The cost of their forgery limits it to a very small part of the antique market. The constant and practiced use of authentication will result in the detection of most forgeries. The fourth and last criteria is a sixth sense which comes from years of experience in dealing with antiques. This intuition, or whatever you choose to call it, is a sense that tells you when a piece meets the style, construction and wear tests, but still leaves you with the uneasy feeling that something is wrong, if this is the case, then perhaps it is best to decide against it. The application of all or any of these criteria must be directed by logic and common sense.
Common sense is the best tool in the arsenal of the antique collector.
This is especially true with regard to questions of age and wear. If the chair is wooden and has arms, and is over 100 years old, the arms will he worn satin smooth by friction and hand oils. If they are wooden kitchen chairs with leg stretchers, the front stretcher will be worn in the center from feet resting on it. If you take the drawers out of an old chest of drawers and examine the bottom of the drawers, you will see wear grooves from constant use. Of course, many people rely on the reputation and expertise of a reputable antique dealer when making a purchase.