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Discover Mid-America — June 2004

Antiquing in Colorado

Real or fake: The Lowdown on London

I have recently returned from a month-long trip to London, Rome and Athens. Like any die-hard antique dealer, I searched out flea markets, shops and malls in each country. On my last trip to London, I had purchased a bracelet that turned out to be a reproduction and I was hell-bent on returning it.

When I approached the booth and the dealer where I had purchased the bracelet, sure enough, there was another exactly like the one I was returning. By the way, I had received assurances that it was truly an antique before I purchased it months ago. The dealer immediately admitted to his duplicity, could not have been more cordial and offered to replace the purchase with something more valuable. I have come to recognize this attitude as a London standard when confronted with questionable behavior. You guessed it, not the first time.

On to Rome where I visited several shop with pleasant conversations with the antique owners. Eventually, I asked the dealer in one shop where or how did they find such wonderful antiques in Italy. His response, “I regularly receive merchandise from London.” My heart just skipped a beat! On to Athens, where I searched for antique shops in the high rent district. I actually purchased a small box carved out of amazonite featuring the Parthenon - a true antique and not from London! I again asked where they found such wonderful antiques in Athens. The response was the same, “I regularly receive containers from London.”

Okay, is England regularly supplying the whole of Europe with antiques or reproductions? I began to reflect on the displays at Portobello and Bermundsey —they have enormous quantities. My experiences with antique jewelry certainly make me question the authenticity of the silver, porcelain, and furniture shipped to other European countries. The population of England is relatively small, however they do have a few years on us. Buyers beware!

Syrma Sotiriou is the proprietor of The Treasured Scarab in Denver, and a regular contributor to Discover Mid-America. Contact her at (303) 777-6884.

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