My dear old Mum-in-law bought me a ceramic figure, one of the eight immortals. Not from the web or ebay but from a dealer in Cornwall. He told the 83 year old that it was by a Japanese  called  'Lu Dong Bin' and was Antique.

Lu Dong Bin is in fact the name of one of those Chinese Immortals {Not Japanese} and born in 798.........

This again(Sadly) an example of Chinese/Modern & art forms coming into the UK in vast numbers. I have no problem with this, but do have with either misinformed or deliberate fraudulent sellers. It was not a cheap item, I have spent some time in China and admire the quality of their reproduction  art, but despair at the gape that is prevelant between the truth and fiction  displayed by the sellers.

Ivory. Much of the Netsuke we see offered, especially on the continent, France being the most obvious, is modern Ivory, illegal and PLEASE should be avoided at all cost. Pretty and beautifully carved, but totally wrong. If you must have Ivory{God only knows why} it has to be old.......

Ceramic's. Much of the stuff we see were made "Yesterday". some years ago I became friendly with an auction house secretary, the always had a load of "Chinese/Japanese" ceramics in their auction, one day she confided that these were shipped in and made"Yesterday".

Having said all of that, if you like it, can afford it and do not wish a profit, buy the damn thing. After all does it matter as long as you are  not is the big league of collectors?.