“We don’t see many Federal fakes because, with all the veneering and inlay, they are not cost-effective to make,” explains Leslie Keno. “We do see revival pieces from the early 20th century being passed off as old. To tell the difference,” Keno continues, “pull out a drawer and check for quality of construction, oxidation of age, and proper wear patterns.” Wood quality can be another clue. “Period pieces were made with dense, first-growth wood,” says Carey. “It’s richer than the second-growth wood used in later pieces.” Such 20th-century wannabes are decorative but worth only a fraction of that of a period example.
