When cabinetmaker Dennis Buggins revealed the £30M antiques scam in the spring of 2008, he told The Times (of London), “Sometimes I build from scratch or I use an original piece as a blank canvas… It’s like cladding a building.” Most staggering was the implication of London antiques dealer, John Hobbs. Buggins, spurred by a dispute over unpaid wages, made claims that over the years he had worked on approximately 1,875 objects for Hobbs, and that although many of the objects were actual antiques, most had had major alterations, and more than half were outright inventions. In spite of this, Buggins asserts that most, if not all, were represented by Hobbs as authentic antiques and sold at astronomical prices.
Guarding Against The Purchase Of Fake Antiques
In spite of high profile cases like this one, there are fewer true fakes out there than you would expect, and specialists can weed out most. The best way to avoid buying them is to hire an independent advisory firm: groups of specialists provided by such firms offer multiple eyes and opinions. Unfortunately, truly good fakes – like Buggins’ – still sometimes fall though the cracks, though now that specialists have seen his workmanship this is less likely. The “inventions” produced by “fakers” like Buggins are well made, and with antique parts, so they still retain some value as decorative objects. They will never, however, have the same value as the real deal, among the many disappointments being the fact that they don’t have the “life experience” of true antiques.
When attempting to discern a fake yourself it’s important to understand the defining levels of quality within antiques, and for the purpose of this discussion we will focus on antique European furniture.
The Real Deal – An item from the originating period dictated by its style (e.g. Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, etc.) that is in substantially the same condition as when it was made and has had little restoration and no alterations. These are the most valuable, coveted and frequently faked. If you collect in this category and have suspicions, call an appraiser.
The Antique Reproduction – An item that was produced over 100 years ago but was a reproduction of a style from a previous era. These are less valuable as they usually exist in greater numbers, and their style incorporates trends that were current when they were made. However, there can be well known makers who generate high sums. Try to collect specific makers rather than un-attributed pieces, and be aware that these well known makers can also be faked.
The Antique Fake – An item that was produced over 100 years ago with both current and antique parts. They can actually fetch good sums, as they do incorporate old parts, are over 100 years old and have a history, but are often mistaken for the Real Deal: only specialists have the experience to recognize the discrepancies in form and construction. One could also mistake Buggins’ work for this category, as his were produced from antique parts.
The Manufactured Reproduction – An item produced within the past 100 years directly copying antiques and not hiding the fact that it is a reproduction. Some “Antiques” dealers still sell these as authentic, but hopefully after reading this article you will spot them!
The Ultimate Fake – An item produced within the past 100 years directly copying antiques and produced to deceive. The best thing to do when investing in an expensive antique is to get an unbiased opinion from an independent appraiser. Most reputable dealers will hold an object, or even allow you to have it on loan for 24 to 48 hours in which you can have your experts examine it unfettered.
The best way to train your eye is to look at as many pieces as possible. Visit auction houses that offer guarantees on the correctness of their cataloging. These include Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Bonham’s, Phillips, and Doyle New York. Read the “Important Notices and Explanation of Cataloguing Practice” section of the catalog to understand how they identify the quality level. With your flashlight, take out the drawers, turn the object upside-down, remove the seat cushion, etc... Reputable auction houses will identify objects that are other than the real deal, and the price will also reflect this. So, look at the real pieces, and then look at the objects that look like them. Try to identify the differences in form, construction, material, patina, design and technical quality of workmanship.
Some things to look for:
Overall Form and Symmetry – Does it feel balanced? Lack of balance could imply a poor reproduction, a period provincial production, or one country trying to reproduce the style of a neighboring country. All these possibilities would imply a variation in value, sometimes good, sometimes not!
Patina & Finish – Is there richness to the color? Is the color darker in places where hands might have touched the piece? It should be, because of skin oils. However, remember that technology is a wondrous thing: reproductions are being produced today with wonderful patinas made to fool the eye. So, don’t stop here…keep looking!
Left: Reproduction carving of a terminal figure from a Late 19th/Early 20th Century Italian Baroque Style Cabinet and (right): Period Baroque Carving of a terminal figure from a 17th Century Italian Baroque Cassone. The figures not only show the variations in quality of form from a period piece to a reproduction, but also the difference between a finish of 350 years with rich patination, wear and woodworm loss, to that of an obviously dark mahogany-stained hardwood with a lackluster finish and very little wear or woodworm, not to mention the preposterous droopy breasts on a bearded male figure. Photos courtesy Victoria Shaw Williamson & Jennifer Garland Ross.
Veneer – Pieces made prior to the 19th Century were made with hand-sawn veneers, which are thicker than the later circular band-saw veneers. They should be at least one eight to one quarter of an inch thick. Also, variations in grain density and quality imply replacements and restoration.
Carving – Antique pieces were hand-carved. With figural carving your eye will begin to identify the similarities between fine art and the carving styles of faces from each period. With geometric fret carving look for noticeable sharp edges that would imply later machine production.
Hardware - Check handles and where they attach to a drawer. Are there other holes inside, implying previous mounts? If so, are there scars on the front from the original handles? If not, the piece may have been re-veneered…not a good sign!
Legs & Feet – Make sure that there is wear on the underside of the feet. Also, feel the legs: they should vary slightly from the hand workmanship.
Plank Shrinkage –Shrinkage and splits in wooden planks are to be expected. If the diameter of a circular table is the same with the grain as it is against the grain, you can be sure the top has been replaced.
Dovetails Joints – This is a big one! Dovetail joints are found at the corners of drawers. They vary from country to country and from period to period. You want yours to be hand-cut, with some shrinkage so you can feel the dovetails a little with your eyes shut.
Details of a French dovetail from the drawer of a Louis XV Semaniere c. 1765, an Italian dovetail from the back of a drawer of a Rococo Commode c. 1765 and an English dovetail from the drawer of George III Secretaire c. 1765. See the differences in the dovetails from country to country. Both the French and English are very precise with pencil scribe marks, but the French tend to be of more equal proportion while the English are quite slender. The Italian, however, differs in that they are larger, spaced quite wide apart, and are somewhat crude and “unfinished” in construction. Photos courtesy Jennifer Garland Ross.
Condition – There should be general wear and tear and occasionally woodworm – especially in Italian furniture. Woodworm love softer woods such as pine, poplar, and even walnut, the primary woods used in Italy. Oak and Mahogany, more commonly used in France and England, are much harder and not the preferred meal for a woodworm. If your piece has woodworm, you should only see the entry and exit holes. More than a few visible trail marks would imply that the wood had been re-planed.
A Mid 18th Century Continental Carved Limewood Figure. See the proper woodworm holes on the body and face, and then the woodworm tracks where the arm has broken off. If the surface of your furniture has tracks, it was either previously decorated with a layer of gesso and paint that has since been removed, has been constructed with old wood that was later planed to create a fake, or, as in this case, a piece of the sculpture has broken off revealing a formerly interior surface. Photo courtesy Jennifer Garland Ross.
Marriages – If you have a cabinet or chest made with a top and base, check to make sure that both sections appear to have been made together. Check that your dovetails are consistent, the grain of the wood is similar, and the veneer is the same thickness throughout. If any of these do not match, you have what is called a “marriage,” which will greatly diminish the value.
If you still want to buy the piece after all this, be sure to ask lots of questions about where the piece came from. Provenance is very important with regard to condition, and can increase the value if the piece came from a notable collection. Also, if the piece is more or less expensive than another similar one, ask why! There are very few “steals” these days, so if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Finally, when you purchase, ALWAYS ask for a condition report. Neither dealers nor auction houses generally publish this information, but when asked they should provide as much information as they have. This formal report not only protects you if damage occurs during initial shipment, but also if you later discover significant alterations or discrepancies in cataloging. Also, ALWAYS keep your receipts and any other documentation.
As a footnote to the case of Dennis Buggins and John Hobbs, Hobbs resigned from the British Antique Dealers’ Association, closed his shop, and settled with Buggins for an undisclosed sum. Without claims brought forward by the owners of objects purchased from Hobbs, it is unlikely that any charges will ever be filed against anyone.
