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June 24, 2025 11:26 AM Subscribe
Considered the top scholar on French 18th-Century chairs, having written the authoritative book on the subject, Mr Pallot was often called upon by Versailles, among others, to give his expert opinion on whether historical items were the real deal. He was even called as an expert witness in French courts when there were doubts about an item's authenticity. His accomplice, Mr Desnoues, was a decorated cabinetmaker and sculptor who had won a number of prestigious awards, including best sculptor in France in 1984, and had been employed as the main restorer of furniture at Versailles. from The furniture fraud who hoodwinked the Palace of Versailles [BBC]
Yes, but are they gonna get the chair?
posted by notoriety public at 12:31 PM on June 24 [2 favorites]
posted by notoriety public at 12:31 PM on June 24 [2 favorites]
1884?
posted by nofundy at 12:54 PM on June 24 [1 favorite]
posted by nofundy at 12:54 PM on June 24 [1 favorite]
I too love all the forgery stories, because most are very obvious. But this one is hard, because the restorers of antique furniture are supposed to know exactly how to make them. You'd have to be insanely good to see the differences. I used to think I was quite good at this (I taught it at a conservation department), but this set of crooks could probably have caught me off guard.
posted by mumimor at 1:04 PM on June 25
posted by mumimor at 1:04 PM on June 25
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posted by drewbage1847 at 12:07 PM on June 24 [3 favorites]