If you are a collector of coins or old antiques then you should always have in mind the risk which buying certain items can present. Unfortunately there is a great deal of people out there who will try and make a quick buck through the recreation and selling of false pieces of art which replicate the real thing. Now of course copying a Picasso or a Monet is something which is likely to be spotted very quickly, but recreating older items like coins and antiques, that is much easier to create and to sell.
A great friend of mine who works for the Sadigh Gallery in New York, shared the following handy tips to ensure that you don’t get caught out.
Education
The best and most effective way for you to avoid buying up fakes is to educate yourself on exactly what your pieces should be like. In the world of art frauds, there are varying levels of talent, in the main however there are some telltale signs that the piece has been recreated, and the creators of them simply hope that someone won’t notice. This could be a coin which just doesn’t weight what it should or perhaps even the oxidization process on a particular antique, which indicates the use of a different metal than the original. Education is absolutely critical.
Pricing
Educating yourself is not just about making sure that you know what to look for, but it should always give you an indication of how much money you should be spending on this particular piece. If the price which you see for the piece looks way off what you expect, then this could very well be one to avoid.
Inquire
There is absolutely nothing wrong with inquiring about the piece before you buy it. When you do this the owner should be able to give you a firmer understanding of where the piece has come from and a little about its history. If nothing is known then it the choice as to whether to take a gamble will be based on how high the price is.
Always Inspect
The reason why so many will tell you not to buy products online is because of the fact that doing so prevents you from having a chance to touch and see the piece that you are going to buy. Again if this is a low cost item then it is worth rolling the dice online, other than this you should always inspect the item before you purchase. Look for all of the details which you can expect to find on the piece including, weight, size and color.
Speak to an Expert
If you are looking at a high cost item then the best bet could be to spend a little bit extra money and speak with an expert around what they see in the piece. This will help you to ensue beyond all reasonable doubt that the piece is genuine.
Be careful out there collectors.
