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19th Century Shadwell forgerie plaque
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The Shadwell forgeries, also known as the Shadwell Dock forgeries[1] or the Billy and Charley forgeries[2][3] were a series of mid-19th century forgeries of medieval lead and lead-alloy artefacts. The latter name derives from the two Londoners, William (Billy) Smith and Charles (Charley) Eaton, who were responsible for their large-scale manufacture between 1857 and 1870. At the time, some antiquarians were fooled by the forgeries, despite them being crudely made by two individuals with limited skill in metalworking and little knowledge of medieval art.
Today, Billy and Charleys are viewed as examples of folk art. A number of museums hold collections of them and they are sought-after collectible items in their own right.[1][4][5] They have been sold for prices equaling or exceeding the values of examples of the medieval originals they purported to be.[3][6] Because of this, modern fake Billy and Charleys are reportedly in circulation.[7]