Artifacts Or Artifakes

[monsterrack]

If you are a collector who buys Indian artifacts you don't wont to end up with an artifake. Artifakes have been around along time, but until recently they have become a serious problem. Now that some artifacts are rare and bring a high price, it can be profitable to produce artifakes. In addition artfakers have become more sophisticated. The results is that artifakes are better than ever and more of them available on the open market thanks mostly to the internet. If you want to become knowledgeable about the things you collect, limit your collecting to one type of artifact. Nobody can be an expert on everything, but you can become a expert if you specialize.
Within your specific area, make a detailed study and include well documented artifacts and also artifakes. The ability to make intelligent buying decisions is directly related to the time and effort you spend in your study's. Visit museums look at their points in detail, draw a sketch of the point , flake pattern and all, look at the type of stone that it is made of, and where it was found. Next go see a flintknapper , do some studying of flintknapping. Most of all know what type of points that come from your area or from the area where you are being told the point came from that you want to buy.
Buying artifacts can be done , without buying a fake, A good relation with an honest dealer can be your best assests to a collector. People at shows that you don't know can be honest, but be a little leery, just remember they make their living by selling things, so in the end they are trying to make a sell. Experts will tell you be suspect of any artifact that is made of these materials STONE, bone, wood, shell, clay or metal. Even museums have fakes in them and they bought them for the real deal. Authenticity has long been a concern of museum deparment all over the world because most of their source to buy was in the open market. One of the very first artifakers was Frank H. Cushings who worked for the Bureau of American Ethnology. Even the earliest and well documented group of early 19 century plains indian artifacts that is collected by George Catlin on the upper Missouri river in 1832 which is now in the Natural History Museum has some things that don't add up.
The best thing that one can do is study and study some more on what you want to collect and then again it's a buyer beware market.

 

[rock]

I will be looking at a collection in a couple of weeks. I only buy from local people in my area.

 

[1320]

I only curate what I find. My junk comes from depths of three or more feet! Nice post.