How do you know if an antique frame is an original or a reproduction?
In a nutshell sometimes you do and sometimes you don’t! It’s a great challenge for antique dealers to authenticate a piece of furniture. With frames, it can be a bit easier. Besides the style of the moulding and the finish, one of the first things to do is look at the back side of a frame. Joinery techniques have differed over the centuries. The age of the wood will be apparent as well. Something that has survived for at least 100 years looks a bit different than something made ten years ago.