Test your eye

Authentic or forgery?

Study each object, make your judgment, then flip the card to discover the details and evidence behind its assessment.

Four-faced, eight-armed Thai bronze Phra Phrom figure with a dark patina, traces of gilding and a tiered pedestal.
Authentic Naturally aged oxidation, worn gilding and casting irregularities follow the sculpture’s form. The sealed underside, sacred yantra markings and documented provenance further support its identification as an antique Thai devotional figure.View this piece →
Bronze horse statuette with a dark brown surface, green patina and soil-like deposits against a warm ivory background.
Forgery The unusually uniform patina and repeated surface pitting imitate age but appear applied rather than naturally developed. Faint casting seams along the legs further indicate modern manufacture.
Blue-green Egyptian faience amulet depicting the goddess Taweret standing on a rectangular base, with visible glaze wear and mineral deposits.
Authentic Surviving blue-green glaze remains within the recessed details, while the irregular wear and mineral deposits are consistent with considerable age. The preserved suspension hole and documented collection history dating to 1992 further support its identification as an ancient Egyptian amulet.View this piece →
Painted Yoruba Egungun ancestor headdress with a pale carved face, red eyes, black coiffure and woven wicker masquerade framework.
Authentic Irregular pigment loss, surface abrasions and cracking extend naturally across the hand-carved wood and woven framework. Also, documented estate provenance support its identification as a mid-20th-century Yoruba Egungun ceremonial headdress.View this piece →
Cream-coloured Egyptian-style shabti with an orange-red face, broad wig, crossed arms and rows of carved symbols.
Forgery Shabtis were placed in tombs to serve the deceased in the afterlife. Genuine examples were made from various materials and often carried meaningful funerary inscriptions. Here, the soft soapstone is atypical for the form, while the roughly carved symbols do not create a coherent hieroglyphic text—revealing it as a modern imitation.
Dark Egyptian-style seated figure with a circular disk, wide eyes, ribbed chest, crossed legs, clasped hands and carved symbols along the rectangular base.
Forgery The figure combines a halo-like disk, ribbed torso and cross-legged pose that do not form a coherent ancient Egyptian type. The symbols along the base are decorative pseudo-hieroglyphs rather than readable text. Uniform deposits and sharply cut grooves provide further evidence of artificial ageing and modern manufacture.
Weathered clay sideshow head with a gaunt face and exposed human teeth, mounted on a brass stand within a wood-and-glass display case.
Authentic This is an authentic 19th-century sideshow gaff—not a genuine mummified human head. Constructed from clay and fitted with human teeth, it was created to imitate preserved remains for public exhibition. Its historical significance lies in the carnival culture that presented manufactured curiosities as sensational relics.View this piece →
Compact steel pinfire pepperbox revolver with a multi-barrel design, folding trigger, side-loading gate and dark wooden grip panels.
Authentic Belgian Liège proof marks, period-correct pinfire construction, a multi-barrel pepperbox design and folding trigger support its circa-1860 origin. The steel surfaces and wooden grips display handling wear consistent with age, while the surviving mechanism reflects authentic mid-19th-century Belgian manufacture.View this piece →
Framed Old Master-style painting of an elderly, white-bearded man studying an open book in a mountainous landscape, with red drapery across the foreground.
Forgery Although the subject and aged surface imitate an Old Master painting, technical examination reveals modern pigments and a recently prepared ground. The unusually uniform craquelure was artificially created and does not correspond naturally with the underlying paint layers.
Pair of stylized Pre-Columbian terracotta figures with pointed heads and outstretched arms, displayed on black stands.
Authentic These hand-modelled terracotta effigies display the pointed heads, flattened limbs and simplified forms associated with Colima Teco-type “gingerbread” figures. Irregular firing, mineral deposits, age-consistent wear and documented provenance support their attribution to West Mexico, circa 100 BCE–300 CE.View this piece →

Collector's Guide

How to buy authentic antiquities online

Ten practical checks reveal what responsible buying looks like—and the warning signs that should make you pause. Use them before purchasing from any seller, including Relic & Rarity.

Can antiquities be purchased legally?

Yes—but lawful acquisition depends on clear title, responsible provenance research and compliance with applicable import, export and cultural-property laws.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Seller confirms lawful ownership and clear title in writing

Provenance and export history documented where required

Dealer understands the laws relevant to the object and destination

Transaction reflects responsible due diligence and the principles of the UNESCO 1970 Convention

WARNING SIGNS

Seller avoids questions about ownership or legal title

Required documentation is said to be “lost” or unavailable

Object recently surfaced from a conflict region without credible provenance

Seller promotes a “no questions asked” sale

Confirm the seller’s identity and reputation

Professional affiliations can provide added accountability, but they do not replace careful research. Verify the business, review its policies and consider how directly it answers questions.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Verifiable business name, contact details and trading history

Clear return, authenticity and complaints policies

Professional affiliations that can be independently verified

Direct answers about provenance, condition and attribution

WARNING SIGNS

Seller’s identity or contact details cannot be verified

No verifiable presence beyond a marketplace profile

Pressure to communicate or pay outside the platform

Evasive or inconsistent answers when questioned

Understand provenance and its limitations

Provenance is an object’s recorded ownership history. It may be incomplete, but responsible sellers distinguish documented facts from reported history and disclose gaps clearly.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Former owners, dates and locations identified where available

Invoices, auction records, collection labels or export documents

Documented facts clearly separated from reported history

Gaps acknowledged rather than disguised

WARNING SIGNS

Vague phrases such as “old European collection” without supporting detail

The provenance changes when questioned

Named owners or documents cannot be independently verified

Records conflict with the object’s stated date or history

What a certificate of authenticity should contain

A certificate should identify the exact object and record the evidence supporting its attribution. It is valuable documentation—but not proof of authenticity by itself.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

A photograph or unique inventory number linked to the object

Material, dimensions, culture or region, and date range

Available provenance and basis for the attribution

Any scientific tests or specialist reports clearly identified

Issuer’s full name, business details, signature and date

WARNING SIGNS

Generic wording that could describe any similar object

No identifiable issuer or verifiable contact details

Claims of testing without an accompanying report or reference

Definitive conclusions unsupported by evidence

A seller-issued certificate presented as independent authentication

Review condition, restoration and attribution language

Read the description as carefully as the photographs. Terms such as “circa,” “attributed to” and “in the manner of” express different levels of certainty, while restoration should be disclosed before purchase.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

A written condition report available before purchase

Repairs, fills, overpaint and replacement elements disclosed

Clear photographs from multiple angles, including damaged areas

Dating and attribution language matched to the available evidence

WARNING SIGNS

“Excellent condition” or “museum quality” used instead of meaningful detail

Restoration disclosed only after payment or delivery

An uncertain attribution presented as a confirmed fact

Missing or cropped photographs that conceal damage, undersides or repairs

Understand what scientific testing can show

Scientific methods answer specific questions. Thermoluminescence, radiocarbon dating and XRF are useful only when the method suits the material, and results should be considered alongside provenance, physical examination and comparative research.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

A testing method appropriate to the material and question

The laboratory and analyst clearly identified

A complete report linked to the exact object and tested sample

Sampling locations, date ranges and limitations clearly recorded

Results considered alongside the other available evidence

WARNING SIGNS

“Scientifically tested” with no method, laboratory or report identified

XRF or material analysis presented as direct proof of age

A result from one sample applied to unrelated or restored portions

Report details or sample photographs that do not match the object

Only selected pages provided while the complete report is withheld

Check returns, shipping and insurance

Before paying, confirm the return policy, packing method, shipping service, and insurance coverage. Any required permits should also be addressed in writing.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

A clear return policy provided before purchase

Packing appropriate to the object’s material, size and fragility (museum grade)

Tracking, insurance limits and claims responsibilities clearly stated

Accurate customs declarations and any required permits

WARNING SIGNS

Policies that are vague or change after payment

Pressure to waive tracking or appropriate insurance

Requests to undervalue or misdescribe the object on customs forms

The buyer made responsible for loss or damage regardless of cause

No written process for loss, damage or material misdescription

Recognize warning signs when buying online

No single warning sign proves that a listing is fraudulent. When several appear together, pause, verify the seller and request further evidence before paying.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

A price broadly consistent with relevant comparable objects

Multiple clear photographs, including marks, undersides and flaws

A seller willing to provide additional evidence or permit independent review

Clear answers and reasonable time to make a decision

A secure payment method offering a transaction record and buyer protection

WARNING SIGNS

A price that is implausibly low without a credible explanation

A single cropped, heavily edited or copied photograph

Countdown timers or repeated claims that another buyer is waiting

Refusal to provide additional photographs or documentation

Only irreversible payment methods offering little or no buyer protection

Why collectors choose Relic & Rarity

Every acquisition is supported by object-specific research, transparent cataloguing and clearly stated terms.

What you receive

Detailed cataloguing and clear photographs

Condition, restoration and attribution disclosed

Available provenance recorded without overstating gaps

Certificates and supporting documents provided as specified in each listing

Independent specialist consultation when additional expertise is warranted

Clear written terms for returns, shipping, insurance, duties and taxes

Featured artifacts and collections

Put these principles into practice by browsing objects presented with detailed cataloguing, condition information and recorded provenance where available.

Where to begin

Browse all available artifacts

Explore Ancient Egyptian antiquities

Discover Greek and Roman artifacts

Meet our independent artifact and antiquities specialists

This guide draws on published trade, scientific and public guidance and is provided for general educational purposes. It does not constitute legal, appraisal or authentication advice. Requirements and risks vary by object and jurisdiction; consult a qualified independent professional where appropriate.