The title of this article says “Brief,” and that’s for a reason. There is already an excellent, comprehensive guide to verifying authenticity of Laurel Burch products – and it’s at her website! I can't publish the link here on eBay, so you'll have to Google it to find it. Once there, look under News, then Laurel Burch Knockoffs.

This is where a bit of sleuthing comes in. First off, her signature is displayed there, along with the guideline that states it's on every Laurel Burch product. Make sure that the seller is displaying or can get you a photograph of the signature - then make sure they match as closely as possible. Some of her wood carvings and such have a slightly different signature but are still authentic. Secondly, check out the style itself. Some of the fake Franklin Mint plates going around eBay as of late have totally different coloring and style as opposed to the authentic. Find someone who is actually displaying a signature, then compare the two photographs closely side-by-side and you'll see what I mean.

Check out collector web sites, get on friendly terms with collectors, and learn what you can about telling the authentic from the knock-off. Never take it for granted that the item is genuine. Always, if in doubt, ask the seller for clearer photographs of the item. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Sometimes, especially with the more rare wood carvings, the amount of bidders can usually tell the observer if the article is genuine or not. Once again, it pays to educate yourself thoroughly!

Armed with knowledge the collector will easily be able to detect the authentic from the fake. Once you start with that, then you’ll begin to notice other, more subtle differences, just by a quick comparison.

I hope that this guide will empower you, the individual collector, to discern the difference between real and authentic Laurel Burch products. If so, please vote Yes below so that I’ll know my efforts weren’t in vain.

Peace out and Brightest Blessings!

Linda, aka brynnamorgan