Genuine or fake? Lots of dealer booklets surfacing suddenly after 40 years | FerrariChat
Buy

Genuine or fake? Lots of dealer booklets surfacing suddenly after 40 years

Discussion in 'Maserati' started by bj69, May 1, 2017.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. bj69

    bj69 Karting

    Mar 4, 2009
    52
    #1 bj69, May 1, 2017
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    In the past 6-9 months i've come across several eBay listings for original dealer booklets, or "Organizzazione di vendite e assistenza" as they were called. I've seen them with publication dates between 1970 and 1979. See attached photo.

    They're priced between 200-400 USD. So not exactly cheap.

    Now, I've been watching classified sites and eBay sites in Italy, US, UK, Germany and France for well over 15 years looking for original Maserati parts or memorabilia. And i've visited car shows for over 15 years where italian guys sitting on unobtanium parts display their goods.

    I have NEVER, EVER, seen such a booklet before. And all of a sudden, they're appearing around the globe. On car shows, on eBay, on classified sites.

    Anyone know the story behind these? Did someone find a box in an attic with original booklets? Or does this smell like a scam with newly printed booklets using old or artificially aged paper?

    Any feedback?

    thanks,
    Bart
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  2. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ

    Nov 4, 2006
    11,580
    opposite lock
    Full Name:
    Marc Sonnery
    #2 Nembo1777, May 1, 2017
    Last edited: May 1, 2017
    For thousands of years there have been crooks making fakes, obviously.
    There have been such brochure fakes ever since the first color reproductions. In the 80's I was given 250 SWB and 250 Cal spyder brochures at my birthday party when I was 20 or 21 by someone who turned out to be a crook. He wanted something and had given me the brochures as though they were gold dust....
    I noticed after a few days that there was a fold visible on the brochure that could not be felt by hand...color photocopies. When I told him the following week that he had been conned but that I appreciated the present (thus pretending I did not think he knew which I was sure of), he went silent...he did not expect me to catch on...

    I know a very posh arrogant chap in the classic car world who made fake owners manuals ten years ago and was giving them away to his clients...as though they were gold dust, I know because he asked me to retrieve an original one he was borrowing when I visited Modena and I brought it back to him, that sounded innocent enough...BUT some time later it had made lots of children which arrived in bulk in his office...it was not a Maserati brochure, don't ask.

    MS
     
  3. 19633500GT

    19633500GT F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Nov 9, 2010
    13,086
    Blueberry
    Full Name:
    Muffin-Tops
    #3 19633500GT, May 1, 2017
    My friend knew a guy who somehow accessed stacks of blank build sheets.

    He would fill them in for cars, then claim they were the original to the car, and selling them as such.

    People suck. And life's a treasure map of figuring out who holds the real gold...
     
  4. 67bmer

    67bmer F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 28, 2015
    2,966
    MD
    #4 67bmer, May 1, 2017
    1) send a message and ask them!

    I am often amazed at what people will tell you if you just ask them.

    2) trying to verify what they tell you can be a whole other story unless they tell you they are copies, fakes, etc. In that case I would assume they are 100% truthful. In the other case, trust but verify...
     
  5. staatsof

    staatsof Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 13, 2005
    95,953
    Fuggetaboutitland
    Full Name:
    Bob
    #5 staatsof, May 1, 2017
    Quite honestly if it's not some ungodly rare item I really don't care as long as it's well done and in superb shape. I'd love a fresh version of the owner's manuals for my Bora and Espada. Tool kits as well. I'm not willing to pay the eye watering prices for some of the stuff though. A couple of guys were making new Lamborghini tool kit bags, crappy black linen loosely woven and frankly pure junk just like the originals that worked rather poorly. But they're accurate at $400 for two small bags!

    So this one began being represented as limited copies originally. I knew that was BS , called him on it and bought one anyway (many years ago now) because I think it's a beautiful ad.

    Lamborghini Miura S espada jarama original factory spec sheet Rare | eBay

    Meh, big deal.
     

Share This Page