If you are looking for 100% authenticity in your period mouldings there is nothing better than the original item. But modern imitations can be a suitable substitution in situations where there is no alternative, for example where the original item is broken or damaged and is no longer able to be replaced. Modern imitations can also be more cost-effective and easier to handle and install.
You may face a scenario where you are tasked with a refurbishment project that requires you to identify items which could be an authentic period moulding, or could be a modern imitation. Done well, it can be very difficult to tell the difference, but here we have outlined some key differences which may enable you to identify between a genuine period moulding and a modern imitation.
Materials and craftsmanship
Authentic period skirting boards, architrave or wall mouldings will be made from natural woods, and hence you should be able to see grains, knots and imperfections in the wood. A modern imitation could be made from MDF, which will have none of these characteristics and is more likely to be smooth and flawless.
Period mouldings will have been handcrafted, so the design may include intricate carving and precise joinery that could only have been carried out by hand tools. There may even be tool marks in the wood. A modern imitation is more likely to have been machine made, and therefore may display repetitive markings from the machine, and will generally show less artistic flair and may lack character, due to the restrictions of the machine parameters.
Design
If you research the key design periods – Victorian, Georgian, Edwardian – you can very quickly pick-up on the types of profile used and the obvious nuances between each period. If a modern imitation is claiming to come from one of these periods, is the design consistent with what you would expect? In some cases a modern imitation may follow a more generic design that is not faithful to the original period, and doesn’t have the same character or complexity, because the skills are not there or a machine is not capable of reproducing this. Authentic period mouldings should show the subtle variations between each design period.
Aging
This is perhaps the easiest way to distinguish between an authentic period moulding and a modern alternative. An authentic piece will have been subjected to natural wear and tear, and this should be evident in scratches, dents and fading in the woodwork. You may also be able to tell if a piece is still displaying its original finish. Is this perhaps visible beneath a more recent finish? There may also be signs of alterations to the moulding, or repairs to an original piece.
A modern imitation is likely to show less wear and tear or colour variation, and could indeed look pristine with a uniform finish. This in itself is a giveaway that a piece is machine made rather than handcrafted, but you do see inferior quality reproductions where an item has been artificially aged. This is also a clear indication that an item is a modern, machine-made imitation. If a ‘period moulding’ is perfectly preserved, it can’t be authentic.
Faithful and authentic period mouldings
At Period Mouldings our skirting boards, architrave, rails, wall and door mouldings are handcrafted using traditional tools and techniques, just like they were in their original design period. We also have expertise on hand to provide insight into profile design and finishes. This is how we are able to produce modern imitations that are faithful to original mouldings and can be seamlessly replaced for authenticity and consistency. Our attention to detail takes in all the observations made above to ensure we use natural woods and authentic skills to faithfully reproduce our period mouldings, so your home can retain its character and can truly shine as an authentic period home.