Authenticity and antiquity

Items made before 1880 might have a clear mark indicating the manufacturers’ name and the year. You will come to know once you see them. It was only after this period small to large scale factory manufacturing began and use of stamps or logos grew. The inscription is a clue to its value. Note whether it’s a pencil signature, paper label or a brass plaque.

ORIGINAL DETAILS:

If it is a painting from midcentury, it might be easier to replicate, but difficult to buy the original at a throw away price! Even the colouration and the texture of the furniture and paintings can easily tell you if the piece is an antique or fake. Look for other details – whether its legs and other parts are intact or the iron pieces in the item are old and rusted. It is likely that an old, vintage item will have some parts disfigured or weathered.

DOVETAIL JOINTS:

This detail is your first key to the piece’s age and quality of craftsmanship. Dovetail joints are strong and require skill to produce. So they are generally a sign of a well made piece.

LOOK FOR SOLID OR PLYWOOD:

Look at the rear of the piece— the insides and backs of drawers to know about the period to which the piece belongs. Solid wood can mean before 1880s, plywood came into vogue around the turn of the 20th century while Particleboard implies something made in the 1960s or later.

KNOW THE FAKE FROM THE REAL: A real antique will have roughness and asymmetry. In comparison to this, a factory item will be levelled and have finesse. Notice how the chest(s), vases have a certain rawness about them