You Don't Have To Be Indiana Jones To Spot Fake Art

He's known as an "obtainer of rare antiquities," and in his upcoming adventure Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (VIA), the archeologist hero—Dr. Jones—bypasses traditional dealers and looks to get his goods (in this adventure, he's after a rare skull-shaped sculpture) directly from the source.

For the rest of us, dodging booby traps and other assorted baddies is generally not in the script. So if you are obtaining your own rare work of art or antique, how do you know that it comes from where a dealer says it does? Well, if they are selling you a crystal skull, be skeptical. According to experts, a 19th century French antiquarian, Eugene Boban, is believed to have dealt many fake crystal skulls back in his day, some of which are reportedly still on display museums around the world. But no matter what ancient artifact or piece of art you covet, doing some research is the correct way to know that your investment is on the level.

“The best thing to do is bring the piece of artwork to someone who specializes in that type of art,” says Mark Winter, director of Art Experts, Inc. in Holly Hill, Fla. “If you are lucky enough to live somewhere like New York City, where there is virtually every type of art expert available, you can meet with a gallery director,  80% of the time they will be able to tell you immediately whether what you have is authentic.”

Another place to turn is a group of art academics who can help track down an antiquity's paper trail, which often will document its origin. "Depending on the object, authentication generally involves provenance research (ownership history) and other documentary evidence," says Dr. Sharon Flescher, executive director of the International Foundation for Art Research, a not-for-profit educational and research organization. In addition, Flescher recommends "physical examination of the material properties of the work, which may or may not include laboratory tests."