for eBay members to find the appropriate method by which these experts in the field can share material information directly with eBay in an effort to help them to enforce their own policies. [Read more…]
