I’d like to ackonowledge Catawiki for taking actions against potentially fake bottles
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Well you would be hard pressed to discover something more special than a 1973 Sekldon, but ok…
I would be curious why they removed it, but also why you bid on it when it’s potentially a fake.
The user is a private seller and his account was created on April 7th. He only listed 2 rums, the 1973 and the 1978 Skeldons – which by itself seems a bit dodgy. Where there other tell-tale signs?!
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I was one of the initial bidders and my offer was so low that I would be really happy to get this one at this price, even for the bottle alone 
I got outbid quickly but still got notified.
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Unfortunaetely, the offer has been removed so I can’t check the photos again. But it looked all right af my first glance.
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Here are the images from the listings, if anyone is interested:
Skeldon 1973
Skeldon 1978
Edit: seems to me that he used his own photos and photos that seem to originate from another source (the white studio kitchen table looking ones). Those might be re-used from another previous auction where the seller bought the bottles… did he buy fakes and tries to get rid of them? Did he replace the bottle contents in the meantime? Or does he sell on to try and make profit?
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Well, it’s hard to say. From the photos I see no direct argument to question the originality (though never had an original copy in my hand). I’m curious what exactly made them remove the bottles, did they spot something which I’m missing?
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At least its no 100% obvious fake. I’m unsure about the capsules that seem to have a number (date?) printed in them (i.e. last 2 pics of the 1973)… I never noticed that on any Velier bottle that I have.
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Yes, I noticed the same. The date and the capsule seems a little odd. That’s maybe enough ?
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Unfortunately the pictures are not very high resolution, but it looks a bit like the capsule on the kitchen table pics is original, while the one from the “messy” pics looks dodgy…
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On the Skeldon 1978 the Italian seal says “Acquavite du cereali” which means alcohol made out of grain, which is clearly not the case. Those seals are very different too, strange as they were bottled the same year.
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That is not a red flag per se, I read in a whisky related thread that tax seals are not a good means of dating bottles because importers and distributors might get them in bulk and use them up over several years. A bit like you would do with stamps. So it’s not unusual to find an older seal on a bottle (a younger one shouldn’t happen, of course).
Edit: a grain spirit stamp on a bottle of rum … not sure what the rules are, but it seems odd, at least.
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The very same questionable Skeldons are on the auction again. Skeldon Velier - Full Proof Old Demerara Rum - 1973 & 1978 - Catawiki
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Personally I won’t bid on them, when there is a doubt there is no doubt said someone. Even at the minimal fraction of the price. I don’t get why people are fighting in auction on those. Maybe the syndrome of the one legged pants ?
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well, I can see three reasons:
- people didn’t notice the faktors that made us doubt about the originality of the bottles
- people know better than us and their doubts are dispelled
- if one aims at speculation, rather than drinking, they wil probably find a buyer who will but the bottle from them anyway, therefore they don’t care whether it is original or fake.
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Do I see right, it’s already at 38k???
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Just noticed that shipping to my place is 120 EUR 
I hope it would at least be insured
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Lot is closed, did it sell or not? Looks like it stayed below reserve price?!
as to “fake or not” … look at this Skeldon 73 from RT:
Clearly a different bottle, but:
- also the red/green tax seal
- also “Aquavitae de cereali” on the tax seal
- also the numbers printed on the capsule
So for me, all the possible signs that pointed to “maybe fake” are also present on a most likely legit RT bottle…
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Please next time someone is in the Golden Promise bar, take good photos of the open bottle neck. If the fake bottles are so abundant, this is truly deplorable and also says something about the health of the rum world 
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Probably a good idea in general to stay away from unicorn bottles in auctions and only buy from close contacts or people you know/trust.
Same in the Whisky world, you would never buy a Bowmore Bouquet from some stranger who just registered at an auction site even if the bottle looks legit.
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So you rather assume the RT bottle is also fake than the catawiki one beeing legit?
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