Step-by-step breakdowns on how to tell a reproduction from a genuine period piece.
Before you check a single maker's mark, the wood itself will usually tell you whether a piece is genuinely old or built last year to look that way.
A convincing crossed-swords mark takes a forger an afternoon; a convincing body, glaze, and decoration to match it takes skill most fakers never bother with.
From tea-stained paper to chain-whipped wood, the artificial aging trade has its own toolkit — and its own tells, once you know exactly where to look.
A pocket UV light, a loupe, and a magnet can catch more fakes before purchase than most collectors realize — here is how to actually use them.
A maker's mark can double a piece's value overnight, which is exactly why forgers have spent centuries learning to fake one convincingly.
Two genuinely old halves can be joined into one convincing whole, and the resulting 'married' piece is one of the antique trade's most underestimated risks.
Vague listings and unreachable sellers make online antique fraud easy, but the same platforms are quietly getting better at catching it.