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

Becky Luigart Stayner

4 of 8

View all

Look at the Layers

Consider chips a blessing: They’re a view into the layers that authenticate the item. That means that a small chip on a piece of lusterware reveals the red clay that is characteristic of the form. The same thing applies to painted furniture and gilt frames. Perfection is not necessarily a good thing in the antiques world. (Keep in mind, though, that there are plenty of people out there who can age a painted finish with the right tools and muscle. So really study those layers.)