Is this original or a copy?
'Originale' — 'o-ri-ji-NA-le'. Five syllables, stress on fourth. Soft 'g' before 'i'.
At antique markets when examining art, prints, ceramics or signed objects. A direct question that honest vendors appreciate and dishonest ones struggle to answer convincingly.
'Originale' = original/authentic. 'Una copia' = a copy/reproduction. At antique markets, reproductions are sold alongside genuine antiques — both legally, as long as they're declared.
È una riproduzione?
Is it a reproduction?
'Riproduzione' = reproduction — the polite/legal term for a copy
Ha perizia di autenticità?
Do you have an authenticity appraisal?
For valuable antiques — asking for an expert's certificate
Di che periodo è?
What period is it from?
Open question about age — a starting point for authenticity discussion
Italian antique market law requires that reproductions be clearly labelled as such. Selling a reproduction as an original is fraud. However, quality reproductions of famous Italian artworks are entirely legal and desirable — a beautiful print of a Caravaggio at twenty euros is a legitimate purchase.