Fakes and Frauds

Number 14b Bedford Lomas Ambulance

When looking at an item to buy, if it has decals, it's important to know if they are genuine or have been replaced with reproduction ones.

 

This is an original Number 14b Bedford Lomas Ambulance. The decal is original. It has yellowed with age. The thing to note about the decal is the top part of the red cross. The edge of the decal follows the shape of the cross.
 

 

This model has a reproduction decal applied. Notice that the decal still has a yellowy shade to it. Just because a decal looks yellow, it is not necessarily old. The edge of the decal around the cross is in a square shape that does not follow the cross like the original. That is perhaps the biggest give away that it is a reproduction decal. However, if you compare the size of the cross and the thickness of the writing, you will notice a difference from the original.
 
 
This is a set of reproduction decals that are freely available on the market. Although the photo is not very good, you can see the square shape at the top and the thinner cross.

 

© 2008 Moko Lesney Matchbox