Authenticity and Deception in Silver with Matthew Lafite

What makes a silver object genuine? Is authenticity guaranteed by a hallmark, a celebrated maker’s name or the unmistakable lustre of precious metal? And when does imitation become deception?

Drawing on the silver holdings of The Johnston Collection – including selected pieces from the Roger Brookes Bequest which will be available to view – Matthew will explore the sometimes elusive boundaries between originality, reproduction, adaptation and forgery.

Silver has long signalled wealth, status and taste, making it particularly susceptible to imitation and misrepresentation. Yet copying can also reflect admiration, technical ingenuity and changing fashions rather than fraudulent intent.

Through close examination of objects and their histories, the presentation invites the audience to reconsider what constitutes the 'real thing'. Can an altered or imitative object possess its own authenticity? And what can deception reveal about the history of collecting silver?