Transformer Cel Warning

Did the seller give you that info about the previous owner, and about pre-production art? Did you know that same seller has been caught selling fake cels for lots of money before?

There's a good chance that you've been had. I know that's hard to deal with, but fake high end cels are a real issue, and this isn't the first example I've seen on RS. Before you turn around and unload something like that on another unsuspecting collector via ebay, do some more research into this. Ask the seller exactly what your cel was used for, because it's not ever seen in the film.

And you ... you have the proof of what you say ?
Defame the people is a crime liable by complaint !!

Unfortunately in this case there is no proof of anything. The only FACTS here is that we have two cels which appear identical from the same source. Based on these facts it is hard for any collector to make the assumption that the cels are 100% authentic. I'm more disappointed than anyone here - based on my ethics, I now have a piece of art that I wouldn't be able to sell as fully authentic. At the end of the day, it may be authentic test footage, or cut from the movie, but the FACTS are that is in question.

It is a beautiful image though, so I'll just enjoy it and won't be getting rid of mine anytime soon.

You want proof? Have it appraised by a legit and knowledgeable cel dealer or a legit cel gallery owner (or antique dealer) that's been in business for a while. That's a great way to get it authenticated or revealed as a fake. If you truly believe your cel is a real production cel, then it should be no problem to have it carefully examined by a professional. If it's real, it'll hold up to any kind of scrutiny. Right now, though, there are still some problems.

What we do know:

1. Your cel doesn't ever appear in the movie it's from, even though it's supposed to be from one of the most famous scenes in the film. That's your first giant red flag.

2. Now we find there are two extremely similar duplicate cels, neither of which appears on screen, sold from the same seller (someone who has sold fakes in the past and gotten noticed by other collectors).

3. For the record, most non-production art (such as color model tests, model sheets, etc) isn't usually numbered like a normal production cel. If it was non-production, why would they put production cel numbers on it for no reason?

If you sell that cel to another person, knowing that there's a real possibility that it could be a fake... I think that's pretty deceptive. Get it appraised by a professional who has been dealing with animation art for a living, and find out more.

I have nothing to gain or lose from sharing this information with you, nor am I out to get you. This is a real problem that many collectors face. You're not the only one that's affected.

Also, you never answered my question on who fed you that info about the cel's previous owner and pre-production art. I bet it was the seller himself. Is that true?

This might be a stupid question, but is there anyone out there that authenticates anime cels in the US?

I agree with YAM - all this stuff sounds shady. Just because it was "bought from a Japanese collector" does not give it any authenticity points. I can point you to 10 counterfeit shikishi on YJ that are being sold right now by 'Japanese collectors'.