Jamieson, M. (1999). The place of counterfeits in regimes of value: An anthropological approach. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 5, 1-11.
This article argues that, in order fully to understand the effect of reproduction copies on the value of ‘original’ objects, we must acknowledge the prior importance of myths of origins ascribed to them. By examining four distinct ‘regimes of value’ in which illegally produced copies of rare and collectable phonograph records are produced and distributed, I demonstrate that an analysis of myths of origin shows that prestige objects are imbued with one of two distinct properties, which I call here ‘charisma’ and ‘sacredness’. Those understood to be imbued with charisma become devalued following the appearance of copies or reproductions; those considered sacred, however, resist devaluation in similar circumstances.
