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Authentication & Dating Reports

A written opinion on a piece you actually hold. By the editor of antiquecostume.com — Margaret Hale, twenty years on the Brimfield / Round Top / Pasadena circuit.

Most authentication services are either a $5 algorithmic guess from a photo or a $400 appraisal from someone you have to schedule three months out. This sits in the middle — a real written opinion from a working specialist, fast turnaround, fair price.

I will tell you what I see in your photographs and what I would do next if the piece were mine. I do not appraise for insurance, tax, customs, or legal purposes — those require a credentialed appraiser, not an opinion. See the disclaimer below.

Three tiers

Quick Look

$35

5 business-day turnaround

  • One photo set (up to 6 photos)
  • 200-word written opinion
  • Era and likely decade
  • One specific authentication clue called out
  • Sent as PDF via email

Best for: Single piece, fast triage before bidding or buying.

Quick Look — $35 →

Full Report

$95

10 business-day turnaround

  • Up to 8 photos including interior, label, closures
  • Approximately 800-word dated and attributed report
  • Construction notes (seam finishing, label generation, closures)
  • Fabric assessment
  • Two to three comparable auction citations where available
  • Sent as PDF via email, with one round of follow-up questions

Best for: Serious purchase decision, consignment to auction, insurance documentation companion.

Full Report — $95 →

In-Person

$250 / hour

By appointment

  • Brimfield (Massachusetts), Round Top (Texas), or Pasadena Rose Bowl — Margaret's existing circuit
  • One-hour minimum
  • On-the-spot inspection
  • Verbal opinion with same-day written summary
  • Email any piece I look at the same evening

Best for: Pre-auction inspection, estate triage, training your eye on multiple pieces.

Schedule in-person →

Payment via Stripe Checkout. Quick Look and Full Report paid up front; in-person requires a $100 deposit at booking.

How to submit

  1. Email hello@antiquecostume.com with subject line "Authentication request" and the tier you want.
  2. Attach photos. For Quick Look: front, back, label, closure. For Full Report: add interior seam allowance, hem, lining tag, any unusual construction. For in-person: skip — photos are not needed.
  3. Tell me what you know about the piece (where you got it, what the seller claimed, what you suspect). Brief is fine; I prefer too little to too much.
  4. I send a payment link via Stripe. You pay; I write. Quick Look back in five business days, Full Report in ten, in-person as scheduled.

Disclaimer

Reports are the written opinion of one experienced researcher based on the photographs and information provided. They are not appraisals for insurance, tax, customs, or legal purposes. No guarantee of authenticity, attribution, or value is made or implied. Margaret Hale and antiquecostume.com disclaim all liability for purchase, sale, or insurance decisions made in reliance on these opinions. For an insurance appraisal you need a credentialed appraiser; see the About page for referrals.

Conflict policy

I do not authenticate pieces being offered for sale by a current Trusted Dealer of this site. If a piece you want examined comes from a dealer listed in our directory, tell me up front and I will decline or refer you to another specialist. Editorial credibility is the asset; protecting it is non-negotiable.