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Buyer Beware! Part II: Fakes and Reproductions

© Barbara Nicholson Bell

In this second part of the series on fraud in the antiques and collectibles business, I want to address the topic of fakes and reproductions. While this business is no more filled with unsavory characters than any other, the nature of the "product" - objects whose value rests in rarity, uniqueness and age - lends itself to unscrupulous practices, where great profit lies in reproduction and misrepresentation. Fakery has gone on since ancient times. How many pilgrims thought they were returning from the Holy Land with a relic of the "true cross"?

Your best defense is knowledge. You will greatly lessen the likelihood of becoming a victim of fraud if you do your homework: research, visual inspection, asking questions of reputable experts, and learning from the mistakes which, inevitably, you'll make. Be skeptical. Don't let your desire for something blind you - inspect, ask for provenance or documentation on big-ticket items, hone your tactile senses to recognize the "feel" of materials, know the signs of false "aging" techniques, learn to recognize the evidence of repairs, and read, read, read! You can't learn it all in several lifetimes, but the more you know, the more you'll enjoy and even profit from collecting antiques.

I hope to create a separate page of links from these two articles to serve as a resource on fraud, fakes, reproductions and Internet security. In the meantime, here are a number of really useful web sites for your use. Time to start doing your homework!

A delightful place to start is The Antiques Roadshow. The popular PBS show offers tips from its appraisers from many of its two years' worth of programs. Learn to tell Sheffield plate from electroplate; ivory from plastic; silver hallmarks; choose an oriental rug; the difference between Chinese and Japanese ceramics, and other tips.

How to Spot Reproductions and Fakes - Rodeo Drive jewelry expert gives you tips and photos on telling the real from the "wannabe".

The American Art Pottery Association's Roseville Fakes page.

Weller Online Pottery Museum - Still under construction. Promises to be an excellent resource with illustrations of each Weller pottery line.

D.Vine & Co. - Stangl pottery collectors' site. Although lighthearted in approach, this is a useful resource. The graphics and page design are outstanding!

Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America - A registry for reporting stolen books, alerting booksellers and buyers alike.

Also check the Maine Antiques Digest and Kovels' Newsletter in the Top 5 Links. Each features articles on fakes and reproductions, as well as bulletins on stolen items. Well worth checking monthly for the latest updates.

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