Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1895-09-18
FAKE FURNITURE.
HOW BOGUS ANTIQUES ARE
MADE TO ORDER.

The Counterfeits Are Made Abroad
and Sold to Gullible Americans
Initiating Worm Holes
With Shotgun..
NIHws. WY WORKERS j; 5as.. spend sasl, thou, sss:
on "genuine antiques" that
have never celebrated oven
30 much as their first birthday.
The frauds in this line of goods are
wonderful to look upon. The old
time furniture is copied SO cleverly
and with such attention to detail that
it would deceive any but an expert.
According to the statements of several
New York antique dealers, there are
ut present for sale in this city three
carved oak clocks which chimed away
the passing hours to blind Milton, and
no less than five chairs on which Crom-
well sat. Of course, he signed the
death warrant of Charles /. while sit.
ting in each of them. There is also
go much of Shakespeares furniture in
the market that one might be forgiven
for suspecting that poet of having run
a furniture store. The fraud is prac.
ticed in the first instance on American
importers abroad, and they, in turn
Eome of them-take it out on the
curiosity fanatic in New York.
1o- 20 Tf,,r wv
year and buy large stocks Of these
goods, for ''wooden nutmeg" furni:
tuto cannot be bought wholesale at
home. The reason for this is not far
to seek. European countries and
England especially, are sd rich in his:
toric objects that ibis Oh easy matter
for the "fake" furniture dealer to get
correct copies of old time furniture.
This has been simplifed since the
kodak became 30 common. The little
black camera is the furniture fakir's
best friend. When d new design is
required the dealer visits the various
museums and sends his assistants to
all the auction sales where choice col:
lections are being offered, and snaps
off every design he desires to copy.
In order to get the detail perfect
the negatives are enlarged and prints
are made the exact size OF the origi-
nal. These copies are handed to the
wood carver. Special mer are en-
gagged to do the carving. They are
men who have devoted their whole
lives to this branch of their handi.
craft. Their principal requirement
to be successful is the ability to keep
their mouths shut.
One of the principal reasons why it
is 30 difficult to detect these antique
frauds is that nearly all the articles
are made from old wood. Cartloads
of wormeaten oak pows are bought
daily by the furniture fakirs, who
haunt the cities and towns where old
churches are being torn down or reno.
waited.
Grandfathers clocks, in fine carved
oak cases, are in great demand. AS
matter of fact, only one OF two genuine
ones are known to exist. This fact
does not phase the antique dealer,
old, carved clocks are called for and
he supplies them. There are plenty of
ancient clocks with plain cases to be
had, but these are of little value until
the fakir has put in his fine work. He
renovates the works which are seldom
looked at, after which he proceeds to
ndd some beauty spots to the case. a
figure of some dead and gone monarch
or celebrity is carved on the door.
The date OF 1912 carved underneath
the figure will add at least $50 to the
value of the article. The rest of the
case is usually ornamented with con-
ventional designs taken from the car.
ver's big stock.
If the oak has not the necessary
wormeaten appearance the energetic
dealer will load up his shotgun and
fire charge at the wood: Tables.
bureaus and heavier pieces of furui-
ture get shot at moro than clocks:
Great care is taken that none OF the
leaden pellets shall be exposed to view.
In some cases they are extracted, and
ifin this processa panel should happen
to crack the purchaser is informed
that Oliver Cromwell or some other
we'll known gentleman had caused the
damage while on spree.
The process of ancient clock making
does not stop with the carving. The
wood is rubbed down with sandpaper.
and artistically stained. French pol
ish is then applied; coat after coat, SO
that the stain cannot possibly be
washed away. The glossy appear;
ance produced by the polish is taken
away by brushingit over with powdered
pumice stone. A final brushing with
beeswax and turpentine produces the
softness to the the touch that is "only
to be found in extremely old wood
work." A clock treated in this man.
ner is often sold for 5000; the en-
tire cost to the dealer here is never
over $50, including purchase price,
freight, packing and duty.
This method of manufacturing is
confined to England. The cheaper
class of goods is made in Belgium.
The antique merchant there believes
in turning out quantity rather than
quality, and carries his frauds even
further than the Englishman. All the
furniture is made with new wood,
which is softened with steam and
stamped to the required design by
steel dies under hydraulic pressure,
which leaves the carving" in relief
The wood is afterward immersed in @
solution of potassium bichromate,
which hardens and darkens it at the
same time. After this it isput through
the usual process. of wax polishing,
and eventnally finds IFS way into the