It is said that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” While that may be true in some areas of life, in collecting it has been my experience that falling prey to imitation is one sure way to end up with buyer’s remorse.
A reproduction is a modern copy of an item made during a past period of time. They are never made by the same company as their original counterparts, nor are they made from original molds. Since most of the molds used in reproduction are either new or re-engineered old molds, the quality will often suffer .
Some reproductions are made with the intent of deceiving the buyer. An excellent example being the reproduction Roseville Pottery that came flooding into the U.S. market from China in the mid-1960s. Maker’s marks, factory detail and methods of decorating on the early issues of these reproductions were so flawed that in many cases it was easy to tell that something wasn’t right. However, as time has passed quality has increased, often fooling even the seasoned collector. Research and working with a knowledgeable dealer can help you to avoid deception.
There are reproductions of popular pieces from the past that make no attempt at deception. Take for example the line of “new” jadeite from Martha Stewart who clearly marks her pieces with her company name on the bottom. Martha and her daughter are avid collectors of old jadeite and started their line as a tribute to the popular green glass. These are beautiful, fun to collect and much easier to find than the originals.
Revivals are sometimes mistaken as reproductions, but there are two major differences. A revival is a new piece made by the same manufacturer as the original and it is not intended to deceive the buyer. Fenton Carnival Glass is an excellent example of a revival. It was originally released from 1907-1929, then revived in the 1970s. The later line is clearly marked with the Fenton name in an oval. You will also find pieces and patterns in their 1970s lines that were made from molds Fenton purchased from other glass makers that had gone out of business as well as a number of pieces made from new molds. Both “new” and “old” Fenton Carnival are seeing a come back.
Then we come to those pieces that are fakes. They cannot be reproductions as there is no original piece. While fake (or fantasy) pieces appear in many fields of collecting, one of the most common would be Coca-Cola items. In the 1970s Coke pub mirrors appeared on the market. They were illegally produced without the permission of The Coca-Cola Company and are blatant fakes. Another example of fake Coke memorabilia to be aware of are “Coke” pocket watches. The watch case and mechanism on these are authentic, having been taken from a line of wristwatches Coke handed out as employee awards. The face on the pocket watch is fake. There is no such thing as a Coca-Cola pocket watch.
One of the most famous “fake” pieces of antique furniture stood on display for many years in the oldest art museum in the U.S., the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Connecticut. The piece in question was a highly ornate secretary from the mid-1800s attributed to the craftsmanship of Union soldier John Bingham.
So elaborate was the hoax that it included a note from his family describing in detail the importance of the piece that had been in their possession since 1862. A wonderful story? Yes. A True story? No!
Until next time . . . Linda
Linda Kennett is a retired professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and the liquidation of estates.
