EBAY HEADS UP - Guerlain Statue

While I was browsing ebay this evening, I came across an unusual item. The seller claims it is:

"Fresh from an Estate is An Original Antique 19th century French Dore Bronze Advertisement and/or Store Display used in the Fine Paris Shop, Guerlain Boutique on the Champs-Élysées, in Paris. This Dore Bronze Advertising Sculpture came the Estate of a French Family with only the finest quality antiques and emigrated to The USA in the 1950s. This sculpture was purchased by the Grandmother, who frequented the Famous Boutique in Paris during the 1920s. The sculpture measures 7.25"tall on 4" of Italian Carreras dual color marble bases with Dore Bronze ribbon adorning the circumference 11.25" total. It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, hairlines, or restorations and only minimal chips answer flea bites to the marble as shown in the images. A VERY FINE QUALITY and Rare Advertisement for the Famous Perfumer. This All Original Advertising Sculpture is antique and from the 19th century. A great and hard to find Piece."

Now for the TRUTH:

Please understand that this is not an original Guerlain item. The statue is actually a vintage Avon President's Club District Achievement Award Mrs. Albee Award gilded pewter figurine from 1984-1985 awarded to the representatives who demonstrated the very best in Sales Increase/Sales Volume. Award is 8.5 inch tall and base is 4 inch diameter.

You can also find these with a front tag that reads "100 Avon 18-86-1986" as it was also used for 1986 for the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the Avon/California Perfume Company.  The bottom reads "PC Avon's Very Best #3 in Sales Increase 1986-1987".   Award is 8.5 inch tall and base is 4 inch diameter.

Someone had taken the statue and added it to a possible lamp base.

This is not from the 1950s, nor was it actually used by Guerlain.

Please feel free to look up the Avon Mrs Albee Award 1984-1985 pewter figurine for Sales Increase on google to find more examples like this one:

I notified the seller of these facts and informed them that I will be discussing this on my Guerlain website and notifying potential bidders of this unusual cobbled together item with the correct information. The seller has a history of selling wonderful items with no problems. Their other listings are quite accurate and forthcoming, however, I think whomever they acquired this statue from was not telling them the truth and that they had made a bad purchase.

Click here to see the auction