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All artifacts are Guaranteed to be 100% Authentic and are
legally obtained. |
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This Section
Updated - 10/19/2010
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Authentication |
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See the "Our Guarantee" tab for Authenticators.
We are starting to offer a form of certificate for some items
we sell in the near future. This can be called a
COA / Certificate of Authenticity, Certificate of
Origin, or whatever you'd like.
To inquire about a certificate on a relic we are
offering, please contact us via e-mail or phone.
Aaron@KilanderRelics.com
(219) 395-4023
See details below for more information, pricing, and our
intention of this service.
This is not something we are planning to offer as a
normal service, but only on certain pieces that we sell,
as there has been a great request for some time for us
to do authenticating, but have always had reservations
in regards to getting into that area of things due to
feeling a conflict of interest. This is not
something we are looking to do as an additional
business, and there will be no charge for the
certificates on pieces that have them, and are just part
of the item at that point. The main reason we are
now going to offer them is just because there are well
over 200 different authenticators out there now, and
most of which, other than a handful, are ones we would
not honor an opinion with in most cases due to us just
feeling they are not qualified enough to be doing COA's
on relics to begin with, may be doing them for areas out
of their area of knowledge, or are just not honest in
the first place. I have some authenticators listed
that I honor opinions with, and some are only for
certain areas. there are also some that are not
listed that I will honor for certain things as well.
Like Maury Meadows for stone, and some others for
certain things.
If for example there is a piece we are selling that does
not already have a certificate with it, then we would
have an additional $10.00 charge, just for the materials,
ink,
and time it takes, but again, this is not a service that
will be offered as normal authenticators do and we will
not offer this for other items we are not selling and is
intended as more of a service to our buyers. There
are some relics we may sell that I may decline even
offering a certificate on if it is a piece where I feel
there is just better suited authenticators for that are
better suited for those relics. Under most
circumstances this shouldn't be a problem, but when
I do
sell items out of my normal area of knowledge, even
though I am totally comfortable with the item, I would
not feel right about issuing a certificate if there is a
much better choice out there that is more knowledgeable
in that area that i may be lacking more in. This
is about offering a service to our buyers, not about
making money, and I only want to offer this service if I
feel it holds merit and would be wrong to paper things
that I just don't feel we are qualified enough when
there are others that may be. For instance, if you
take western gem points. Those are something I do
sell on rarer occasions when i am very comfortable with
those that I sell, but then again I feel there may be a
better choice for authentication in that area.
Most Central States areas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Florida,
Georgia, Mayan Flint, and several other things are areas
where we normally won't have any issues, but all will be
taken on a case by case basis.
This is basically being done as a courtesy for our
buyers more than anything else, as many do wish to have
something in writing, and also is a way of documenting
history, etc for a relic. We do not get overly in
depth into typology, and will only be typing what we
feel are clear point types, as many things are just
crude, transitional, etc, and are argumentative to say
the least. In any case, the information will
already be present with the piece. If there is
something that someone would like a paper on that does
not already have one, then that information will be gone
over before one is done on a piece.
Grading is another topic that I have had many questions
on as well, and is not something I am including on the
certificates. At times when a piece is
exceptionally well made, etc, something will note that
in the comments section, but grading is being left out
for several reasons. First of all, most people
want a higher grade (8 and above) regardless of whether
it really is of that grade or not. Secondly, are
going to grade in comparison to the best out there, the
quality of the piece for what it is, etc? If going
against the best of its kind, then there are many that
really may never even have the opportunity to see some
of the high end relics really out there as they are in
private collections, don't ever go to shows, and aren't
pictured. If that is the case then that would mean
every Dovetail is going to be compared to the higher end
ones out there that are in the several hundred thousand
dollar range that are the very large Flint Ridge ones.
If not that, then it can be done as the quality of the
point for what it is. There can be a extremely
high quality piece for its size that may give it a 10
but only be a $500 point and does it really compare to
those that may be $10,000.00 plus pieces. there
are just so many variables to take into account where it
makes being consistent and fair rather tough and giving
higher grades than a piece warrants as many COA's out
there already do, and we just don't feel its right doing
that.
The bottom line for us is that we are trying to keep
this basic. Authenticity is the key point here and
not all the hype that goes with some COA's out there.
If that's what you're looking for, then I would
definitely suggest using an authenticator out there of
your choosing.
Below is an example of what a Certificate will look
like, except it is being printed on different thicker
paper that is not white and the address listed is
incorrect now.
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