I was indeed troubled by the nature of the bookplate. It does look incredibly easy to reproduce in facsimile. One must wonder how many other fakes are out there already. Collecting autographs is always risky. I am partial to the limited and numbered deluxe editions that have been released in the past. These would seem much more difficult to fake, since these books are specifically made to be released as signed/deluxe copies, thus none exist which are unsigned.

I have sent reports to EBay for both the book and the bookplates that were listed. I wonder how EBay determines whether the signatures are forged. Do they just base their decision on receiving a multitude of complaints, or do they have to prove it further in order to suspend this guy's account? The signed book was very obvious, but unless you were a Tolkien collector, the plates might be more difficult to disprove. I have certainly never seen anything like them and would be skeptical based simply on their random nature as well as the timing.

Sadly, it now appears that two of the fake bookplates have sold on EBay and the item has not been de-listed.

If you look at the seller's other items, he also has 'Boris Yeltsin' Signed Bookplates. How timely!!! I wish Ebay would be speedier to remove items which have been reported. At least suspend the listings until they are investigated... It is such a shame how people continue to be taken in by these fakes.

To make it even more laughable, his auction for the 'Boris Yeltsin' bookplates says that Yeltsin passed away on "July 23, 2007."

To make it even more shameful, though, the item actually has a bid.

He's also well-stocked on Vonnegut bookplates, timely once again.

Incredible how such people get away with it!

I agree with alpingloin about how easy those bookplates look to be duplicated. With the instant price jump the original books saw, it is going to be very easy for others to try to capitalize for a quick dishonest buck.

I hadn't noticed the Yeltsin and Vonnegut bookplates last time I looked through his auctions. It seems unbelievable that eBay doesn't do something about sellers like this...