At 09:55 PM 9/4/2003 -0400, Tombread@aol.com wrote:
>In a message dated 9/4/03 8:00:30 PM US Eastern Standard Time,
>shiples@comcast.net writes:
>
>>Enjoy what you have and do what you enjoy. If history is important, you play
>>historian. This is an imperfect world and you either live with
>>your mistakes or discard them. Or, if you're litigious, you like the battle
>>in the courtroom, the loud bark of the lawyer etc. I doubt if that's cost
>>effective.
>
>
>But if you pay a premium for authenticity, then authenticity you should
>get. The word "fraud" comes to mind.
>
>Why is this any different than a Rodin copy being passed off as a one-off
>Real Thing? Or an XK-SS rebodied as a D-Type.
>
>Provenance is important in buying anything priced with a historic
>premium. It sounds like the fellow bought an homage replica but paid for
>the original.
>
>Tom Butters
I was advocating personal responsibility, so he should have researched
prior to purchase. I understand that
the seller misrepresented the vehicle, and the auction house aided in the
fraud. So the seller's a liar,
the buyer believed the lie, and I bet the auction house has fine print
which protects them. The buyer is
innocent of course. And in my opinion, a very good lesson in buying at
auction.
Incidentally, the XK-SS rebodied as a D-Type would be an excellent history
lesson. I would be happy to
end up as the winner of that auction. The D-types have been pretty well
documented. I believe one of the
duplicates was built from the frame tubing at the front, while the other
was built from the tub. If I remember
correctly the serial number was stamped on the original in several places
so the fraud isn't obvious. That's
the sort of stuff that happens when a car gets wrecked....and
rebuilt....and restamped. If this happened in
Washington state, I'm pretty sure both cars and their rebuilders would be
violating the law. Like anybody cares....
I'm back to the same conclusion, enjoy driving the car. Leave the
provenance to the historian. I've tried 'em
both, one is better. Same goes for screwing. It's all about making
choices, and watching your back.
Steve Shipley
B.A. History 1975
1965 Lotus 7 SB2080
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