[weagle99]

I get dizzy with all the fakery. This one doesn't look right. Opinions of the board?

 

[keystonearms]

It is fake....This is not my Opinion, it is Fact

 

[what would you say]

I don't think Marc is on the fence about that one.. just a gut feeling Is there any particular thing(S) that determine its a fake? Letter faunt, label or letter color?
It looks newer than the box to me, but I've seen people argue back and forth on that.

 

[weagle99]

That is what I thought.

A link to the auction so that nobody is taken:

Colt Python .357 4" BBL Mint-NIB 1981 Super SNAKE : Revolvers at GunBroker.com

'Someone' went to great trouble here, by creating artificial wear on the box to make it appear age appropriate.

 

[MtnSpur]

No doubt fake and look how they attempted to blend the right side (in the photo) label wear to the box "wear"...oh so clever.....NOT

 

[71firebird400]

Yikes; the wrong hangtag helps give it away that something is.....amiss. I don't buy the "unfired" claim either; look at the front of the cylinder, bluing loss in the cylinder leades, and imprint of the ejector star in the frame. Surely not worn out, but does not look like the "unfired" guns in my collection.

 

[ssgunnip]

Wakey, wakey, that's a fakey....

 

[Kanatak]

I don't think Marc is on the fence about that one.. just a gut feeling Is there any particular thing(S) that determine its a fake? Letter faunt, label or letter color?
It looks newer than the box to me, but I've seen people argue back and forth on that.

For over 3 years I have studied and cataloged every counterfeit, fake, reproduction or bogus label, box, and item of Colt packaging that I see. It was about 3 years ago that this particular label was produced and first appeared in a number of Gun Broker listings. I first saw this label when Gunkwazy posted a thread about it and warned that we will soon see a flood of these fake products. Because of the composition of my collection, I took this warning to heart and have endeavored to learn as much as I can, and share as much as I can, about these fake products.

Yes, this is a fake label. This is why I believe we should know this is a fake label:

- Research, or your NIB Python collection will tell you that Pythons in this serial number range were not packaged with Gold Foil Labels. You will never see a known original like it.

- Colt never produced a gold foil label that looks like this, or that is printed like this or is written like this . Research, or your collection of known original NIB Pythons from the "Gold Foil" era will confirm this for us.

Over the years, in threads like this, some posters will ask for a confirmation or challenge those of us that claim these labels are fake. I think it is good that we are challenged. I think we must be able to back up our claim that these labels and other items of Colt packaging are fake. In this particular case, I am fortunate to be able to support this claim with my collection of NIB Pythons from the 1970s and 1980s; Pythons that have only been owned by me; Pythons that are packaged today, exactly they way they were packaged the day they left Colt. I am very lucky to have enough of these Pythons that all of the variations of authentic gold foil Python labels are represented. The subject label is not among them. In this collection I have provenance from Colt to the distributor, by way of Colt Archive letters; then to the gun store owner and then to me, by way of receipts and letters. Until someone shows us his Python with a K prefix serial number (or any serial number for that matter), packaged with a label like this, with provenance all the way to Colt, we should know this label is fake.

 

[big_gus]

Yep without a doubt a fake... and a very poor one at that:bang_wall:.

 

[MtnSpur]

Another clue to a fake package...anyone besides me notice the pristine "plastic bag" that the seller uses to enhance his NIB claim? I have a whole box of these in our kitchen drawer that's reserved for zip lock bags, sandwich bags, storage bags and freezer bags. It's just not what Colt wrapped their NIB firearms in....then nor now.

 

[saemetric]

Maybe a $2K gun alone plus $250 worth of Boxman repro stuff.

 

[weagle99]

Just for kicks I contacted the seller pointing out the observations and asking if the gun was NIB. No response yet.

 

[CJS57]

The first tip off is the bogus label is too dull of a gold. Real Colt labels have a nice metallic sheen.

 

[skeeeter]

I would say it is a fake.
It seems that the person that is selling these fake boxes, manuals, labels has moved into selling the fake plastic gun bags and fake plastic bags for the manual. I see on Ebay lots of different types of fake boxes including fake sleeves that the plastic boxes go into. Not to mention fake "welcome letters and warranty cards". Seems like soon we will be seeing fake Pythons!

 

[weagle99]

Seller has updated the auction to give himself some wiggle room on the fake box:

'

[Information added 8/23/2013 5:07:30 PM]

Bidders: I have been asked several questions about the Factory Box and whether or not it is the correct vintage box for this Colt. As far as I know it is correct! I bought this Python just as you see in the photos, was assured it was unfired since Factory Test and never had any questions as to it's correctness. There is a very fine turn-line on the cylinder, which has occurred on every Colt Revolver I have ever owned. This just seems to be an expected event when one does open the cylinder, clean and/or handle their Colt Revolvers through the years. Accordingly, as stated, it is an excellent Python with a Colt Factory Box and a serial # designated for this Python that has the Manual, Screw Driver, and Paperwork.'