Three Steps to Identify an Antique Chandelier

Antique chandelier imitations abound, so if you don’t want to get swindled by an unscrupulous salesperson, you should educate yourself first. Today’s imitation chandeliers are very convincing if you don’t know how to tell the difference between a genuine Tiffany and a Chinese knockoff.

Even some antique shop owners have a hard time telling the difference, so you will definitely want to examine a chandelier for yourself. Don’t be fooled by price, because some people don’t know that they have an antique on their hands and will sell it very cheaply. Buying chandeliers online is riskier, because you can’t feel the parts and examine it up close.

1. Find out where the antique chandelier was purchased. The dealer should know some of its history. Once you have the origin, you can contact the company (or person) directly with your questions. You can also research companies online.

2. Look at the chandelier for manufacturer’s stamps. Most lighting fixtures have some sort of mark identifying the maker. You might even need a magnifying glass to find tiny stamped names on old fixtures. One way to figure out a date of production is to feel the chandelier’s arms. Chandeliers made prior to 1860 are made of solid metal (brass, usually). Chandeliers made after this date have hollow arms due to the gas flowing through them.

3. To figure out if the crystals are glass or real crystal, hold one in your hands for a minute and see if it warms up. If it gets warm quickly, it is probably cut glass, since real crystal stays cold. Brass is fairly easy to distinguish between silver and gold. It should be dull, not shiny. It might even be rusty. If you rub on the metal and it looks shiny underneath, the chandelier is probably a newer model — not an antique.