When Tim Corfield and Daniel Morris walk through an antiques auction, they point to pieces as though greeting old friends – and then do a bit of dishing. ‘That went unsold here in a previous sale,’ said Morris recently of a handsome Regency ebony inlaid mahogany library desk (estimated at $30,000 to $50,000) being sold at Christie’s New York. ‘The owner paid £52,000 [then about $79,000] for it at Christie’s London.’

At Sotheby’s April 2008 sale of New York dealer Tom Devenish’s stock, Corfield spotted a pair of George II marquetry inlaid satinwood pier tables (estimated at $150,000 to $200,000). I actually bought those for Devenish in England but questioned some of the penwork on them,’ said Corfield. ‘He still wanted them.’

If there’s one thing the past eight months have driven home, it’s caveat emptor. It’s not only high profile cases of alleged forgery such as the John Hobbs imbroglio last year that have buyers spooked but also wavering confidence in the auction houses themselves, a result of their inconsistency in establishing authenticity and provenance and, lately, layoffs at Christie’s and Sotheby’s that have included top people. The smart alternative now is to hire your own expertise.

Advisors like Corfield and Morris (www.corfieldmorris.com) have the background – Corfield was a second-generation antiques dealer, and Morris was the director of 18th and 19th century furniture at Sotheby’s – and contacts……

Of course, protection comes at a price. Advisors charge a commission on client purchases, ranging from 2 percent on a multimillion-dollar painting to 20 percent on a $4,000 antique table…..

Corfield recalls a collector who coveted a George II mahogany brass-mounted angle barometer (‘stunning and rare,’ says Corfield) that London dealer Hotspur had for £100,000 (then about $200,000). Corfield made his client wait. When Hotspur sold his stock at Christie’s London in November, Corfield told his client to pass on the pre-sale offer of $160,000. At the auction, Corfield won it for $47,392.