Fake Signs

[US71]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280456520721&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

"THSES SIGNS CAN AND DO FOOL THE EXPERTS!!. I AM THE ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD TO MY KNOWLEDGE THAT MAKES THESE STYLE SIGNS AT ALL, MUCH LESS WITH THE DEGREE OF QUALITY AND REALISM SHOWN."

Obviously, he's not met Jake or seen his authentic replicas

[roadfro]

I'm not familiar with old sign specs, but every old US shield I've seen has the "US" legend above the number. This reproduction doesn't. The font of the word "California" doesn't look quite right either.

[ctsignguy]

Well, the lack of the 'US" legend isnt necessarily a tip...several states did not use the "US" legend on their shields....North Carolina, Illinois, Kansas, Washington were some of the states that didnt always use the 'US'...

HOWEVER....

*leaving aside Robert Edgar's horselaughs every time he sees this guy's eBay ads...* there are several things wrong with this shield....wrong shape, wrong fonts, and for the Calaifornia, lack of issuing agency on hte bottom of the shields...

Jake could go on for hours and show you his replicas which are far more authentic in appearance

[Ian]

I really hate that most of the route sign listings on ebay are fake US 66 shields, and very little are actual authentic used shields that are worth bidding on. Just my opinion.

[US71]

I really hate that most of the route sign listings on ebay are fake US 66 shields, and very little are actual authentic used shields that are worth bidding on. Just my opinion.

I find it funny (in sort of a twisted way) that the seller claims they are authentic and will "fool the experts".  I think someone on MTR wrote the guy once, and he laughed off any notion these were fake.

[Ian]

I really hate that most of the route sign listings on ebay are fake US 66 shields, and very little are actual authentic used shields that are worth bidding on. Just my opinion.

I find it funny (in sort of a twisted way) that the seller claims they are authentic and will "fool the experts".  I think someone on MTR wrote the guy once, and he laughed off any notion these were fake.

Yea it is annoying, but it is funny, especially when the 66 shields don't look anything like the real thing.

[ctsignguy]

MY authentic fake US 66 shield



Can you tell it from the real thing?

[Bickendan]

Yes: It's not beat up and weathered!

That aside, it looks authentic enough

[roadfro]

Newer generation design (non-square font), but it looks like any other old US shield I've seen. If it were beaten up and weathered, I'd probably mistake it for the real thing.

[Michael]

MY authentic fake US 66 shield

That's quite an oxymoron.

[US71]

MY authentic fake US 66 shield

That's quite an oxymoron.

What about "authentic replica" ?

[mightyace]

MY authentic fake US 66 shield

That's quite an oxymoron.

What about "authentic replica" ?

A better term would be...
[Historically] Accurate Replica

[US71]

A better term would be...
[Historically] Accurate Replica

That's a mouthful. How about we write "this is a fake" on the back of each of them with a red felt tip pen

[ctsignguy]

Well, it is an 'authentic fake' in part because it was made by ILLDOT back when US 66 was decommissioned (hence the authentic), but was on slightly thinner than standard aluminum as opposed to the steel Illy used on their US cutouts (hence the fake)

Clear as mud?

[agentsteel53]

"THSES SIGNS CAN AND DO FOOL THE EXPERTS!!. I AM THE ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD TO MY KNOWLEDGE THAT MAKES THESE STYLE SIGNS AT ALL, MUCH LESS WITH THE DEGREE OF QUALITY AND REALISM SHOWN."

"thses" guy is an authentic moron.  I've excreted higher quality materials than what he has for sale.

there is a very good reason why he can't get 15 bucks for the hideous products he attempts to unleash upon the masses:

http://cgi.ebay.com/C-1927-ARIZONA-ROAD-MARKER-SIGN-W-NATIVE-AMER-SWAZTIKA_W0QQitemZ280453148336QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item414c4f6eb0

yep, 14.99 and didn't sell... what a joker, scanning in the 1927 Rand McNally atlas and passing it off as an actual highway marker. 

[agentsteel53]

was on slightly thinner than standard aluminum as opposed to the steel Illy used on their US cutouts

Illy did use aluminum for their cutouts in the late 50s and early 60s (I believe they switched away from cutouts once and for all in '62 or so) - the difference between the real signs intended for field use, and the ones made in 1976 as a commemoration, is that the real signs have reflective sheeting, while the 1976 edition is all non-reflective.

[ctsignguy]

You are quite right.....i forgot about that detail....my bad....

[US71]

And another fake trying to pass itself off as legit:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Real-US-Route-66-Scorched-Road-Sign-from-New-Mexico_W0QQitemZ130365996532QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item1e5a6b3df4

[Brandon]

And another fake trying to pass itself off as legit:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Real-US-Route-66-Scorched-Road-Sign-from-New-Mexico_W0QQitemZ130365996532QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item1e5a6b3df4

Geeze, that's such an obvious fake.  No US-66 sign ever had the word "Route" on it in the field.
Where do these folks come from trying to pass this stuff off as genuine?

[agentsteel53]

No US-66 sign ever had the word "Route" on it in the field.

I have seen one.  A Mojave County Highway Department issue from the early 1960s.  



But that one is not printed cheaply on .04 aluminum with garish clown fonts.  The eBay one is indeed hideously fake.

[US71]

He's at it again:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280576347689&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

"EACH BUYER IS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY THE QUALITY, CONSTRUCTION, SIZE, WEIGHT AND REALISM OF THESE SIGN REPROS!!!."

"ONE BUYER TOOK HIS SIGN TO THE PRESTIGIOUS LEMAY MUSEUM IN TACOMA, WA (LOOK IT UP, IT IS THE LARGEST AUTOMOBILE/ TRANSPORTATION, ETC MUSEUM IN THE WORLD), TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND APPRAISED BY THEIR PROFESSIONAL RESTORATION STAFF. THEY ADVISED HIM THE SIGN WAS MOST CERTAINLY FROM THE 1930'S ERA. THERE WERE A LOT OF RED FACES WHEN HE TOLD THEM IT WAS ONLY A FEW WEEKS OLD!!!"

---
PT Barnum: "There's a sucker born every minute"

[Scott5114]

"THEY AR 24''X24'' AS PER THE ORIGINALS." 24x24 shields weren't introduced until 1948!

[Zmapper]

That looks sooo real! 

[corco]

That's so absurd- it's like a sign sales troll.

I mean, even if that sign is horribly fake, it still looks like it took a moderate amount of effort- if you're going to put any amount of time into something it seems like you should at least be able to get it sort of right. I feel like this guy knows his signs suck and gets off on selling bad ones.

I'm really trying to figure out who actually buys a sign like that- I'd assume that most people who 'pay $80 for a road sign are sign enthusiasts on some level, and it seems like they would at least be able to recognize a correct shield shape!

[US71]

I like THIS one. I've never seen one like it , but it looks legit. I'll have to make a photoshop of it

http://cgi.ebay.com/ORIG-south-dakota-US-16-ROAD-SIGN-embossed-shield-nice_W0QQitemZ140464068258QQcategoryZ14048QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m8QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DMW%26its%3DC%26itu%3DUCC%26otn%3D5%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D4900470085245501753

I'm sure one of the Forum denizens will get this one.