Definition
Reinhold Vasters (1827 – 1909) was a German goldsmith and metal‑working forger whose production of medieval‑style silver and gold objects was widely accepted as authentic antiquities by museums and private collectors in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Overview
Born in Cologne, Vasters trained as a goldsmith and later established his own workshop in the town of Aachen. In the 1860s he began to create pieces that emulated the styles of the Early and High Middle Ages, including chalices, crosses, liturgical implements, and jewelry. These works were sold to dealers and institutions eager to acquire medieval artifacts, often without thorough provenance documentation.
Vasters’ forgeries entered many prominent collections, notably those of the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and several German state museums. The authenticity of his output was not seriously questioned until the early 20th century, when comparative stylistic analysis and scientific testing (e.g., metallurgical composition, tool mark examination) revealed inconsistencies with genuine medieval manufacture. Scholars such as the French art historian Paul Durrieu and the British antiquarian Arthur Evans contributed to the recognition of Vasters’ activity as systematic forgery.
After the exposure of his works, Vasters’ reputation shifted from that of a skilled craftsman to a notable figure in the history of art fraud. His case has been studied in discussions of provenance, authentication practices, and the market dynamics that encourage the production of spurious antiquities.
Etymology/Origin
The given name Reinhold derives from Old High German elements ragin (“counsel” or “advice”) and hold (“gracious” or “loyal”). The surname Vasters is of German origin; it may be a variant of Vaster or Wäster, historically associated with occupational or locational designations, though precise etymological details are not definitively documented.
Characteristics
- Stylistic Imitation: Vasters meticulously reproduced medieval motifs, employing techniques such as chasing, engraving, and repoussé that were characteristic of Romanesque and Gothic metalwork.
- Material Composition: Analyses have shown that many of his pieces contain alloys and impurity profiles inconsistent with known medieval metallurgical practices, including the presence of modern trace elements (e.g., certain copper‑nickel ratios).
- Tool Marks: Microscopic examination often reveals the use of 19th‑century industrial tools, such as precision twisting pliers and modern stamping presses, which differ from hand‑hammered marks observable on authentic medieval pieces.
- Provenance Fabrication: Vasters and his dealers sometimes supplied fabricated acquisition histories, linking objects to aristocratic collections or archaeological finds that could not be verified.
Related Topics
- Art forgery and authentication
- 19th‑century antiquities market
- Historical metalworking techniques (chasing, repoussé)
- Notable forger‑victims: British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum
- Comparative cases: the Hohenwart forger, the “Valencian” goldsmith forgeries
- Scholarly works on metal‑work fraud, e.g., Forgery in the Fine Arts (Edmund D. Huber, 1913)
This entry reflects the current scholarly consensus on Reinhold Vasters and does not include unverified speculation.