See here for an article about Pitt-Rivers and fakes.

Here are the items identified as fakes, forgeries or reproductions in the 2 Pitt-Rivers collections, known to Pitt-Rivers:

Founding Collection:

1884.37.1-2 2 red vases in imitation of Samian [ware, Roman] made at Lezoux [Lizoux, in the Auvergne, Puy-de-Dôme]

1884.122.598 etc Pre-historic. Natural forms simulating artificial ones. 836 Forgeries of Palaeolithic implements chiefly by Flint Jack (1457)

1884.140.111 Metal object marked forgery (no further information known)

1884.140.262 etc 843 - 844 Stone axes with groove for withy London forgeries 1433 1430, 845 Large perforated stone axe London forgery 1434, 847 Forgeries of bronze implements (6) 1455 = 2 1456 = 4, 848 Flint pointed arrows by Flint Jack (without head) 1476 1477

1884.140.965 Pitt Rivers Catalogue Entry (1877) - Screen 34 ... 946 Axe consisting of a fishbone set in a split cane, the genuineness of which is doubtful [p145]

Second collection:

Add.9455vol1_p3 /6 and on Articles purchased at Sale (Sotheby’s Wellington St Strand) 6 figures of Mars, Venus, Mercury, a Jester etc (Forgeries

Add.9455vol2_p146 /1 [Bought at Foster’s 23 July 85] ... Old Dresden Group Lot 132, Nymphs cupids and horse on gilt openwork stand [Drawing]  Added: (Probably a forgery?)

Add.9455vol2_p371 /3 Objects bt. of W.D. Cutter 36 Russell Street ... A false flint spear head

Add.9455vol2_p413 /8 [Cypriote Antiquities called the Lawrence-Cesnola Collection ... Bought at Sotheby’s Lawrence - Cesnola collection (continued)] ...  [Drawing annotated ‘bought as a forgery’’323 similar to 895’]

Add.9455vol2_p527 /1 Side view of a small square table with 4 legs & with 4 oxs heads projecting This bronze forgery of an altar, said to have been brought from Nineveh to the Mission School at Babylon. Purchased by General Pitt-Rivers for £1 of a man from Babylon, who was on his way to Boston, USA and who was selling it with other objects in order to raise funds for his passage [Drawing]

Add.9455vol3_p790 /4 Bought of G. Gardner, 209 Brompton Road, London. S.W. ... Dutch Delft Gondola Height 10 1/4 inches Length 16 inches .. Mr Harding says that these two pieces are French pottery copy of Dutch Delft made by Sanson of Paris modern [Drawing]

Add.9455vol3_p790 /5 Bought of G. Gardner, 209 Brompton Road, London. S.W. ... Dutch Delft Cabinet Height 11 inches Greatest width 7 3/4 ins .. Mr Harding says that these two pieces are French pottery copy of Dutch Delft made by Sanson of Paris modern [Drawing]

Add.9455vol3_p830 /2-3 2 Black [Insert] matty [End Insert] Vases said to be Patagonian, but probably modern imitation of Peruvian pottery Heights (a) 9 1/4 in (b) 10 1/4 in

Add.9455vol4_p1322 /3 Figure, Forgery obtained at Luxor by General Pitt Rivers 1881.

Add.9455vol6_p1793 /4 Bt Webster ... Stone carving Mexico, ? Forgery

Add.9455vol6_p1859-1864, 1896-1899 Bt at Stevens’ Sale by Lawrence ... Stone carvings, Mexico ?Forgeries Add.9455vol6_p1900 Bone forgery Mexico

Add.9455vol7_p2097 /1 [Insert] Imitation [End Insert]  Samian bowl found at Whitstable May 1867 Bt of Lawrence

Add.9455vol7_p2133 /2 Imitation Silesian [pottery vessel]

In addition there are items now thought to be fakes. See here for more information about these.

And, of course, there are likely to be fakes that have not yet been identified as such (as there are in all museum collections).

AP June 2011