will this be a fake marble ebay tale of woe?

[isee]

Bought this "Italian Solid Marble Fireplace" on ebay for £50.
Eamailed the seller to ask if the items is as described and was told yes.
Arranged for a delviery (£100) and this arrives.

I am no expert on marble and didn't know they made fireplaces hoolow nowadays, however here is why i think it is fake:

• Room temperature to the touch (expected this to be cold, like any other stone)
• the inside, though it does seem to have some veins/marks looks like it was made using a cast, with seams and bubbles visible (I'd expect the marble just to be cut out crudely.
• "marble" chippings did not fizz or make any bubbles when submerged in vinegar (see pic)

E-mailed the seller and was told I should be glad I got it for 50, when their parents paid £800 for it and that they are sure that they sent off a solid marble fireplace with teh deliveryman, but can't guarantee (guarantee what? that it magically transformed into a fake whilst with the deliveryman?) that this is what arrived to me.

I need your help PH. I need your help with two things:
1. Tell me how i can be absolutely sure that this is or isn't marble
2. if it isn't what to do? a simple refund is not exactly going to make things fare and square now.

See pic attached

[isee]

Thanks for the resplies even the mickey taking ones. And yes I know what real marble is, though i only had small statuettes and trinkets to compare and none at hand in this moment of doubt.

[isee]

Galileo said:

Yes. Yes, it will. Doesn't look too bad for £50 though.

Well from the outside and without touching it, it doesn't even make you wonder if it is real or not. Looks very convincing. and is unexpectedly heavy. Though I am trying to justify my foolishness.

On the other hand, the ad said solid italian marble and I popped a bid on it, simple as. Can't really be blamed for going with the description can I?

[isee]

doogz said:

That's a casting.

How heavy is it? Can you lift it on your own?

I can. though I am powerfuly built and hold a directorship

[isee]

Mobile Chicane said:

It's some kind of moulded composite.

Still, for £50...

That's the kicker though it was £150 with the delivery, and sadly my first opportunity to check it out for myself was when it got delivered

In all likelyhood ebay will side with me with the refund and the original owners will not pay to have the item collected, so it will be a £100 purchase.

[isee]

Pothole said:

I have no idea what ebay's rules are about describing things properly, but if the first pic is one from the ad, you should have known it wasn't marble.

That said, that's not really the issue, is it? The item was misdescribed so you'll need recourse through ebay. I hope you've left very negative feedback for the seller, too.

nope the pic was one that i made.
here is the auction in question

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160889773906?nma=true&am...

[isee]

Tyy said:

To be honest £50 doesn't seem too bad for what it is, if it looks ok I wouldn't worry too much.

I am reasonably happy with ti, but when you buy a BMW for a bargain price, but end up with a vauxhal for the market price, you have no reason to be happy, do you? All you did was buy a car you didn't particularly want and was led to believe you were getting a better deal.

[isee]

geeks said:

A quick browse at the sellers feedback would have told you that they wouldn't know marble from MDF!

it was 8 minutes to end of auction when i saw it. Now I never really seem to get a bargain and though perhaps this is the one. Description said solid marble, no bids, 50 quid start. Worth a punt I thought. Didn't really think i needed to investigate the seller etc as I was relying on listing's description.