Featured Late 18th-early-19th Century Khatam-kari what to look for and why

I am still amazed to find these works of art relatively inexpensive in some well known online auctions, especially given their eye watering hammer prices once recognized in high end auction houses.
Perhaps it's because I know what to look for but to me it isn't that hard to tell the difference between a modern work and a 19-18thc one.
Ok so I'm going to tell you how to tell the difference.
In the last photo there is a band of overlay that is made of tiny bits of ebony and ivory this is never in modern works and always in old works, it was almost impossible to do then and in modern ones never attempted.
Of course there are many other differences, far more overlays per square inch in antique works ect but if you can recognize an old one then the profits can be massive.
A few words on condition, you would expect these to have to be in top condition to fetch big money in auction but that isn't the case, often these have had some restoration or even chunks of overlays missing.
I will put some links to see what I mean.
My ones are all in original condition.

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/16...HK4woIim-uyeXPVew8weduGRjHh_J9a8eOyFEHYTqirio
https://www.christies.com/lotfinder...HK4woIim-uyeXPVew8weduGRjHh_J9a8eOyFEHYTqirio
https://www.christies.com/lotfinder...HK4woIim-uyeXPVew8weduGRjHh_J9a8eOyFEHYTqirio

 

Sorry Bonhams link is a bad example lol

 

Wow thanks for showing all of this detail and discussion, @808 raver !!
Your examples are beautiful. What are the small dishes used for?

 

Thank you,the dishes are trays, they are 11 inches wide, I suspect they might have been attached to a life sized figure or figures? They do have paint on the bottom but also a pattern where something was attached.

 

Love these old Qajar pieces; still functional and beautiful in any space. How tall is it?

 

It's not everyone's cup of tea but I also like them. It's the largest fall front I've found so far, it measures 50x44x30 cm HWD

 

I like this kind of stuff - very intricate and precise. The cheaper modern stuff, like this frame that came with a touristy mughal-style painting, seems to be little more than printed paper:

 

Yes the modern stuff is cut very thin by machine rather than by hand and also the materials are copper rather than gold and plastic rather than ivory, the overlays PSI aren't as many either but it still takes a very skilled person to do these works.
Unfortunately once the piece is over 100 years or so the laccer starts to degrade and becomes cloudy hiding the intricacy of the overlay.

 

This is a great example of what I was saying, live bidding now lol
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-...-inlaid-jewel-box-tea-box-17-245-c-db548bbaf8

 

A sneak preview of the most terrifying and difficult restoration I've ever attempted. This photo is part of the above Khatam fall front cabinet after it's been consolidated and striped, what finish they used on his old Khatam I don't know but I knew under that green hazy gunk was something fantastic. I've never seen 19th c Khatam refinish and even though it's a nerve racking nightmare to do the results are magnificent. I will do a full post when/if I finish but just wiping with isopropyl alcohol shows it's going to be very rewarding when I come to put the finish back on.

 

This is the same side before start of restoration