Buyer Beware

Q My wife and I are new collectors and would like to know if we should be wary of any fakes or frauds than have been coming onto the Arts & Crafts market recently. One of the dealers in a local flea market has some poorly-made reproductions of what look like Stickley china cabinets and library tables, but he hasn’t attempted to pass them off as original. Are there any forms, either furniture or pottery, that we should watch out for?

A A few examples have surfaced over the years, such as a hand-thrown Teco vase attempting to pass as authentic Teco (which was made in molds), or the occasional piece of antique Arts & Crafts furniture showing up with a new L. & J.G. Stickley decal, but we have not witnessed a glut of successful forgeries. For ceramics, keep current on known fakes as well as recent thefts by checking the “Resources” page at the American Art Pottery Association website (www.AAPA.info).

All collectors need to be aware, however, that it would be relatively easy to research and reproduce just about any Arts & Crafts decal, paper label, or brand, so your decision to buy a piece should never be based on the shopmark. More difficult for the forger to duplicate are the construction techniques that are unique—like a fingerprint—to each furniture company. Many of these are not readily visible and will require some additional reading and examination of authentic pieces on your part.
For instance, Gustav Stickley had a unique corner block design under his chair and settle cushions; L. & J.G. Stickley used an unusual four-and-core construction design in their Morris chair legs. Charles Limbert often splined the boards in the tops of his tables; Gustav Stickley had a consistent shallow tongue-and-groove detail between his table top boards, while the Roycrofters were more apt to simply butt the flat edges of their boards together. Each workshop had their own shapes of corbels under the arms of their chairs and rockers.

The list goes on, including the design of the adjustable backs of Morris chairs, the diameter of the pegs in the joints, even down to the bevel on the bottoms of chair and table legs. And while it may at first glance seem like an overwhelming amount of material to learn, keep in mind that most forgers are going to attempt to duplicate the most valuable Arts & Crafts furniture, not the lesser-knowns.

Finally, keep in mind that every forgery will probably have a fatal flaw, but that flaw is not going to be readily apparent. Before spending your hard-earned cash, insist on looking at the back and the underside of the piece. Unfinished wood changes color as it ages, screws rust, and insects move in. The forger’s mistake will most likely be found in a place he never thought you would look, so, keep looking.