My $20 'antique' butter churn turned out to be from 1993

Found this cute little wooden churn at a flea market in Vermont, paid $20 thinking it was Victorian era or something. Got it home and found a sticker on the bottom that said 'Made in Taiwan - Rustic Decor Collection.' Has anyone else been totally fooled by fake cottagecore junk?

2 comments

2 Comments

luna5191mo ago

Oh man, I’ve been there too. Found a "vintage" milk can at a garage sale and paid way too much before I saw the price tag sticker hidden under the lid. Check for labels in weird spots like inside the lid or under felt pads on the bottom, thats where they hide them usually. Also look at the wood grain, if it's too perfect and uniform it's probably mass produced. A real old piece will have uneven staining and maybe some nail holes or old screw marks. The fake rustic stuff always has that fake distressed paint that peels way too cleanly.

troy_sanchez81mo ago

That milk can story hits close to home. I once bought a "primitive" wooden bowl at a flea market for 40 bucks, only to find a "Made in China" sticker underneath after I got home. Now I flip everything over and check every crevice like I'm looking for hidden treasure. The fake distressed paint tip is golden though, I've noticed it always chips off in those perfect little flakes, like they used a heat gun on purpose. Real wear from an old piece looks more like someone dragged it across a gravel driveway by accident.