Basically this is a generic sixties Melody Maker Selcol banjo with no Beatles connection whatsoever other than it was made by Selcol who also made the Beatle guitars but they never did a Beatles banjo only Mastro in the USA were licensed to do those so here is where this fake gets interesting. Someone has put what looks like a repro Mastro skin onto this UK banjo to make it look authentic but clearly this can't be right as two totally different companies made different parts of this so called original. The first three pictures are of the fake up for sale and the last two pictures are what the Melody Maker Selcol banjo originally looked like, for my sins I have contacted the seller to point out it can't be authentic but he says he bought it from a person who's had it in their possession since 1962 which is a miracle in itself as the Mastro banjo wasn't licensed until 64, ah well I tried but be aware of these cropping up as this is two now in a month both looking the same.
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Be aware that there is a reproduction of the Mastro drum out there being sold as an original sixties one, everything from the drum, drum box and leaflet has been reproduced and so that you are aware what to look for the first picture is the reproduction Mastro drum and box and the second picture is the original drum & box note the different Mastro logo, a generic Mastro drum and drum box had been used and a Beatles sticker affixed to it and the decals on the drum and writing were not as clear and sharp as they should be. I have seen reproductions of this drum sold by Beatlebay in the past but they have been clearly marked and sold as reproductions.
Today I cover some scarves or possibly table cloths often up for sale as from the sixties but I believe them to be either 70's or 80's at best, they are made of a very thin lightweight plastic.
Watch out for these fakes with scalloped cards trying to replicate the original sixties ones, they are a poor attempt but the first I've seen at an attempt to replicate the scalloped edge although the original has a much less defined scallop. They still have of course the fake brooch attached without the dome over the picture but these are being sold as genuine sixties so beware and I've always seen the fakes with straight edge cards before. Fake first photo original second photo..
Today cover an item that always makes me laugh when I see it.....sold as 'An Original 1960s Set Of The Beatles Figures On Stage', Great Condition' where someone has tried to copy from the Subbuteo boxed set the drum kit and style of writing on THE BEATLES' but of course it's not original sixties at all.
Fake Of The Day today covers this larger zipped clutch purse which was a 70's reproduction of the smaller Dame 9" x 5" original sixties purse. The fake has stitching at the top which the original doesn't and measures 10.5" x 5.5" and I've pictured the blue fake here against the orange original to show the difference in size. The material on the fake is a smooth plastic and the zipper is right at the top whereas the originals are like crocodile skin/orange peel texture and the zipper is inset down.by about 0.5" so you can't see the zipper. I've seen this blue and a red one but there may be other colours out there but the size is the biggest giveaway so beware.
This will hopefully make you laugh but with artwork stolen from the Remco doll box this is clearly a fake and manufactured much later than the sixties even with it's 'Copyright 1964 NEMS ENT LTD and LICENSED BY SELTAEB INC markings.
The Ulster Irish tablecloth has been reproduced this looks identical to the original at first but the repro measures approx 33"" x 31" and the original was much larger at 36" x 36".
Fake of the day today covers the DISK GO CASES and attempts by the fakers to make a plain non Beatle related case into one that looks like it's from the sixties. Usually the fakes are like the one pictured in the first picture or just have the Beatles drop T logo on them but the originals should have the Beatles four head shots with signatures underneath and copyright 1966 NEMS Enterprises Ltd on them like the second photo..
One of the nicer reproductions using the same style of font and blue decals that were used on the original UK Washington Pottery pieces done in the sixties but these were done much later from the eighties onwards in Australia. The reproductions are clearly marked with a Liverpool branding back stamp underneath so easy to tell the difference and various items have been done like candlesticks, jugs and a butter dish that were never done in the sixties but I have seen plates and a bowl done that were covered in the sixties but look significantly different. The original UK Washington pottery pieces usually have a green back stamp on them.
This was never done in the sixties but is often sold as such, This table lamp was done in the UK with different colour bases and is likely to be from the late seventies or early eighties and not to be confused with the officially licensed lamp that was done in the sixties that had a black base with gold guitar (last picture)
Another fake item using the 'I'm a Beatles fan' logo used on the Green Duck badge and often seen on Ebay purporting to be from the sixties.
Although done in the sixties in the UK but not officially licensed these Golden Beetles scatter pins were sold with a different variation on a 'beetle' an obvious attempt at cashing in on the Beatles popularity and to avoid actually mentioning the name Beatles to avoid being sued.
A fake dish done much later than the sixties purporting to be from the UK fan club using similar images to that used on the fake eraser and coin holders.
Hong Kong-made piece. This copy of the UK Selcol new sound guitar has much the same style but is smaller at 20" x 6.25" and with no licensing text at the bottom. The original measured 23" x 8" and is shown in the second picture.
Pretty easy to spot fake as the original had a metal ring around the top but the fake has a white plastic ring plus the Beatles decalis different and the original had Beatle Bugle on it and fake does not.
Back in the sixties when smoking was all the rage every table had one of these this was made by Cygnus however all is not as seems this is actually not a Beatles lighter and had a watch originally in the space as it had a cut out especially for the winder and at some point somebody has swapped it out and put a Beatles photo in there. My thanks go to Beatle collector James Gambino for spotting this 'Fakey'.
Probably the worst fake i have seen these were never done in the sixties!
Yet another different version of the boys in glass from Holland we believe but done later than the 1960's.
Another fake on the fan club theme, this time a tape measure with the same design as the slide puzzle.
This 8" tumbler has been reproduced using the original insert but the white top of the tumbler is narrower on the fake where the original is deeper and these are the best pictures I've come across to show you side by side the difference between the repro tumbler (on the left) and original tumbler on the right it's all down to the size of the white rim at the top being much deeper on the original.
Quite a few of the badges have been reproduced but the secret with this one is the repro photos of the Beatles are fuzzy and not clear and they should be in colour not black & white, a regular item on Ebay. The original badge is in the smaller pic for you to compare.
Another fake marked up with the NEM ENT 64 markings but probably from the eighties.
A metal tray with the Beatles pictures in color with individual signatures this metal tray was widely reproduced. The trick is to look underneat the tray and see if there is a sticker that reads "Mfd. by Worcester Ware" or Metal Tray Manufacturing. Also, the wordings "Made in Great Britain" should be at the lower front to be an original. The reproduction has "Made in England" at the front and no sticker at the back. The original is heavier than the reproduction.
Here's another Ebay favourite, This bracelet is a reproduction of the bracelet made by Randall. The original bracelet (see smaller pic) has Paul looking up, Ringo, John, and George are not smiling. Also, the chain on the original is a bit thicker than the reproduction. The order in which the charms are displayed are not the same on the original and the reproduction: the original features in order, Paul, George, Ringo and John and the reproduction features in order, Ringo, George, Paul and John.
There has been several reproductions done of this original sixties comb, the original combs were done in very pale colours light pink, pale cream/yellow, pale green etc where the repros are vivid colours like deep yellow, red and dark green, also the originals had 'jumbo comb' in raised letters on one side, the sticker label on the repros have foxing ink spots on the label where it is poor printing quality. To my knowledge the originals all have JUMBO COMB in raised letters on them apart from the cream/yellow and mint green versions but these are still originals (I have not been able to confirm the light blue has JUMBO COMB as it has eluded me so far but it does exist) on a lot of the combs the label has been put over the JUMBO COMB raised letters so the other side is plain. The reproductions always have the copy stickers where it has foxing/spots to the label.
Not a very well done item just a white knife with decals of each Beatle probably from the nineties
Ebay is flooded with these but an easy way to spot an original backing card is that the originals had scalloped edges not straight edges (see smaller photo for original card). Also the brooch itself has been reproduced but without the original domed plastic cover over the photo of each Beatle and also the photos are a bit fuzzy on the repros also the original brooches had a brass pin and the fakes don't. The beetle shaped bug brooch has also been reproduced.
Totally fake and probably done in the eighties there were no ink stamps done in the sixties.
Fake of the day today is the Beatle fan, the design has been taken from a similar one on the Beatle pin button/badge used to try and make this look authentic sixties but it's not it's from much later and has the usual telltale faker NEMS ENT 64 markings on it.
This brooch is very similar to the original except the photo they have used is different in that Paul is smiling and looking straight at the camera and on the original he isn't smiling and he is looking up and the brooch is a shiny light gold plate colour on the fake when the original was more of a darker gold-bronze colour (SEE SMALLER PHOTO FOR ORIGINAL). The backing card is a complete fake and never existed. Again you see them every other week on Ebay!
Fake, Fake, Fake, everything about this is fake the metal four heads tie tac has been reproduced and put on a backing card that never existed! The backing cards are usually yellow or white and various types of tacs have been attached to these cards to make them look original. I see them on Ebay every week!
Fake, Fake, Fake, everything about this is fake the metal guitar tie tac has been reproduced and put on a backing card that never existed! The backing cards are usually yellow or white and various types of tacs have been attached to these cards to make them look original. I see them on Ebay every week!
Fake, Fake, Fake, everything about this is fake the metal tie tacs have been reproduced and put on a backing card that never existed! I see them on Ebay every week!
Probably the most reproduced fake item i have seen, if you look at the two cards pictured the repro has Ringo with a solid black clump of hair where the original (see smaller photo)you can see the strands in his hair, also the dotted line on the original runs from top to bottom and on the fake it doesn't reach the top and bottom edges. This goes for all four Beatles as individual cards were done for each.
A twelve inch ruler made of painted white wood The front has the faces of each member of the Beatles with tiny facsimile of their signatures. The back has name plus facts : nickname, birthday, instrument played and general characteristics. The front also says "Made in the USA" and the back says Copyright 1964 NEMS ENT. LTD
Another Official Beatles Fan Club counterfeit probably from the eighties onwards.
No set of marbles were done in the sixties and my guess is this is an eighties or nineties item.
KYA Radio San Francisco guitar shaped soft plastic key chain. Supposedly to be a souvenir from the last concert at Candlestick Park in 1966, this item was never manufactured in the 60's. On the front the key chain is marked: "Here come the Beatles". With the ring, it measures 5.5". The back of the keychain says: "KYA Radio 1260 Welcomes The Beatles at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, Monday, August 29, 1966 - 8:00 PM". These come in either black or white.
Marked up with the now obligatory Official Fan Club logo and NEMS Ent Ltd 64 how could this 1966 picture be possibly on a 1964 item (the same picture was used on the repro playing cards too) The original set of sixties jigsaws are in the smaller picture
Again the 'Official' Beatles fan club logo and NEMS Ent Ltd 64 is used but there is nothing official about this counterfeit
Just like the band aid dispenser thisalso never existed in the sixties and was probably done in the late 70's or early 80's
This is the rip off of all rip off's and these keep appearing on Ebay and of course they all state that they are 'original' The original TWA bags were only done for the 4 Beatles and very close entourage and were made out of a cloth type material NOT VINYL and had the Beatles individual names on them and underneath the name the letters M.B.E. as they had just received the honour from the queen of Member Of The British Empire (see photos of Ringo with original bag and George)the bags are likely to be in private collections and you are highly unlikely to see one for sale other than at one of the big auction houses.
This is a total rip off as no lighter was done in the sixties with the Beatles pictured on it. The only 'official'lighter done in the sixties had an 'Apple' logo and was done by Zippo (see smaller picture)
Another NEMS ENT LTD 64 marked item and that is a set of black & white playing cards, totally fake and never done in the sixties, the licensed set in the sixties was a coloured set and is pictured for comparison.
The second most faked/reproduced item still selling on Ebay on a daily/weekly basis and another classic NEMS ENT LTD 64 item done to fool you into thinking it's from the sixties as it closely resembles the original purse/pencil case but with three main differences. Firstly the originals had no NEMS ENT LTD 64 markings on the item like the fake pictured and secondly as you will see from the second photo which is an original the Beatles headshot decal and wording takes up more space on the purse on the original and is much clearer in definition than on the fakes and finally the fakes have two lines of stitching at the top of the purse and the originals didn't.
There was a Beatles pencil done in the sixties (see smaller second pic) but it had all 4 Beatles on the one pencil not individual pencils for each Beatle like the repros pictured.
Yet another item to use the same Beatles head shots as other repros (Bubbles, Coin Purse, Hair Brush etc) there was no Beatles eraser done in the sixties.
One of the many counterfeits to have NEMS Ent Ltd 64 printed on it and the same Beatles heads image as other repros like the brush, eraser and bubbles. The original coin purse was a smaller solid hard shiny plastic purse done in either black or red with their first names underneath (see smaller picture)
Same Beatles images as on the repro eraser, coin purse and brush so possibly done by the same counterfeiter!
A very clever reproduction of the sixties hairbrush that was done in the late seventies, the header card has a different picture of the beatles and the brush itself is also different because on the original the beatle faces are inprinted into the brush not a decal like the repro. The original also has the first names of The Beatles underneath the headshots on the header card the repro does not (see seccond photo)
Yes a band aid does exist that was used to promote the HELP film in 1965 but the band aid dispenser marked as United Artists 1965 is sadly a fake and from much later as is the whistle also marked as United Artists 1965.
Marked as a Beatles 'Official' Fan Club piece but sadly not true and not even from the sixties.
Done in several colours and marked NEMS Ltd 1964 as a lot of reproduction items are but definately not from the sixties and most probably a late seventies or eighties item.
Fake of the day today or rather two fakes of the same item continues on with the 'NEMS ENT LTD 64' theme I've mentioned before and you can pretty much count on that the items are fake if it has this 64 tag on them. Only two licensed desk pen sets were done in the sixties, a yellow submarine one and the one that's the last picture here done by US Ceramic company with raised ceramic discs of each Beatle and very hard to get hold of, the first two pictures are the fakes.
This calendar was never done in the sixties and was probably done in the late 70's or early eighties. The authentic make a date calendar was nothing like this and was done with a glass front with red background with a white surround and white knobs to alter the date on the back (see smaller picture)
Today I cover the much reproduced Hair Pomade box and sachets from the Philippines. Originally issued in 1964 by H.H. Chemical & Ind. Mfg. of Manila, San Juan, and Rizal if you take a look at Ebay on any day you will see lots of these reproductions for sale however when I first started collecting Beatles memorabilia in the late seventies I was told by seasoned collectors that the easy way to spot a reproduction from an original was that if the box didn’t have a 10c price within a circle on the box then it was not an original sixties pieces but a later seventies reproduction and I think that is still good advice 50 years on. You can also see in the examples I’ve pictured the difference on clarity of giveaway photo in the packs and the box lid, on the original they are far superior quality compared to the fuzzy reproductions.The first two pictures are the fakes and third and fourth pictures the original.
Done in the UK in various colours and designs but likely to have been reproduced later than the sixties, the first picture has NEMS ENT LTD 64 on it which are known to be reproductions and the second picture is a cropped version of the original as the original had guitars and songs around the edges, the third picture is another variation of reproduction.
An unusual item and usually found in the UK, Carlton Ware did this apple style pottery but it has no Beatle connection whatsoever but some enterprising faker has decided to add the usual fake decal head shots that I've mentioned before to try and make it look like a sixties piece so don't be fooled.
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