As particular collectibles become popular, some examples appear that were not made by the stated company originally. This is unfortunately true of Atwater Kent radios. These include sets made in recent years from original parts, damaged sets that have been repaired using modern parts, collections of parts of various vintages assembled into working sets, and cosmetic replicas never meant to work. Some such sets are easily identified even on casual examination. Others, particularly those built from original parts, may be quite difficult to distinguish from originals. The only suggestion I can offer is to compare any set of unknown provenience with the photographs in our Radio Age articles. I took all of those photos myself, using sets of known authenticity. The photos are accurate and correct to the best of my ability. Please note that photos in the Gallery were provided by various people. They are believed to be of original sets, but their authenticity has not been verified. Sample diagnostics: Bakelite looks like plastic, but it's not. In particular, Kent normally soldered wires to screws going through Bakelite housings. If you find wires under screws rather than soldered, you're probably looking at a modern replica. The Kent factory did not use that attachment method. Thanks, and good luck in your collecting efforts. Caveat Emptor Link to Radio Age articles