What I collect #2 Deco Bronze Incense Burners. Spot the Fake.

Here we have three Art Deco Period Bronze Incense Burners in an Egyptian/ Exotic style. Bronze is a combination of tin and copper. One of these is a fake-- I got fooled.  Let's look at them closer, from the left.

This one was bought a few years ago at the Brimfield Antique Market in Massachusetts. It's marked with Homeric Bronze and has the right patina for being from the 1920s, so it's real.

This was bought about ten years ago in Fullerton, California. It has the correct sort of wear pattern and patina you'd expect, and has "Made in France SR" on the bottom of the bowl she's holding. It's real.

FAKE!!!!!   Boy, did I get fooled. Reno, Nevada. The dealer had it way in the back of a case, and it was dirty. I thought I had a real find. This is a reproduction or a recasting from an original piece from 1976. How do I know? It's marked underneath the felt. (Small and hard to see, but there nonetheless.)  The seller put a piece of worn felt on the bottom to make it look old:

How did I find this out?  It got knocked down when I was dusting and the top of the jar broke. It's plastic and I was able to glue it back together.  (When I bought it, the lid was taped down, and I didn't take it off and examine it.) Sure sign of a reproduction. The original would've had a bronze top on the bowl section. It's still a lovely item, even though I over paid for it (about $150.) Maybe worth thirty bucks.

So happy antiquing and collecting over this upcoming Labor Day Holiday. Be sure to examine things carefully before you buy so you don't get taken.  I'm going to the Pasadena City College Flea Market on Sept. 5th and will post on that next.