Wiedabach says such copies are harmless when the piece's inauthenticity, if known, is disclosed to potential buyers. On early pieces, authenticity can be difficult to ascertain. There were several contemporaries of Tiffany who made very nice pieces stamped or engraved 'Tiffany Studios New York' on them and presented them as the real thing. Like any great maker, Tiffany's goods were copied, and the copies can be very nice, high quality pieces with their own intrinsic value. The subtleties that distinguish authentic items from imposters are easily overlooked by novices.
Reproductions are generally contemporary copies of antique items.
Henson, who specializes in cut glass inkwells dating to the Victorian period, says that reproductions of such inkwells are manufactured today in India, and many eventually appear for sale in Internet auctions. An identifying feature of these reproductions is a particular type of brass hinge unlike those used on antique examples. The makers, who produce these items in volume, often represent them as authentic antiques. However, these pieces also turn up in antique shops, flea markets and other venues where vendors are often not familiar enough with inkwells to know the difference. Wiedabach believes that many of the sellers offering reproductions or fakes for sale probably do so innocently.