Artificial ageing is the deliberate treatment of a newly made or restored object to make it look older than it is. Techniques include distressing surfaces with tools or chains, staining and toning, applying chemical patinas to metal, simulating wear on edges and feet, and using dirt, wax and soot to mimic the build-up of years.
Artificial ageing has legitimate uses in restoration, where a replacement part such as a moulding, handle or section of veneer is coloured and toned to blend sympathetically with the original. It is also used openly in decorative reproductions and interior design, where an aged look is desired. However, it is one of the principal tools of the faker, used to pass off reproductions or heavily altered pieces as genuine antiques. Experienced buyers learn to recognise its signs: wear in places that would not naturally be handled or rubbed, uniform distressing, worm holes that run straight rather than tunnelling, consistent colour across surfaces that should differ, and stains or oxidation that sit on the surface rather than in the material. Understanding how genuine age develops on wood, metal, ceramics and glass is the best protection against being misled.
