Anyone interested in beer labels should be aware that a seller in Idaho, USA who goes by the name ‘ goddie2765 ‘ is selling reproduction labels on an internet auction site.
The first listings didn’t even mention that the labels where not genuine and several sold for considerable amounts of money. The seller now has the words “Faithful reproduction of the original printed on quality paper.” but unless you were searching for it, you might miss it. Efforts are being made to bring this practice to a rapid end. The labels have been downloaded from the internet and we are considering how this might impact on this site.
4 Comments
14 February, 2015
at 10:58 am
I’ve noticed a few of these guys and it’s so obvious in some cases. Indeed, if you go onto thee-bay breweriana site you can see see ads for several sellers appearing to be selling the same item (e.g. Langton’s Thorpe End Brewery – “Specialite”) and others where the same “copyright” watermark on the pic of the label – or other item such as beer mat – appears on different sellers’ sites. I have to say we’ve nearly been caught by these guys a couple of times and I must reiterate Peter’s warning of “buyer beware”. Look very closely at each pic, try and save them on a jpeg if you can and then expand them to large pixel level to look for scuffs and other flaws which might appear to have been “Photoshopped” out. Also, I’d suggest members keep reference pics of labels appearing on the web and doing picture comparisons where the same brand appears on different sites. Obviously, where there is a serious similarity one or more have to be “fakes”. Vennett-Smith used to watermark the complete label when posting them on the Vennett-Smith auction site and this might be a consideration for the Labologists; but of course that has the disadvantage to members and true non-member followers that such a watermar detracts from the overall pleasure of viewing some delightful pieces of Victorian and Edwardian commercial art. Of course, owners of labels who kindly upload scans to the website could take a copies of the scans and post them by registered post back to themselves and store them without opening them. This will secure their intellectual copyright and if unauthorised copies scans appear on the web auction sites those sellers can have their accounts frozen or closed. Now that might sort them out!
14 February, 2015
at 1:23 pm
I bidded on and won two auctions of this seller. (nice labels from Brasil, reproduction wasn’t mentioned in the description). I read this post before paying ! And I will contact Ebay !
Thank you very much !
15 February, 2015
at 12:31 pm
Whatever we did, it worked. The seller has removed all the beer labels from his seller lists. Determined action prevented someone making money in a way which would have undermined our attempts to bring beer labels and brewery history to a wider audience. Although none of the labels he copied came from this site, it might have made collectors even more wary of sharing images with the Society. Let me know how you went on if you won any of the labels.
15 February, 2015
at 6:06 pm
Hi Peter
Well done for spotting this situation and for getting the word out! Much appreciated!
Great that we have a voice through this fantastic web site to get info like this out there to all our fellow Labologist!! Even when they are across the big pond.
Keep up the good work and if any other worthy news becomes up, look first to http://www.labology.org.uk !!!!
Cheers
Dale