Monday, January 14, 2019

How To Identify Real Baccarat Crystal Pieces?

By Janet Burns


Baccarat was founded in France in 1764, and they started with window panes, mirrors and stemware. They starting using a crystal oven in 1816 and since then every baccarat crystal item created is of great value. They started with 3000 workers and in time even opened two museums, one in Meurthe-et-Moselle and one in Paris.

In 1993 the company began making jewelry and expanded into the perfume business in 1997. In 2010 Baccarat already had stores in more than 10 locations. Starting 2012, they also opened a luxury hotel chain which features their crystal chandeliers. Given their popularity and quality, each item is quite expensive and if you want to purchase one it is important to know that you are getting the real thing.

So here are some ways that will help you determine whether the crystal piece you want is original or not. If you set your eyes on an old paperweight, keep in mind that they are marked with the letter B and the year when it was made. If they are from 1849, the B will be missing, and the numbers are different colors: red, blue or green, depending on the year.

Perfume bottles created starting with 1920 will have a logo on them and images of a wine glass, a goblet and a carafe, along with the company's name printed in a circle. Various other glass pieces, such as vases, decanters, candy dishes, etc, which were made starting 1936 also have the images and the name in capital letters. Pieces created more recently only have the name of the company and not the images anymore.

If you only see the word "Baccarat" and no other logo, this means that the pieces are quite recent. Other items will have a large B on them or could be labeled with a sticker, which would be quadrilateral or rectangular. The stickers will feature the company's logo and be gold with a black edge, with the name Baccarat in the middle, for the quadrilateral ones, or white with a red ridge for the rectangular ones. The latter could also be solid red and have the text written in gold.

However, if you found an unmarked piece, it is a bit more difficult to determine its authenticity. Start by studying the websites and catalogs of various collectors in order to familiarize with the styles. During the '20s and '50s, cube shapes were popular, while Venetian glass influenced the pieces created in the the 1960.

If you are already familiarized with their style you can study the designers that Baccarat used in the past. It may be a bit complicated if you are not familiarized with these, though. Another easier way is to weight them, considering that crystal is way heavier than other materials used in fake items.

If you are still not sure or are having a hard time figuring it out, contact a representative or visit a store that is near you. They will be able to help you and answer any questions you may have about the item that you want to purchase. There crystals are very valuable and they deserve the utmost attention and care.




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