How to Determine Authenticity of a Butcher Block

You can determine the authenticity of a butcher block by searching the piece for visible clues and contacting potential manufacturers. Many butcher blocks are marked with a company name or emblem printed or burned into the wood. Years of use and refurbishing may wear or completely eliminate the identifiable marks on a butcher block. Not every investigation is conclusive, but the authenticity of many butcher blocks can be evaluated to near certainty with a little effort and research. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Instructions

1

Search the entire surface of the butcher block for the name of the manufacturer and name or number of the model. A butcher block with no markers is harder to research but not impossible. Use a magnifying glass to read small text and get number sequences correct.

2

Identify the wood or woods in the butcher block. Butcher blocks are commonly made of maple, but they may also be other hardwoods like walnut, cherry, white ash and red oak. Online wood directories with photo examples make it easier to identify wood type by color and grain (see Resources).

3

Visit the website of the suspected manufacturer or search a few major butcher block manufacturers and retailers to see if they still sell the butcher block you are researching (see Resources). Many butcher block sites are organized by wood type. Search the model number or name if you were able to find them.

4

Take well-lit detailed pictures of the butcher block with a ruler next to it for size reference. Attempt to contact suspected manufacturers by phone or through e-mail and supply them with the pictures of the block for verification of authenticity. Visit antique dealers with the pictures is the butcher block is old and has no manufacturer markings.

5

Gather all the information you have obtained through research to make a final determination as to the authenticity of the butcher block. The level of certainty is up to the individual unless the manufacturer is willing to supply documentation. Save any evidence you find to create a historic record or provenance for the block.