A collectible figurine is more than a beautiful work of art. It’s also an investment and you want to be sure that you have not purchased a fake or forgery. Luckily with the proper knowledge there are ways for the average collector to do this.

Any figurine of any worth will have a company trademark, mark or backstamp on the underside of the base. Some figurines such as those made by Royal Copenhagen have had the same marking for many years. Others such as M.I. Hummel and Lladro have had an array of marks which were changed every few years.

Now one slight complication with a Lladro figurine is that some of the first ones made were unmarked, however these are extremely rare so it’s unlikely you’ll find one. Most likely if you encounter an unmarked Lladro it’s a fake or forgery.

When making a purchase in an antique store it’s an easy matter to make a visual inspection of the marking but what do you do if you’re buying online such as on eBay for example? If the seller has not provided a photo of the trademark or backstamp request that they do so. A reputable seller will be happy to comply with this simple request.

Something else to be aware of is the issue of “seconds”. Seconds are figurines or collectibles which the manufacturer considered to be inferior for some reason, many times unnoticeable to the average collector. Seconds are marked by marring the backstamp or logo in some fashion. For example Royal Copenhagen scores their logo with a sharp object. Lladro will scrape off their famous bell logo leaving just their trademark name. From an investment standpoint this is an important thing to watch for.

On a side note one strength of the changing markings over time is they provide an excellent means of finding out the approximate age of the figurine. This can also be important as an earlier version of a figurine can be much more valuable. This has always been true of Hummel figurines particularly.

On our website noted below we have full articles with detailed photos to assist you in authenticating and also dating your Lladro and Hummel figurines.

We truly hope these tips prove useful in ensuring that you have invested in an authentic figurine.

Visit The Prudent Collector for more collectible advice and for full details and photos which show you how to authenticate Lladro figurines by their trademark backstamps and authenticate Hummel figurines by their trademark markings.

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