Exposing the dreaded superfake makeup clutch

[Deco]

Gro! This one's for you!

Following RDC's brilliant comparison thread on the green superfake First, it's a good time to expose the superfake First's more ubiquitous little demon-sis, the superfake makeup clutch. This thread should prolly be combined with RDC's and eventually moved to the reference section, but I wanted to make sure everyone sees this first. Hence the new thread. hmwe, sorry for making more work for you!:shame:

The superfake MU clutch purports to be from 04 and claims to have PH. I got a particular doozy that COMBINED brass and pewter hardware. These superfake MUs appear most frequently in this shade of green and black, although I have also seen red and white.

I've included comparisons with an authentic 04 PH white MU clutch.

Here goes:

Looks legit from a distance, but when juxtaposed to a real one the off details start to show.

Authentic O ring shut all the way with only a slight seam indicating where the ring was connected.

Fake O ring agape.

Authentic buckle and studs, which have a lower profile.

fake buckle and more conical, protruding studs and in this case, brass!

 

[Deco]

Vintage MU clutch tassels are thinner and floppier.

Font wrong and missing "." between BALENCIAGA & PARIS.

 

[Deco]

Get familiar with this font that appears frequently on superfake MUs.

Notice how the fake font is more vertically elongated. MU clutches DO NOT have the black thread running on the top of the leather tag so that authentication method is not available. Focus on the font and the missing "."

 

[dusty paws]

whoa! thanks for the photos and comparisons, deco! very useful, so thank you!

 

[galex101404]

wow.. thanks for posting.. it's really scary with all these super fakes going around. I think i'm going to stop buying from ebay..

 

[vikianderson]

thanx for sharing these great & informative pics ~ so sorry you were caught out ~ these people should be %*&&)_%$££@@!@$$& ~ i'm sure you kwim here ~ i hate 'em all

 

[Jahpson]

wow, what a difference! I would have been fooled with the font. when you compare the two its very different from each other

 

[willowsmom]

Wow! That's amazing and I'm so glad you and RDC have posted these threads. I've seen a lot of what looked to be mystery green MUs on ebay lately (one that I swear either keeps being relisted or the seller keeps using the same pics) and I would have had no idea! Thank you!

 

[ronsdiva]

Wow, I never would have caught it. Thanks for posting this.

 

[shopboy]

Wow, thanks Deco for your very valuable informations!
I really can't tell the difference without comparing with the real one!

 

[TravelBug]

I've always suspected that the MU clutch I got from a major discount chain 2 years ago is fake. Now I have the proof and it's the exact same clutch down to every single detail !!!!!!!!!!! I wonder if some of the ebay sellers got theirs from the same place and had no reason to suspect?!? I mean, I trusted the name of the store I got it from (nationally known, not some local chain store), and this was before I got my other Bbags from real reputable places. As I spent more time on obsessing over Bbags I started wondering .... Arghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Thanks for posting, the truth hurts but now I know for sure.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

^That's my biggest problem with fakes - all the people who buy them thinking that they are the real deal at authentic prices. :s You could know your Balenciaga stuff and this one might still fool you!

 

[sunny07]

wow great info deco!! I'm always wary of MU's on ebay because I remember how you ended up with this superfake- your desconstruction of the fake is really helpful!

 

[Deco]

It is true that these superfakes are so good that even knowledgeable collectors are regularly fooled. Unlike Cities and First that have the glaring tell-tale bales and the wrong font on interior silver plate (although the one RDC posted came scarily close on both counts :s), the MU clutch doesn't have as many easily photographable tell-tale signs. You really have to dig in close. This is why unblurry closeup pics of the front and back of the leather tag on MU clutches is ESSENTIAL.

The most immediate tell tale sign on these MU clutches is the feel. If you're familiar with older leather and have groped your share of older Bbags, you will know that this MU is fake by touch alone. Unfortunately, very few of us get to feel these before buying.

 

[Jira]

Wow, this is super helpful, thanks!!