Salterini furniture is like vintage metal patio furniture and even terrace décor, considered a class apart. If you meet someone who tells you they have Salterini patio furniture, it might sound a little boastful only because this vintage wrought iron furniture is expensive and rare.

However, if you know how to identify Salterini patio furniture, you will be able to admire it more, and who knows? If you have to buy it for yourself, you can tell if it is authentic or not.

Wrought iron was the material of choice for furniture designers in the past. If you are looking for classic patio furniture, it would be nice to know how to identify it because every rare item becomes an easy lure for customers.

Many vendors mislead people to buy a particular piece, claiming it is a real Salterini. This is why it is essential to know what real wrought iron furniture looks like!

Tips for identifying real Salterini

Patio furniture buyers can identify a real piece if they know some properties of wrought iron. While this material ages gracefully, you will need to dive in with a magnifying glass and some basic knowledge to see what every furniture piece’s origin may be.

• Mold lines:

Look for mold lines on the furniture; this is the beginning point. When you are told that a particular piece is a Salterini, you must know how to identify if it is wrought iron or cast iron. Cast iron furniture is made in molds, meaning it will have mold lines. If the furniture does not have mold lines on the sides, it is wrought iron.

• The texture:

The coarse and dull metallic look of wrought iron is easy to detect even under the layers of paint. If the iron looks hammered or other signs show that it is made by hand, it is possibly Salterini. When something is made by hand, some imperfections like a slight bend in the surface or a minor protrusion on one of the sides. These tiny little human imperfections give away the authenticity of wrought iron furniture.

• Rusting:

When a piece of furniture has signs of rust, the classic wrought iron construction has caught rust over time. Cast iron or recent furniture pieces will not have rust signs. While you might get put off by these signs, it is essential to know what kind of furniture it is. Cast iron has no rust marks because of the blend and the finish. The blend of cast iron material is more ‘modern’ than wrought iron, making it a little more rust-resistant. The reddish spots that make the surface coarse and rough are only wrought iron marks!

• Maker’s mark:

You might think, oh great, why didn’t they say this before? But the truth is that if there is a serious fake, the mark can be fake too! You must first ensure that the furniture is wrought iron and then confirm it with the mark. Sometimes the marks are worn off, or they are so hidden that it might take some while. Look for the Salterini mark under the seat. The front end of the seat, right in the center, there will be a seal if the furniture is real. For tables, the mark is on one side of the table top.

A little history of Salterini patio furniture

Salterini was a furniture designer that manufactured patio pieces in New York from 1928 to 1953. The classic designs were inimitable at the time, but as the counterfeit market grew, so did the Salterini look-alikes!

If you are getting an original Salterini, it is more than 70 years old, and even then, the design will be quite mesmerizing. However, many patio furniture buyers say they have already seen this kind of furniture even when they didn’t know about this particular brand! That is how common the fakes are!

The various colors used for Salterini furniture include grey, black and brown. You may also find some originals in silver color, but if an original is being sold in red, blue, green or any other shade, chances are that it is re-painted.

The basic designs of Salterini include curved limbs, leaves, scallops, and even added strips of metal that look like stems of trees! The very intricate few have tendril-like structures that give a little extra, but each piece is a work of art, and that’s what makes it a sought-after piece of work!

Last Words

Salterini furniture is quite famous and has become expensive as it is rare and considered vintage. If you are told that there is a specific Salterini piece available and you doubt its originality, try the tips mentioned here to see if you are getting what you are promised. Still doubtful? Explore Chair Up, and you’ll get all the variety of outdoor furniture you need.