FYI, log into ebay and hit the “report” item link on the right side above the description on these. I flagged as “encouraging illegal activity”. If enough people do this they might pull the auctions…
Just wondering, but if I were a so inclined counterfeiter, I would certainly consider selling “empties” on ebay compared to the hassle and risk (albeit at much higher dollar return) of trying to auction full bottles. How many people are going to hire an expert to vet the empty bottle that they are probably going to use fraudulently?
And this seller, offering a total 11 empty bottles of Petrus, 4x1985, 4x1989, 3x1990. (£1,800)
Just pour in some cheap, aged pom and a spoon full of Taylor 2000, re-cork, red shiny caps, - and poof - all drunk in Las Vegas, by some steamy high rollers. Then the bottles are picked up again, and the circle is complete.
It’s easy to imagine these smaller Rudy-clones, working in their sheds at night…
This eBay seller made me laugh !
Empty Petrus 1985. (£150)
He honestly explains the always very important provenance, of an empty bottle :
“Selling an empty Petrus bottle 1985 vintage. This bottle has been kept in America for several years, then rested in Asia and flew to London in 2016 to be consumed.
There is no cork but foil and it has been professionally decanted.
Excellent conditions. White label. Immaculate.”
Note the words “Professionally decanted” meaning, gently cut capsule, with minimal damage. Easy to re-attach.
And the price is low for a famous Mouton R 1945.
Probably a primitive scan-copy-laserprint. The bottles are, as told by seller, the modern types.
And the Burg label on Bdx bottle… Fair enough.
I am not affraid of these laser printed labels/bottles being filled and sold, but a naive collector, with bad eyesight could be fooled by the MR 1945, in the right setup.
I’m not sure wjat is the point of this thread… I guess you could have an entire forum dedicated to tracking empties and still you would not account for much of what is sold.
Soren, are you ITB with an interest in this? Just asking because it looks like you’re on some kind of crusade…
Hi Alain.
I’m not ITB, or have any professional connections.
Just a passionate collector of fine wine, getting angry, when I see public foul play, concerning My hobby.
We all know these empties are an important part of the counterfeit business, and nobody seems to know the extend.
I was surprised My self, when I checked eBay only for a few hours, and found all the above.
That’s why it maybe looks a bit crusade-like.
I just couldn’t close My eyes, and pretend there was no illness.
OK thanks for your response, and sorry if I sounded a bit rude in my previous post.
I’m not following much the new around counterfeiting apart from the Rudy thread or other similar ones that Don Cornwell posts here. Posts that I read with great interest because I like the Sherlock aspects of it.
But I would think that most of the counterfeiting is done with support from insiders in restaurants etc. The sheer volume of available empties dwarfs what you could find on eBay IMO.