New on Ebay

[Shane]

I have that stingray/skate, bought it at the Ocean City boardwalk brand new. I have that old Safari mako too. Not a bad lot.

I think everyone probably encounters that stingray at some point if they collected animal toys as a kid.

It's like that feathery yellow pterodactyl/bird toy that ends up in just about every grab bag of cheap dino toys.

Ubiquitous.

[BlueKrono]

I have that stingray/skate, bought it at the Ocean City boardwalk brand new. I have that old Safari mako too. Not a bad lot.

I think everyone probably encounters that stingray at some point if they collected animal toys as a kid.

It's like that feathery yellow pterodactyl/bird toy that ends up in just about every grab bag of cheap dino toys.

Ubiquitous.

I think you're right. It was a common pool and bath time companion when I was a wee one.

[EpicRaptorMan]

It's like that feathery yellow pterodactyl/bird toy that ends up in just about every grab bag of cheap dino toys.

You mean this one?

[Shane]

The very same.

[bmathison1972]

 I remember playing with that pterosaur as a child in the later 1970s . Came in a grab bag, usually with Marx (?) knock-offs and a couple creatures from the D&D Monster Manual (but which came first, I cannot say) 

[NSD Bashe]

It's like that feathery yellow pterodactyl/bird toy that ends up in just about every grab bag of cheap dino toys.

You mean this one?

Yall are right, I had so many of those..

[NSD Bashe]

An interesting pattern I've noticed is that this angler fish toy from Finding Nemo will go for a good while without being available at all, and then more often than not a few will become available right around the same time

https://www.ebay.com/itm/165333053883?hash=item267e9e31bb:g:85IAAOSwSxJiCFH9

https://www.ebay.com/itm/134023718815?hash=item1f346fa79f:g:-zcAAOSw7GViCVRS

[stargatedalek]

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/284660969728?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11021.m43.l3160&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=31f6843e35c34fcba1401912d10285a4&bu=44395688478&ut=RU&osub=-1%7E1&crd=20220220044041&segname=11021&sojTags=ch%3Dch%2Cbu%3Dbu%2Cut%3Dut%2Cosub%3Dosub%2Ccrd%3Dcrd%2Csegname%3Dsegname%2Cchnl%3Dmkcid

Safari monarch caterpillar.

[bmathison1972]

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/284660969728?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11021.m43.l3160&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=31f6843e35c34fcba1401912d10285a4&bu=44395688478&ut=RU&osub=-1%7E1&crd=20220220044041&segname=11021&sojTags=ch%3Dch%2Cbu%3Dbu%2Cut%3Dut%2Cosub%3Dosub%2Ccrd%3Dcrd%2Csegname%3Dsegname%2Cchnl%3Dmkcid

Safari monarch caterpillar.

I just need the adult 

[NSD Bashe]

This anglerfish is not particularly accurate but it is pretty cool
https://www.ebay.com/itm/144454149340?hash=item21a22364dc:g:o74AAOSwb5xiKWKz

[Ikessauro]

Hey guys, isn't this the Papo Nile Crocodile? Someone is trying to pass it for a 1900's antique sculpture 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/403416304840

EDIT: I really think it is. Aside it obviously being identical to the Papo toy, if you look at the pictures the seller uses, there is one where you can see the supposed mark of the artist that made the "sculpture".

He/she claims it was made by FRANZ BERGMAN, and that the underside is stamped "NAMGREB". You can notice that the feet of the crocodile were sanded down to erase any markings of the Papo brand.

Of course I couldn't resisting sending a message to the seller. I politely told he/she that I thought it was actually a toy etc and hope that the information could be of some help for them to identify better the product.

The answer was a short and bitter (to me anyway): "Nope try again".

Not sure if the seller was thinking i was making it up to try and buy it cheaper or if he/she knows all of this and is trying to fool people into buying fake antiques.

[Gwangi]

Hey guys, isn't this the Papo Nile Crocodile? Someone is trying to pass it for a 1900's antique sculpture 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/403416304840

It appears to be a legit 1900's sculpture by Franz Bergman.

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/beauty-crocodile-f-bergman-signed-bronze-figurine-56-c-edd4104af1

https://www.art-bronze-sculptures.com/966/vienna-bronze-crocodile-with-virgin-tripartite-bergmann-stamp

More of his work.
https://hickmet.com/collections/bergman-franz-xavier?gclid=CjwKCAiAprGRBhBgEiwANJEY7NnmbLava-zdp6r68FFXwzd4XTcOMZ8EhbpIkG6dXMOJQ6fmX4CCIhoCwv4QAvD_BwE

[Ikessauro]

Hey guys, isn't this the Papo Nile Crocodile? Someone is trying to pass it for a 1900's antique sculpture 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/403416304840

It appears to be a legit 1900's sculpture by Franz Bergman.

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/beauty-crocodile-f-bergman-signed-bronze-figurine-56-c-edd4104af1

https://www.art-bronze-sculptures.com/966/vienna-bronze-crocodile-with-virgin-tripartite-bergmann-stamp

More of his work.
https://hickmet.com/collections/bergman-franz-xavier?gclid=CjwKCAiAprGRBhBgEiwANJEY7NnmbLava-zdp6r68FFXwzd4XTcOMZ8EhbpIkG6dXMOJQ6fmX4CCIhoCwv4QAvD_BwE

I can see how someone might get a toy, custom it and call it art. I could repaint a Safari toy in silver paint, stick a birthday hat on it, and sell it as fine art. It appears all it takes to become a renowned artist is for someone with loads of cash to start buying your pieces. Once one rich person does that, becomes a trend and other rich customers appear. Might be art, now call it a antique is another ball game.

[Gwangi]

Hey guys, isn't this the Papo Nile Crocodile? Someone is trying to pass it for a 1900's antique sculpture 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/403416304840

It appears to be a legit 1900's sculpture by Franz Bergman.

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/beauty-crocodile-f-bergman-signed-bronze-figurine-56-c-edd4104af1

https://www.art-bronze-sculptures.com/966/vienna-bronze-crocodile-with-virgin-tripartite-bergmann-stamp

More of his work.
https://hickmet.com/collections/bergman-franz-xavier?gclid=CjwKCAiAprGRBhBgEiwANJEY7NnmbLava-zdp6r68FFXwzd4XTcOMZ8EhbpIkG6dXMOJQ6fmX4CCIhoCwv4QAvD_BwE

I can see how someone might get a toy, custom it and call it art. I could repaint a Safari toy in silver paint, stick a birthday hat on it, and sell it as fine art. Now call it a antique is another ball game.

I can see that too but I don't think that's the case here. It appears to be the product that it is advertised as. Who knows, maybe this is the piece that inspired Papo's? Either way, the Bergman sculpture clearly exists as indicated by its presence elsewhere on the web.

[Ikessauro]

I can see that too but I don't think that's the case here. It appears to be the product that it is advertised as. Who knows, maybe this is the piece that inspired Papo's? Either way, the Bergman sculpture clearly exists as indicated by its presence elsewhere on the web.

But isn't this illegal? Like, they stole Papo's model as far as I can tell. Unless Papo themselves confirm they sold the molds/rights for the sculpture, that would be simply a knock off. What else bothers me is they call it a antique, misleading potential buyers. Now, everything made in bronze is antique?

https://www.art-bronze-sculptures.com/966/vienna-bronze-crocodile-with-virgin-tripartite-bergmann-stamp

[Gwangi]

I can see that too but I don't think that's the case here. It appears to be the product that it is advertised as. Who knows, maybe this is the piece that inspired Papo's? Either way, the Bergman sculpture clearly exists as indicated by its presence elsewhere on the web.

But isn't this illegal? Like, they stole Papo's model as far as I can tell. Unless Papo themselves confirm they sold the molds/rights for the sculpture, that would be simply a knock off. What else bothers me is they call it a antique, misleading potential buyers. Now, everything made in bronze is antique?

https://www.art-bronze-sculptures.com/966/vienna-bronze-crocodile-with-virgin-tripartite-bergmann-stamp

I think you're confused. No one stole Papo's model. The crocodile you posted was sculpted by Franz Bergman, he died in 1936, long before Papo and long enough ago that his sculptures would now be antiques. His crocodile resembles Papo's but is significantly older, if anything it was Papo who copied his sculpture, not the other way around.

[Ikessauro]

I can see that too but I don't think that's the case here. It appears to be the product that it is advertised as. Who knows, maybe this is the piece that inspired Papo's? Either way, the Bergman sculpture clearly exists as indicated by its presence elsewhere on the web.

But isn't this illegal? Like, they stole Papo's model as far as I can tell. Unless Papo themselves confirm they sold the molds/rights for the sculpture, that would be simply a knock off. What else bothers me is they call it a antique, misleading potential buyers. Now, everything made in bronze is antique?

https://www.art-bronze-sculptures.com/966/vienna-bronze-crocodile-with-virgin-tripartite-bergmann-stamp

I think you're confused. No one stole Papo's model. The crocodile you posted was sculpted by Franz Bergman, he died in 1936, long before Papo and long enough ago that his sculptures would now be antiques. His crocodile resembles Papo's but is significantly older, if anything it was Papo who copied his sculpture, not the other way around.

I do not believe Papo stole that sculpture. It is not just similar, it is identical. I recall Papo's sculptor, Mr. Seo, or something, confirming that he had sculpted this crocodile for Papo. If I'm not mistaken he is the same sculptor who sculpted the Papo dinosaurs. Anyone can sculpt a fake antique and claim it is a previously unreleased work of a dead artist.

I'll search more about it. But unless someone proves this Bergman model existed before 2007, I'll continue convinced someone is faking fine art using toys. 

This looks suspicious to me


EDIT: Now, this looks more like something from the 1900's
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5869655

[Gwangi]

Alright, you might be on to something there.   

[stargatedalek]

That is absolutely modified from the Papo (or a bootleg of it). That's art fraud.

[bmathison1972]

This is a tough one. I am not convinced yet of the markings on the feet, but at the same time this doesn't look bronze (looks plastic).

Does anyone have the Papo croc to show if these markings are consistent?

@Roger maybe (scroll up Roger to see the whole conversation).

If this is the Papo croc, or a variation of it, stars it right; this is outright fraud