Beware the Sharks & the Monsters on
eBay

Corkscrew collectors are getting stung by
unscrupulous sellers every week on eBay. Fakes,
reproductions & blatant marriages are
commonplace.

The time has come to fight back, name & shame
these rogue sellers & declare what eBay items are
dubious to help the corkscrew collecting
community.
eBay has become one of the largest Worldwide marketplaces for purchasing antique &
vintage corkscrews. Hundreds of enthusiastic corkscrew collectors check the auction
site regularly hoping to find new additions for their collection. Thousands of dollars,
pounds & euros are changing hands daily.

In most cases - It's a great place to buy!

Unfortunately, as the eBay revolution has grown so have the number of fake,
reproduction & home made concoctions listed for sale. Both experienced & new
collectors alike are being caught by unscrupulous sellers who offer these corkscrews
looking to make an easy buck. Often these dubious pieces sell for high prices & then a
few weeks later the same seller has another batch for sale.

Like many collectors, I check eBay daily. I will take the opportunity to highlight on this
page eBay items that I believe to be either fake, reproduction or a modern concoction.
My findings will be based on 10+years of experience dealing & collecting antique &
vintage corkscrews. If I'm not certain then I won't highlight them.
If you are an experience corkscrew collector & feel like me that these rogues should be stopped then please
send me any eBay item number that you feel is wrong & your reasoning behind it to Peter@corkscrewsonline.com

Lets work together to help all corkscrew collectors avoid the bad side of eBay & by doing so, maybe, just maybe
we can drive some of them away.
Sold for $305. Part gun worm,
likely a recently machined gun
worm & part folding button hook
frame.
 Sold for $160.
Part original
period frame &
sadly, part
fishing reel.
 Sold for 301 Euros by New-girl66,
a serial offender. A real mish
mash design aimed only to
deceive. Buyer beware!
 Sold for 179 Euros.
A regular 1960's
metal T with a
Cockeril added later.
~ A few past sales ~
Sold for $179 as a cork puller.
Another weird marriage. Beware of
silver handles that can be taken
from boot hooks, shoe horns, button
hooks, etc, etc. In this case, the
puller was likely machined, aged &
then added.
 Another marriage. Sold
for 256 Euros. It only
encourages these
sellers to make more.
 This corkscrew sold
for $350 by seller
Lungbergbro. Sold
as unique but with
no mention to it
being a marriage.
Deceiving!
 Sold for $197. A right
mixture of parts. Period
Walker bell mixed with
pieces from other items.
No mention in the ad,
just sold as is.
~ Dubious corkscrews listed on eBay ~
March 2012
Ebay item #
150724099790

Offered at $325 Buy it now or
best offer

Period Walker bell married with a
knife handle or similar. Not
original.

No mention in the advert of age,
etc. Not good enough!
Ebay item #
260956551491

Being sold as a single lever engraved 1843 at
a Buy it now price of $499

Buyer beware this hand crafted fake.

It's a disgrace!
Help protect the eBay corkscrew collecting
community.

Send me ebay items that you believe are fake, marriages or
reproductions together with your reasoning to:
Peter@corkscrewsonline.com
Attention eBay
sellers!
Don't be a devil

If your eBay item is shown on this
page then you have not been fair to
the people that you are selling to.

To avoid your future items being
highlighted, please be fair &
specific in your auction description.
Peter Borrett - Corkscrews Online
Visit Corkscrews Online
Ebay item #
200654046300

Offered at $2200 Buy it now
being sold as a rare period piece, circa
1859-1899.

This is a modern bone corkscrew, circa
2000 or later
Ebay item #
251008280823

Offered at a $49.99 auction start by
Hungarian seller Furkos1, described as
Vintage Basset Hound Dog Heavy
Bronze Corkscrew Figural NICE

One of a few questionable pieces that
this seller is currently offering

This a one of many figural type
corkscrews that surface on ebay with a
worm added. This was not originally a
corkscrew. Buyer beware!
Another offering from Furkus1 this
week

Ebay item # 260964582895
described as vintage scissor
corkscrew. These are regular scissor
handles, worm added. Shocking!

Fake scissor corkscrews have been
offered for some time now on eBay.
Buyer beware!
30/1/12 Check out this link for fairly recent completed eBay German corkscrew listings - highest value
first. You'll find a number of fakes & marriages. Pretty shocking really!
eBay Germany completed listings
Corkscrew Education - Buyer Beware
Read Don Bull's informative article in Friday,
28th, February 2003 Daily Screw which
highlights some modern corkscrews frequently
found on eBay.
Buyer beware - reproduction Codd corkscrews
Left, a period example. Middle & right, two examples that have been offered on eBay by a seller in India
A UK corkscrew collector writes, 1st February 2012...

How do these people get to be top rated sellers!!! People must realise when they receive the stuff that
it was made last week. I think it might be worth putting on your site that if you are new collector go to
the dealers like Ilya, Christopher Sykes etc just to ask to handle a few corkscrews and get a feel for
the genuine article. You can’t  beat handling the items I’m sure you will agree. It is a shame the
Christies sales no longer happen as it was a great opportunity to handle a very wide range of genuine
antique corkscrews. It is also worth newbies checking the sellers completed items, if they have
repeatedly sold very similar examples you can bet it is a fake, numerous buy it nows at identical prices
are also a teller.
Ebay item #
130645940571

described as RARE
antique long worm long
bronze corkscrew.

Not rare - not antique - buyer
beware!

Made to deceive!!!!
29/2 Update - sadly this item sold for $305
BUYER
BEWARE!!

Original frame
with winder
added.

Be cautious.

If you are not
sure - don't buy
Ebay item # 290675176864
being sold as

Beautiful antique Russian
cast iron corkscrew

Being offered at a $360
BIN

This is less than 10 years old

Buyer beware!