How To Spot a Fake

An antique always has a story to tell. Let’s just be sure it’s true. If your treasure hunts are serious investments, Senior Editor Julie Cole Miller reveals a few tips for making sure that you get what you pay for

Pieter Estersohn

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Consistency Is Key

On pieces that can be disassembled, you’ll want to make sure that they aren’t an example of a bad marriage―in other words, a combination of a salvageable top paired with a lonely base. If they started out together, they should stay together, for better or for worse, till death do they part. Consistency is once again key here: motifs, materials, and wear should all tell the same story from top to bottom.