W.W.&F. Discussion Forum

The Maine Narrow Gauges (Historic & Preserved) => The Original W&Q and WW&F: 1894-1933 => Topic started by: Ed Lecuyer on December 07, 2008, 05:56:23 PM

Title: W&Q Baggage Tag on Ebay
Post by: Ed Lecuyer on December 07, 2008, 05:56:23 PM

Thought that this may interest some of us. I have no connection to the auction, etc.

See ebay item:
110322442634
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110322442634 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110322442634)

Title: Re: W&Q Baggage Tag on Ebay
Post by: Ira Schreiber on December 07, 2008, 08:50:04 PM

Ed, et.al,
Most baggage tags on e-bay are counterfeit. There is a web site that lists these items. Most are made in China, surprise, and not China, ME.

Title: Re: W&Q Baggage Tag on Ebay
Post by: Ira Schreiber on December 07, 2008, 08:54:38 PM

This is the article.

Baggage Tags. Bogus baggage tags have appeared recently on the internet. Two are marked "Southern Rio Grande Pacific L69" and "Great Northern Railroad 247" but there are other railroad-related markings as well. The tags are shaped like the Union Pacific shield and looked newly minted.

http://www.railroadiana.org/fakes/pgFakes.php

Title: Re: W&Q Baggage Tag on Ebay
Post by: Ed Lecuyer on December 07, 2008, 09:05:03 PM

Thanks Ira,

I found a couple more links about fake tags.

http://railroadiana.org/fakes/pgFakes_Other.php (http://railroadiana.org/fakes/pgFakes_Other.php)
http://www.tagtown.net/fake.html (http://www.tagtown.net/fake.html)

I know nothing about railroadiana, etc. I don't collect this stuff at all.

Title: Re: W&Q Baggage Tag on Ebay
Post by: Mike the Choochoo Nix on December 07, 2008, 10:22:27 PM

I posted a question about it on the  rrdiana list. One guy said he at one time 3 of them and thought they were genuine, Another said the seller is reputable. The third wasn't sure, as other railroads have been forged. They may also have been tool checks and not baggage checks, I guess some companys are known to have used them for that.

M.Nix

Title: Re: W&Q Baggage Tag on Ebay
Post by: Ken McCown on December 08, 2008, 01:11:39 AM

Scott Czaja is the guy that has the Tagtown website. He is located in New England and is a very reputable railroadiana collector and NE Region historian.  Here is a link to his page from Tagtown that deals with the Maine ng railroads which shows similar W&Q tags. http://www.tagtown.net/maineng.html  He is quite active on the Railroadiana nShare list, and will answer questions for you if you email him.

Title: Re: W&Q Baggage Tag on Ebay
Post by: James Patten on December 08, 2008, 07:23:56 AM

The auction says the W&Q tag is "guaranteed to be at least 100 years old".

Considering the WW&F Railroad took over in 1901 or so, the guarantee should be for least 110 years old.

Title: Re: W&Q Baggage Tag on Ebay
Post by: Mike Fox on December 08, 2008, 07:45:44 AM

I bought a couple of B&SR tags last year and they are original. Probably the best way to find out if it fake or not is see what other items are for sale and look at what he has sold recently.

Title: Re: W&Q Baggage Tag on Ebay
Post by: Ira Schreiber on December 08, 2008, 02:52:52 PM

I was in no way trying to discredit a reputible dealer, just to warn of what may be out there on E-Bay.