Fakery may range from a piece which has been restored so it is not absolutely original in every detail to one which is completely new made specially to deceive the unwary, the author points out, adding that the usual cases lie somewhere in between. Since many firearms are expensive museum objects, there is an incentive for counterfeiting. Cited is the set of Paterson-Walker Colt revolvers, assessed at $15,000 in 1936, exposed in 1959 as fakes of 1920 manufacture and priced at $2,750 in 1973 as examples of fakes. Defenses against fakery included dealing only with reputable sellers and in-depth study of the field of interest. Important in education is study of specimens in collections, noting wear patterns, subtleties of style and design, types of engraving, etc. -- AATA