Can i just ask your opinion on repro items?

[x-pack]

I've been reading through the Ebay section and most of it appears to be 'spot the repro item'. Being completely honest since prices went mental back in the mid nineties i have been known to buy repro weapons and the odd cape for my own collection. I've even recarded a couple of figures for display and replaced the decal on a trashed R2D2.

These days i'm not after having a complete MOC collection. I like things to look as original as possible but i can't justify spending hundreds of pounds doing it. At the end of the day i have a collection i enjoy.

So what do you guys think of doing this? It seems as though some of you are really quite anti-repro, which is fine. If people are selling repro items as genuine then that's just out of order, and probably fraudulant. But can there be a problem with me knowingly buying repro items at repro prices purely for display purposes? I am open to discussion on this as i can kind of see both view points ..and i'm pretty damn sure i once bought a fake vinyl cloaked Jawa. :roll:

 

[Richard_H]

For me as display only items then fine. The only repro piece I have that I'm aware of is a DT Vader inner piece. I know it's repro and if it ever leaves my collection it'll be as a repro. If I can get a genuine inner it'll go in the bin though!

Personally I'd be happier if all repro weapons had a big R on them to distinguish them.

 

[x-pack]

Yeh know what you mean. The weapons i have are obviously repro. They don't feel the same strangely enough and i can easily tell which ones are fake. The plastic is lighter and less flexible with the fakes. To look at though they are pretty good, which i guess is the problem. However, I got a white cape for Leia Organa and it's almost impossible to tell apart .. except that it's brand new looking.

 

[Grant_C]

I think they are utter bollocks that complicate the hobbie and allow criminals to thrive.

 

[x-pack]

Aha! There you are 8)

It's a fair comment. But with limited cash (limited by several other hobbies) and silly inflated prices is there an issue? One way to look at it might be that at least fakes keep you on your toes.

Imagine if someone started producing a fake Vlix :shock: There was a northern bloke who faked all these old master works of art and sold them as genuine. He ended up doing time. With high value figures we may be entering the same arena.

 

[edd_jedi]

Personally I don't have anything against people that buy fakes, after all you can buy fakes of pretty much anything and it's always been a way of affording something that you can't really afford (although the quality is often inferior of course.)

They don't do it for me because you still don't own what you really want. Deep down you know it's a fake. If I can't afford something or am not willing to pay the going rate, I'd rather settle with looking at photos.

It's much more rewarding to save up a bit longer or look a bit harder, and end up with the real thing.

 

[x-pack]

It must surely depend on how far you wish to go with your collecting. There's no question that a genuine collection is more impressive. I just think prices are daft these days and am not willing to put myself at the mercy of Ebay - single weapons in excess of £5 - 10 for example. I've even sold (genuine) items and thought 'bloody hell' at the silly money people are willing to pay for average items! To be honest i'm more likely to buy off sellers on here - the prices seem more realistic and the undertone seems to be that repro = bad

 

[Grant_C]

Get the real deal. It's not a race- enjoy the hunt. :wink:

 

[x-pack]

Hmm, suppose so. But the fakes! They are so cheap, available, and so tempting :wink:

 

[Grant_C]

The best thing about collecting I think is finally getting that piece you've been after well under budget.

That for me is the drug of choice

 

[itfciain]

The best thing about collecting I think is finally getting that piece you've been after well under budget.

That for me is the drug of choice

I think that sums it up for me as well. I wouldn't want any reproduction stuff in my collection at the moment as I know that with a bit of patience then I will be able to get the real deal for the sort of prices I want to pay.

 

[tiefighterboy]

I used to be a drug dealer :wink:

 

[CRAZYHAZY]

dont see the point of buying fake anything really. im always skint but i will never buy a repro out desparation, patience is a virtue i can go months without purchasing i thing, because its not available or out of my price range. the genuine article is always worth it in the end. knowing that the item has survived between 35-27 years and a genuine article from my childhood makes it all the more pleasing imo.

 

[aussiejames]

repro wife- don't tell your mates & don't display her :wink:

 

[tiefighterboy]

Her mouth is too small :lol:

 

[Grant_C]

Mum?

 

[itfciain]

Her mouth is too small :lol:

What, for your head ?

 

[palitoyjunky]

I am glad to see pretty much all you true collectors feel the same as me!
A repro means absolutely nothing to a true collector!
If I were in control all repros, fakes or what ever one wants to call them would be thrown into the fire and future production banned and punishable by death :twisted:
Oh alright then life imprisonment :lol:

All jokes aside there are enough original standard weapons/accessories out there so no one really has to turn to a repro when looking for those pieces!
As said it is a real sense of achievement for someone to save a bit harder, hunt with a little more effort to find that elusive original!

Most guys on here are regular I'm sure ie no silver spoon. What they spend just shows how passionate they are about real vintage SW toys and the magic that comes from precious childhood memories! Some may take months even years to save for a piece!

Don't sell out to the repro!

 

[aussiejames]

quote="aussiejames"]Just another option/idea:

using acid free, archival figure blisters from here : http://www.protechproductsinc.com/starwars.htm
or here http://www.theearthtoymall.com/socasmfilo.html

Good cardbacks can be found cheaply as a result of U graders !!
They display very well IMO & you can still get your figures back out.[/quote]

 

[escapist]

I am new to loose collecting hut wanted to ensure all my items have weapons! Initially I looked at some of the repro bundles you see on EBay but didn't have the heart to plunge as i thought, whilst it may look ok on display, when Im dead and gone, I'd want my kid to have something worthwhile! And I'd hate for anything to get mixed up between the real and fake.

So I just purchased a few weapons via Iain! And will keep going back for more as and when I have cash! A good arms dealer is all you need!

And through the imperial gunnery website I am learning a lot more about telling difference and learnt that a few of my weapons that came with some recent purchases were fake (the paint is peeling off my green lightsaber).