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Speculation & Opportunity. The simplest way to avoid being sold a fake, says Grotz, is to stick with a reputable dealer or else buy merchandise that has not yet become remote enough in time or expensive enough for the fakers to bother with it. He believes that regardless of its age or esthetic quality, an antique is essentially "something out of the past that reminds us of a way of life that was different from our own." Samples of Late Victoriana offer sound opportunities for long-term appreciation. Speculative buyers might also pick up pieces from the 1920s, like clear plastic beds or early plywood furniture. "A hundred years from now," predicts Grotz, "dealers will still be complaining that they can't find any of the good stuff any more. You know, the stuff with real character—like Early Plywood!"
* So named because the water had to be pumped or poured in.