Eisenberg Char Woman Comparison

Eisenberg "Char Woman"
Comparison of Real and Fake


Real Char Woman	Fake Char Woman

Presented for your edification: a genuine Eisenberg Original char woman, on the left, courtesy Mindy of Galleria Jewelry in Kansas City. On the right is a fake "Eisenberg" char woman, courtesy Lorie Mattson of Whiskey Creek Jewels. Dimensions of each piece are as follows: the real gal on the left is 3" high by 2" wide. Her poor relation on the right measures _______.

As you can see, when the pieces are shown side by side, it is pretty easy to tell the difference between the two. The genuine piece looks more substantial and better made than its fake counterpart, which somehow looks rougher and less distinct of feature. (Note: according to Mindy, the genuine article has some enamel loss and some minor goldwash wear on the high spots.) Looking at the two, I can spot a few minor differences in construction. The fake char woman holds her broom at a steeper angle; also, her broom is less rounded and is more angular. Significantly, her plating is too bright and gaudy-looking, when compared with the real thing.

Now, if you want to be able to tell quickly, when you're out fighting the antiques wars, whether a char woman that you've found is genuine or a fooler, just flip it over. The real Eisenberg char woman is a fur clip, complete with "C" clasps at the bottom -- a sign of quality construction. Notice also that it is marked "Sterling" and "Eisenberg Original." The fake piece is a pin, rather than a clip, and is marked simply "Eisenberg." Again, note that the fake char woman is just too bright and "gold" looking. The genuine article is goldwashed sterling, and has a deeper, richer look to it.


Real (back view w/fur clip)	Fake (back view w/pin)

Ok, is this the definitive "char woman analysis?" Let's say you encounter a fur clip that looks like neither of these pieces - or that resembles the genuine piece, but has something about it that is just not "right." Is it real? Maybe, maybe not. I have no idea whether there are any other fake char women out there . . . but be on guard, just in case. I have found, in my travels, more than one "fake" of any given piece.

Happy hunting! And remember, should you encounter a char woman that does not look like either of these pieces, please let me know.

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