All About Antiques

Authentic Chinese hardstone carvings can be identified by the material’s natural inclusions, cool temperature to the touch, and hand-polished finish. Genuine antique quartz, agate, coral, and rock crystal pieces from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) lack the uniform perfection of modern machine-carved fakes and often feature intricate, continuous openwork. Imagine you are at a dusty estate…

The most commonly faked antiques include Tiffany lamps, Staffordshire dogs, cast iron banks, and Roseville pottery. Authentic pieces exhibit natural patina, crisp maker’s marks, and period-correct hardware, whereas modern reproductions often feature artificial aging, Phillips-head screws (invented in 1932), and sloppy paint application under blacklight inspection. Imagine you are at a dusty estate sale in…

Authentic archaic Chinese jade carvings can be identified by their distinctive shapes like the bi disc (symbolizing heaven) and the cong tube (representing earth), crafted primarily from nephrite before the 18th century. Genuine pieces exhibit natural calcification, iron staining, and traditional slow-abrasion tool marks, unlike modern reproductions using rotary tools. Imagine you are at a…

Authentic Japanese antique signatures and seals (hanko) can be read from top to bottom, right to left. Genuine Edo period (1603-1867) ceramics and Meiji era (1868-1912) bronzes feature hand-carved, deeply impressed, or finely painted marks, often indicating the maker’s family name or specific kiln, avoiding perfectly uniform machine-stamped characters. Imagine you are at a dusty…

Authentic Chinese jade is classified into two distinct minerals: nephrite and jadeite. Nephrite, used in China for over 5,000 years, is a calcium magnesium silicate with a creamy, mutton-fat texture. Jadeite, introduced from Myanmar in the late 18th century, is a sodium aluminum silicate prized for its vivid, glassy emerald-green translucency. Imagine you are at…

Authentic Wallace Grand Baroque flatware, introduced in 1941 by designer William S. Warren, can be identified by its heavy, three-dimensional sterling silver construction featuring ornate acanthus leaves and pierced floral motifs. Genuine pieces will always bear the “WALLACE STERLING” stamp, ensuring they are solid .925 silver rather than silver-plated reproductions. Imagine you are at a…