And it's your Link Alan :lol
:lol
THEY. ARE. SCREEN. USED.
On a serious note, it's so true.
Unless something is screen-matched, IMO, there can almost never be any 100% guarantee of anything one buys from these auctions etc.
While reputation certainly plays a major role, it is always reduced when incidents show an item has been misrepresented.
I suspect, however, that the vast, vast majority of buyers over all the years are not members of this board or others, and as such do not have the 'luxary' of knowledge.
They probably couldn't care less either.
Regarding this particular piece, if I understood correctly, Mike has identified it as being a reincarnation of his original, but made by the trek prop suppliers nonetheless. Profiles sold it merely as "a Cardassian tricorder from DS9, with no further information."
So its all good with this particular piece (?).
Unlike that horrendous case of the Monty Python helmet in a another thread in this sub-forum.
Point is, what can you trust or not in such matters ?
If I personally were into production made items, I'd buy my stuff mainly from the Prop Store. Being active forum members, they answer very quickly to doubts that are raised.
I don't think my charge-back facility on Visa can beat that guarantee, with a board of sharks like this looking on :lol
Maybe an insular view (in fact, yes, it is :lol), but that is why for garage replicas, one feels 'safer' to buy from sellers in the JY with a history of making good for any mistakes they may make.
Same can be said for Qmx, Efx, FE, etc etc etc where more expensive replicas are concerned.