Hi,

This is my first post here, so take it easy on me. My Star Wars collecting started in 1978. I have most of the original weapons and I hate REPRO and ReCarding!

I need a Bib Fortuna guru to provide a second check.

The same song and story follows below:

I bought some ROTJ figures on e-bay.

The Bib Fortuna staff I bought is more rigid than the original I had since 1983. The real staff has a nicer "fit and finish" and is more supple than the one I am questioning.

The original staff floats and the one I recently purchased sinks in water. (I heard this test is not the alpha and the omega.) Weight is similar.

I'm not a Bib Fortuna expert. I am glad to have a known original version and NOT repro. I think the Bib Fortuna staff I have is REPO *hit. If so confirmed, I will destroy it with no mercy. (I might even make a YouTube video.)

Photos below. Thanks for your help.





















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Darth Vreenak
"Uncovering a Fake is Worth Dying For."

What color is that thing? In the side by side, it looks gold in color. If it is, repo all the way.

and by the way.

Have you tried scratching it to see if its painted? It might be case of a new REPRO out there? Im sure loose collectors can help more.

Here is the TIG Bib Staff Page (at the tope of the page) http://www.imperialgunnery.com/thestaffsaxessection.htm

Welcome to the forum.

Jay :falcon:

iceworm. You have joined a great site.

I have a number of loose Bib Fortuna variants in my collection & have seen dozens more. The staff you are asking about is not one that I have come across. Personally, based upon colour & general appearance I am sure it is a repro (unfortunately there are new repros cropping up all of the time). However, there are a lot of very knowledgable people here, so I would wait for some more opinions before destroying it.

Thanks everyone for the help!!!

I checked the TIG reference material before posting.

I confirmed the Bib Fortuna staff I purchased was a FAKE.

The color of the fake staff is brown-grey; the inside material is similar to a Revell plastic model.

Last night I bent the fake staff too far and it snapped. (It was a gentle bend and NOT a strong bend.)

Scrapping the paint off would have also determined it was a fake.

I'm not happy with the fake, but I got some good insight into this REPRO crap.

I'm posting three follow up images that confirms a FAKE:










I contacted the seller. I don't want to see the fake glued or sold as two pieces.

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Darth Vreenak

You have provided some great pictures comparing your repro to a genuine staff aswell as the cross section (+ given). This may be a new repro, so I think it would be worth posting all of your pics in the 'watch out' section in order to alert other members who may not see your thread here.

Welcome aboard, Iceworm!!!

You did some great research, one more fake staff discovered and photographed for usage in TIG's weapon guide, once we update it!!

Cheers


BTW: Pls take a minute to introduce yourself in the thread below, so we all get to know you a bit better.

http://www.imperialgunneryforum.com/t3123p330-who-s-who-introduce-yourself-here

Personally I think you're fine as well. The sinking almost makes it okay right there.

I'd say thumbs up!