A couple disturbing e-mails. First, from Al Bradtke & David Jacobson of Cayuga, New York
I just wanted to give a “head’s up” to those who buy Steuben on ebay. We recently purchased what appeared to be a mirror black over alabaster acid cut back vase in the Nimrod pattern (quite striking). After paying for the piece, we discovered that it had been listed by the same person who had listed a piece that we had the opportunity to see and handle previously (but did not buy). That one is pictured in the Dimitroff book on page 242 figure 10.105 – the farmer in the field vase.

Both pieces had very exact Steuben decorations. The piece we examined however, was not Steuben quality glass. The colors were wrong and the finish was wrong. However, the photos on ebay did not give a clue as to the color variance. Fortunately in both cases the seller refunded the purchase price and canceled the transactions.

Please be very careful when you bid on ebay. The seller used two different seller names and had all positive feedbacks but one on both seller names. He stated that he purchased the pieces at an estate sale in the Rochester, New York area.

It scares me that the designs were duplicated so meticulously Buyer beware – there are reproduction acid cut back pieces on the market now.

Al Bradtke & David Jacobson

Then from Dick Weerts of Osprey, Florida
I have seen a couple of pieces on eBay the last month or so of ACB’s which I have great questions about. I have great concern that they are good copies of Steuben. The first piece I saw was on eBay in September. The pattern was identical to fig. 10.105 in Dimitroff. It was a buy it now for 5,000. I showed pics of it to a few at the Symposium. I asked for some additional pics and I do not feel the glass was correct but the pattern was very close. The second piece that was NOT described as Steuben but it was a very good copy of the Nimrod pattern and sold for $1900. See Dimitroff fig.8.24. Both of these pieces were out of NY. After seeing another two ACB’s which sold on ebay from Italy, it makes me think that we should all be very careful. I always thought it would be hard to copy an ACB, but if you do not see it in person I am now not so sure.