Yep seems weird to me as it had sold on eBay and I guess it fell through. They said they had paperwork when I asked and then when I asked for a photo of the paperwork they went silent even though I messaged them a few more times saying I was a serious buyer??? Therefore I will be staying away from this one !!

They never even responded to my messages with questions about its authenticity. They are most likely a scammer. 

1.  The Urban Art Association has the potential to be valuable as a long-term information source — including for research, cross-referencing, warning notices, and public service announcements.

To any members who share this view and occasionally reference eBay listings, I would encourage them to provide both the link and a screenshot.

Since eBay typically removes listings after three months, a screenshot will ensure the relevant post (or even the entire thread) can still remain helpful to others for years to come.



2.  If somebody here won the auction for those tiles and actually paid for them, my recommendation would be to seek an immediate refund.



3.  Members who expressed wariness about the eBay listing and seller were, in my view, wise to do so.



4.  Time for another case study.


www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165705853362


eBay seller:  nyworlds

Apparent location:  San Francisco, California

Purported sale item:  Invasion Kit #15 (Glow in the Space) by Invader












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Side note A:

If a non-dodgy reason exists for sellers to make their eBay listings fully private, I would love to hear it.





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Side note B:

For high-value items, be suspicious of any eBay seller attempting to sell the same thing twice, without a forthright explanation in their second listing as to why.





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Sharp-eyed members (especially those who already own an authentic IK15 they can compare with) will have spotted a couple of potential red flags with the purported Invader signature. But I won't go into those specifics here.


For this purpose, it is sufficient just to focus on the yellow printing on the static shielding bag.

First, a genuine IK15. Note the finesse of the screenprinted letters, the registered trademark symbol, and the logo featuring a hand:






Now, compare and contrast with the probable counterfeit that nyworlds had twice listed on eBay. The increased roughness and loss of definition, which typically occurs when copy-screenprinting small details, are immediately apparent:






5.  Please do not assume the problem with fakes is limited to platforms like eBay, or to private sellers generally.

Plenty of auction houses and galleries are frequently just as corrupt. Or (to the extent they might actually be acting in good faith), just as unqualified, incompetent, reckless and/or criminally naive.


To cite but one example, Patrick Jones Gallery in Dallas, Texas, also sold a probable counterfeit IK15 via Artsy:










6.  It is worth emphasising that the higher-end Invader market has long ceased to be safe for amateurs and ignorant enthusiasts of the artist. Or for seasoned collectors who are too lazy and unwilling to carry out the requisite due diligence checks.



7.  Don't be a dupe. Keep your guard up and stay safe.