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Antiques and Reproductions: Can You Tell the Difference?
Dovetailing.
Handmade 18th century dovetails are large and uneven. Machine-made dovetails are thin and even.
Construction.
Phillips screws, staples and fiberboard are all tip-offs to reproductions. On antiques with large surfaces (tables, trunks, armoires), furniture makers used wide boards with an uneven width. Reproductions use narrow boards with an even width.
Gluing.
On older pieces, cabinetmakers would reinforce glued joints with dowels, mortise and tenon etc. to ensure that they were good and sturdy.
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