Hi. I really enjoy your channel. I’ve recently discovered my Swedish heritage and hope to visit someday. On today’s topic… I have purchased several vintage designs from currently licensed manufacturers and am happy with the pieces, though they are not vintage. However, they can be quite pricey! I have also knowingly purchased a couple of “inspired by” Eileen Gray E1027 side tables for my bedroom. I simply couldn’t afford two authorized versions, but wanted that classic open look for my room. Lastly, I once bought an enormous lamp that was labeled Bitossi. I was pretty sure it wasn’t, but it looked great and the price was appropriate for a large unique vintage ceramic lamp so I went with it. So I guess my point is I totally agree that unlicensed replicas claiming to be authentic should be banned, but not everyone can afford the real deal. Do you still see it as a problem if neither buyer nor seller are claiming it to be authentic? Thanks
Must be interesting to learn about your heritage! In Sweden all historical records are stored and are available for genealogist. It’s quite easy to find information about once ancestors. Do you know where in Sweden your ancestors lived? We live in Småland, a district from where a lot of emigrants came from. According to me, unofficial reproductions are still a problem even if they’re sold as reproductions and not as genuine pieces. The problem is that they soon tend to be resold, often as genuine pieces.
Thanks! I have started looking at the historical church records. Although they are in Swedish, you are right that they are relatively easy to follow once you get the hang of it. My people are from Ljusnarsberg and Hällefors in the in Örebro county. My gt-grandmother came to the US in 1888. I see what you mean about these replicas being sold as original even if purchased knowingly. Thanks again.
The ‘Schulz’ cabinet on wright20 is now listed in the catalogue as only ‘Scandinavian’ and the date on it is 1940/2020, acknowledging it’s been altered. Still, someone paid $24,000 for it! It will probably be sold on to someone else unscrupulously, an interior designer perhaps who will pass it on to a client…
You're probably right. It might end up with a buyer who believes it's a Schulz cabinet. That's the problem with these modified look-a-likes. Even if they're sold as restored/modified they might get re-sold as "genuine" later on. And the Wright cabinet is problematic because the "Paradiet" pattern is protected by copyright.
@@ScandinavianDesign101 I think Wright20 could have done a better job of communicating the authorship of the cabinet and stating the origin of the design pattern on it. Just so it was clear that it was a ‘soft knock off’. Their don’t ask don’t tell approach here has left it wide open for someone to try to scam someone else. And clearly, the people who bid it up to $24,000 thought they were getting a sleeper, when in fact they were getting scammed. A bad situation all around.
There lies the reason designer furniture was never meant to be affordable to the common person. I don't see how a copy could be so close to the original, but the original be like 5 to 10 times more expensive. "Copyright infringement is your best entertainment value." Negativland. Knowledge is power, so don't expect government to save you from buying a fake. Auction houses are often wrong and even make it clear that they are not held responsible for misidentification.
