Repro pellet boxes and tins

[Troubledshooter]

The thing is that if you have never seen one, you wouldn't know if it was real or a copy. it's fine if you have an original to compare it with. l don't know if Dennis had them made or not, but l bought mine off him a long long time ago. l sold it has a copy because that is what Dennis was selling them has at the time. the edition that came with my boxed Service which l belive is original is a 8th edition with a different colour on the front and dated September 1938. but thank you for showing the 2 copies together.

As you say, a newcomer to collecting could quite easily be fooled if they've never seen an original 6th.edition.
As far as I am aware, the sixth edition is the only version to have been replicated in the eighties, and all the other original editions had different colours and patterns on the covers. I've shown some of them on my site.

[slug-gun]

A few years ago some Senior and Mk.1 pistols were re-chromed and nickel plated, and of course ultimately passed off as original once ownership had been transferred through two or three pairs of hands.
How many have such, thinking one the cream of their collection when in fact it is probably worth less than the standard blued item?

In my opinion the less 'repro' there is of anything the better, as the scope for confusion, disappointment and fraud as the years go by is too large.
Also how much satisfaction is there really in having something you know to be a copy, even if it was cheap?
The whole point of collecting is the pleasure in finding genuine artefacts, to enhance a collection?
I would rather go without, maybe for ever, than have something that was made two weeks ago on a laser printer - ugh!

[harvey_s]

I do feel that someone new to airgun accessory and ephemera collection is at much more of a disadvantage these days than people who started many years ago due to the number of 'reproduction' items out there.
Even some items that have been reproduced with very minor 'clues' as to the fact they are repro's would be difficult to spot by the untrained and very well researched eye and even less so if you are not a member of this forum!

Ironically it is collectors that are usually responsible - as they are the ones aware of the rarity and value of such repro's and are in possession of originals to copy.

Whilst I am not accusing anyone here of deliberately setting out to deceive - I DO think that reproduction items should be clearly marked (albeit discretely) that they are reproductions.
When the first buyer buys a reproduction item from the maker - he probably knows exactly what he's buying - what possible reason could there be for denying the next buyer the same opportunity?

Without this the market is open to unscrupulous individuals taking advantage of those new to collecting which is just unfair.

[Josie & John]

A few years ago some Senior and Mk.1 pistols were re-chromed and nickel plated, and of course ultimately passed off as original once ownership had been transferred through two or three pairs of hands.
How many have such, thinking one the cream of their collection when in fact it is probably worth less than the standard blued item?

In my opinion the less 'repro' there is of anything the better, as the scope for confusion, disappointment and fraud as the years go by is too large.
Also how much satisfaction is there really in having something you know to be a copy, even if it was cheap?
The whole point of collecting is the pleasure in finding genuine artefacts, to enhance a collection?
I would rather go without, maybe for ever, than have something that was made two weeks ago on a laser printer - ugh!

I couldn't agree more.

John

[walnutfarmmick]

What an interesting thread! Worthy of the Moral Maze. (As a devout Radio 4 listener I have no higher praise).

I make no apologies for reviving it. I just can't understand how I missed it back in March 2017. I must have because I could not have resisted having my say. I found it just now, totally by accident, having just put Replica Webley boxes into Search. I did not realise that Troubledshooter had stopped producing such things and thought he might have been interested in either an Acvoke or a Warrior box to reproduce. I'd sourced one of each in New Zealand, complete with pistol and thought he might have been interested, with no expectations of anybody being misled. That was perhaps naive of me as I tend to be pretty cynical.

I now find me doubting my own intentions ( a rarity in it's own right !), largely due to Danny's (Garvin's) arguments against replicas.

Oddly enough I get sort-of replicas made of wing mirror arms to fit J type Bedfords to take to NZ. The Kiwis tend to scorn wing mirrors. Or possibly the originals have long since failed to be adjusted and have sheered off. As the host trucks were expected to last 10 years and the last are now at least 45 not that many have survived. My versions are made of stainless steel so they never seize the way the originals did (mild steel in close proximity to cast steel, exposed to the elements for a lifetime ). They add an element of bling or can be painted for the factory finish. My conscience is perfectly clear in that context but I'll have to give a bit more thought to the rest of it.

I'll let the effects of tonight's bottle of Sambucca ( surprise Xmas present ) wear off before I give serious thought to the earlier part of the thread. With hindsight have any of you revised your earlier opinions.

Looking forwards to any comments, Mick

[cinedux]

Well,mostly I decorate my book shelves with them.As time goes by they fade.So,best I just use replicas!I'd love a flat print taken from a Crosman .21 pellet drum....and a Paul Shotgun box,;-) I don't shell out much for old cardboard boxes.
Some of them, like the Warrior one, make great wall decorations! I see there are Daisy and Crosman clocks but the Webley one is simply the best.

[frakor]

When I made my 3 barrel Webley Service box, the only things original Webley are the rifle and 1 barrel.
But this is very obvious something entirely different compared to a original boxed Service!
To complete it I made 3 tiny pellet tins in al 3 calibers, yes even a .25 pellet tin.
Would that confuse a future collector?









=======================
Frank

[Binners]

Nice job Frank...

[Troubledshooter]

When I made my 3 barrel Webley Service box, the only things original Webley are the rifle and 1 barrel.
But this is very obvious something entirely different compared to a original boxed Service!
To complete it I made 3 tiny pellet tins in al 3 calibers, yes even a .25 pellet tin.
Would that confuse a future collector?


=======================
Frank

I like the Webley labels on the modern screw top pellet tins, but I don't think you need to worry about the .25 tin as Webley never made one at that time, which one would hope a Webley collector would know.
They sit nicely in the purpose made plinth in the Service case.

[walnutfarmmick]

When I made my 3 barrel Webley Service box, the only things original Webley are the rifle and 1 barrel.
But this is very obvious something entirely different compared to a original boxed Service!
To complete it I made 3 tiny pellet tins in al 3 calibers, yes even a .25 pellet tin.
Would that confuse a future collector?









=======================
Frank

It'd make a present-day one jealous!

ATB, Mick