Authenticity & Condition
Every piece offered on Japonista is examined in Japan before it is offered, described as it is, and sold with our authenticity guarantee. This page explains how that examination works, what our descriptions mean, and what we promise if a piece is ever shown not to be what we said it was.
How each piece is examined
Before a piece is photographed and described, it is handled and studied in Japan. What we look at depends on the object:
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Maison pieces (Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Goyard, Chanel and others): materials, stitching, hardware, heat stamps, date codes, serial and lock numbers, construction details and, for trunks, canvas, labels and interior fittings.
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Watches: case and movement references, serials, dial and hand details, hallmarks, and the accompanying box and papers where present.
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Art and editions: signatures, edition numbers, studio stamps and embossing, printing method, and the original packaging or certificate where present.
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Antiques and heritage art: material, tool marks, wear consistent with age, repairs, inscriptions, boxes and box inscriptions (hakogaki), and any recorded provenance.
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Vintage fashion and toys: labels and tags, fabric and construction, embroidery or lithography, maker's marks, and original boxes.
Every piece is photographed from all sides, including marks, labels, serials and wear, so that the photographs form part of the description. Measurements are taken by hand.
How to read our descriptions
We follow the catalogue conventions of museums and fine-art houses, so that our descriptions mean the same thing every time:
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A maker or house named without qualification (for example "Louis Vuitton wardrobe trunk"): we guarantee the piece is by that maker or house.
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"Attributed to": in our opinion probably by that artist or maker, but without certainty.
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"In the style of", "school of", "after": made in the manner of the named artist or period, not by them.
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"Circa" or a date range: our considered estimate of date based on materials, construction and comparable examples. Dates reported by a previous owner or a box inscription are identified as such.
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"Reproduction", "re-edition" or "revival": a later piece made after an earlier design, stated plainly.
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Condition: described in words and shown in photographs. Where a grade appears, "unused" means never used, "near unused" means only the lightest traces of handling, and lower grades describe progressively more visible wear, all of which is shown in the photographs.
Age, patina, repairs and old restorations are part of a vintage or antique piece's history. We describe the ones we can see; please study the photographs and ask us before purchase if anything is unclear.
Our authenticity guarantee
If a piece we sold you as the work of a named maker, house or artist is shown not to be authentic, we will refund the full purchase price and the cost of returning it to us.
To make a claim:
- Contact us within 30 days of delivery, with your order number.
- Include a written opinion from a recognised professional authentication service, or from the maker or house itself, stating that the piece is not authentic.
- Return the piece in the condition in which it arrived, with everything that came with it, once we have confirmed the return.
The guarantee covers the authenticity of the maker, house or artist we state without qualification. It does not cover attributions, styles or date estimates given as opinion as described above, or wear and age that are shown in the photographs. It sits alongside our returns and refunds policy, which continues to apply in every other respect.
Documentation that travels with your piece
Where they exist, original boxes, dust bags, keys, papers, certificates, receipts and box inscriptions are kept with the piece and listed in its description. For high-value acquisitions and concierge clients, a fuller condition and documentation file is available through our Documentation Lab and condition reports.
Ask before you buy
If you would like more photographs, a measurement, or our view on a detail, write to us through the curator desk; we usually reply within one to three business days from Japan. Answers to common questions about payment, shipping and duties are collected in our questions and answers.
