BUYER BEWARE: fake Toby figures for sale!

Spotting counterfeit figures are not always easy and even experienced collectors can be fooled – especially if buying online. With more people shopping online, it’s critical to be extra cautious before purchasing any Gary Baseman limited edition collectible.

Authentic vinyl Toby plush figures authorized by Gary Baseman have only been offered 3 times:

1. the original 16-inch (edition 200) in 2005/06 offered in conjunction with the gallery exhibition For the Love of Toby, signed and numbered
2. the 12-inch version through the 2014 Mythical Creatures Kickstarter campaign, which came with a special ribbon
3. the 12-inch version (edition 100) 2014/15, available only at Shanghai chi K11 Art Museum and garybaseman.com

We have found product listings on eBay advertised as “Rare Gary Baseman Toby Figures,” but if you look carefully at these figures you will notice that they don’t meet the quality of any authentic Tobys produced by Baseman. The following image is a bootleg plush recently offered on eBay.

Please be cautious with your online shopping. Don’t buy fakes.