On a counterfeit Alexander Humboldt the genuine silver inlays on cap and body are missing; the body is overall too thin and the nib does not match the original — the typical 'embellishment' is on the fake merely burned into the barrel; the piston is often missing too. On Montblanc watch counterfeits, a dial not available on the original and a qualitatively inferior movement betray the deception. Protection for beginners: check seller history precisely, only buy from verifiably positively rated sellers with writing-instrument experience and above all only acquire models one knows precisely. The wish to have handover at a boutique is generally not enforceable as a private buyer.
Related pages on fountainpen.de:
• Patron of Art Alexander von Humboldt: fountainpen.de/patron-humboldt-en.htm