Fish besamim looks fishy to me.

I SMELL SOMETHING FISHY. . . .

The Jewish Chronicle recently wrote an article about counterfeit Judaica auctions on eBay.  I am pleased that this issue received some attention.  The article mentioned my eBay guide but did not reference it directly.  

Although auctiontrack typically tracks the German and Polish thieves, someone commenting on the Chronicle article pointed out that Israeli antique dealers play con games, too.

Could this be true?  Decide for yourself by reading this story about the supposedly rare, antique fish besamim (spice box).  

Besamim in the shape of a fish was a typical design in the 19th century.  However, as with most Judaica from that time, there are only a few surviving examples. 

On eBay, the same few sellers always seem to be selling a supposedly rare fish or two.  Today, February 5, 2010, I performed an eBay search for "fish besamim."  The search results are as follows:


Seller:  murielgui





Buy It Now or Best Offer
$750.00

Buy It Now or Best Offer
$285.00
  Buy It Now or Best Offer


 $1,250.00




The sellers murielgui and Levido Couple state that they are based in Israel.  The seller cheddarantiques claims to be from Cheddar, England, but I will show you later that this is a laughable front for an Israeli seller.

In fact, I will show you that these sellers are the same person or persons! 

Several years ago, an Israeli eBay vendor named Eli Hollander sold under the name mir-el.  About two years ago, Hollander stopped selling as mir-el on eBay and started his own website to sell antiques:  mir-el website

Around the same time, Levido Couple appeared on eBay, selling some of the same items as mir-el.  Look at this item sold by Levido Couple today on eBay:


 Buy it Now or Best Offer


 $150.00




and this item being sold at the same time on the mir-el website:

Antique Polish Textile Judaica Brit Mila Pillow Cover ~1920

 
Was hand made by a jewish artist in Poland during the 1920s with a work of cotton. Was used to cover the pillow which held the baby during the brit mila ceremony. In the center is an embroided star of David with a personal monogram inside it. Very well kept apart from minor age stains.

It is obvious this is the same piece of junk, although on the mir-el website you can get it for $30 less.

On his website, Eli Hollander claims to be the manager of mir-el, a company with five employees including his eldest son.  On eBay, Levido Couple calls itself a "family business."  However, we can figure that mir-el, aka Eli Hollander, and Levido Couple are the same.  A bit of a deception, but the story gets better. 

Recently, an eBay seller called cheddarantiques has appeared--selling some of the same items as mir-el and Levido Couple!  What is laughable is how cheddarantiques describes itself as a carefree English couple roaming the world, filling their numerous houses with "treasures": 


This is the collection owned by Angie and William. We have both had a lifelong interest in antiques and collectibles and have been collecting them for decades. All our spare time seemed filled with trawling shops through the world as we travelled for work and pleasure. When we have filled one of our houses we invested in another to give us more room for our growing collection. Time has come where ill health has forced us to slow down and we are taking the opportunity to slowly sell our treasures and inheritance. Although we are based in Cheddar (as in the cheese) we may send the treasure from one of our other homes.

Some of our childhood possessions are in the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Portrait Gallery here in England. We have a love and feel for the traditional and rarer items from generations gone. With many items we have provenance but alas with the Judaica items this is not always available in written form but only passed down by word of mouth by the survivors. Keep looking at our listings some of our collections see to have grown collections of their own!


Someone who purchased a fake Torah yad from "Angie and William" told me that the package came from Israel, not from Cheddar.  And "ill health" has not stopped cheddarantiques from buying several items over the last month, including an olive-wood box from Jerusalem, a ring sizer, jeweler's loupes, a Nintendo DS and wine-making kits.  Time to buy another house?

Need more proof?  Here is how Levido Couple describes the fish besamim:


Was hand made by a jewish artist in Russia during the 19th century with an incredible work of silver combined with gilt. The fish is flexible and its body can be moved. Carrying russian hallmarks on the tail. The eyes are inlaid with semi precious stones. Very well kept.

Here is how cheddarantiques describes the fish besamim:


Was hand made by a jewish artist in Russia during the 19th century with an incredible work of silver combined with gilt. The fish is flexible and its body can be moved. Carrying russian hallmarks on the tail. The eyes are inlaid with semi precious stones. Very well kept.

murielgui's description is just a little different:

Was hand made by a jewish artist and used as a besamim container during the jewish havdala ritual. Made with a beautiful work of silver and carrying silver crown and moon marks. The fish is flexible and very well kept.


The bottom line is this:  the fish besamim is fake.  The sellers are trying to con you.  There are Israeli sellers who are just as dishonest as the Germans and the Poles on eBay.


DON'T BE FOOLED!

Click here to return to auctiontrack's main webpage.



Below are updates to the story-------------


2/11/10--relisted:





2/13/10--relisted:
Antique Silver Judaica Havdala Besamim Fish Germany
Antique Silver Judaica Havdala Besamim Fish Germany
Buy It Now price:
$225.00  Seller:  murielgui



More proof of funny business:  today, February 19, 2010, two of the Israeli sellers are selling the exact same item.  One is listed under murielgui, and the other is listed under cheddarantiques (our friends Angie and William from Cheddar, England).  I can only wonder why murielgui has it for $10 less.

$149.00





$159.00






2/21/10--relisted:
Seller: murielgui

Buy It Now or Best Offer $225.00



2/25/10--relisted:
Seller:  murielgui


$175.00


$185.00






2/26/10--relisted:
Seller:  levido couple

Buy It Now or Best Offer $750.00
Antique Silver Judaica Besamim Havdala Fish 19th Centur
Seller:  levido couple

Buy It Now or Best Offer $285.00



3/3/10--three more places to get the fishy besamim:
ANTIQUE JUDAICA SOLID SILVER BESAMIM CAT FISH PILL BOX  (note:  "pill box?")
Seller:   catfish0070_10

Seller: divinnecollection

Buy It Now $379.99
Seller:  antique_seller59




3/13/10--relisted:
Seller:  levido couple



Starting bid: $700


Starting bid:  $245.00
Seller:  antique_seller59


Starting bid:  $50.00



3/15/10--here is some recent feedback for our "friends":
Negative feedback rating Same seller,few accounts ,almost all counterfeit Seller: Mar-15-10 17:51
  -- --
Negative feedback rating Send me items from Levido_Couple , FAKE MARKS ,same person few accounts Seller: Mar-15-10 17:33
  -- --
Negative feedback rating Seller send diffrent items wchich i bought from another seller Seller: Mar-15-10 17:31
  -- --
Negative feedback rating Both items receive from seller Merielgui(!!!), all counterfeit, few accounts Seller: Mar-15-10 17:27
  Antique Turkmen Silver Judaica Torah Pointer Yad 1920c --
Negative feedback rating New item with fake stamps,Beware ,seller have few accounts Seller: Mar-15-10 17:25
  Antique Polish Silver Plated Fraget Candlesticks --



3/16/10--here's another fish:




3/19/10--relisted:
Antique Russian Silver Judaica Besamim Fish 19th Centur
Seller:  levido_couple

Buy It Now or Best Offer $750.00



3/21/10--relisted:
Antique Silver Judaica Besamim Havdala Fish 19th Centur
Seller:  levido_couple

Buy It Now or Best Offer $285.00



11/10/10--our friends at cheddarantiques seem to have disappeared:
Negative feedback rating Never received item. Seller would not contact me, refund through PayPal Buyer: Sep-11-10 05:32
 


Negative feedback rating Never received item. Seller would not contact me, refund through PayPal Buyer: Sep-11-10 05:32
 


Negative feedback rating Never received item. Seller would not contact me, refund through PayPal Buyer: Sep-11-10 05:32
 


Negative feedback rating Never received item. Seller would not contact me, refund through PayPal Buyer: Sep-11-10 05:30
 


Negative feedback rating Never received item. Seller would not contact me, refund through PayPal Buyer: Sep-11-10 05:29
 


Negative feedback rating Paid for item; item never received; no response from seller despite attempts. Buyer: Aug-21-10 17:57
 


Negative feedback rating Never received item. Seller would not contact me, refund through PayPal Buyer: Jul-26-10   12:47
 

 
Negative feedback rating paid in full, received no item, and despite many emails no reply!
CON ARTIST?
Buyer: Jul-25-10   09:09
 


Neutral feedback rating i have not received them till now... i think they were sent and recollected Buyer: Jul-15-10   02:10
 


















































ebay counterfeit Judaica fake mir-el Eli Hollander murielgui cheddarantiques besamim fish Levido Couple antique

ebay counterfeit Judaica fake mir-el Eli Hollander murielgui cheddarantiques besamim fish Levido Couple antique
eBay counterfeit Judaica fake mir-el Eli Hollander murielgui cheddarantiques besamim fish Levido Couple antique
eBay counterfeit Judaica fake mir-el Eli Hollander murielgui cheddarantiques besamim fish Levido Couple antique
eBay counterfeit Judaica fake mir-el Eli Hollander murielgui cheddarantiques besamim fish Levido Couple antique
eBay counterfeit Judaica fake mir-el Eli Hollander murielgui cheddarantiques besamim fish Levido Couple antique