Buying Indian art and crafts from outside India, online or on a trip, raises questions that local buyers rarely face: is it genuine, is the price fair, who made it, and will it get through customs at home? This guide walks through each one.
1. Is it genuine?
Most craft “fakes” are not forgeries but machine-made or printed copies sold as hand work. Our guides show what to check, and where a home check stops:
- Handloom or powerloom?
- Real Bandhani or printed?
- Original folk painting or print?
- Is it real silver?
- Old, or made to look old?
Labels help too. A Geographical Indication tag shows a product comes from its home region. The Handloom Mark and India Handloom Brand certify hand-woven cloth, the Silk Mark certifies pure silk, and a Bureau of Indian Standards hallmark certifies the purity of silver and gold. Many genuine pieces carry no label, so a missing label is not proof of a fake.
2. Who made it?
A good sign of an honest seller is that they can tell you where a piece was made, by which community or artist, and how. Signed folk paintings, cooperatives and artist-run shops make this easier. Organisations that follow fair-trade principles publish how they pay and work with makers. Asking the question also tells sellers that buyers care.
3. Is the price fair?
Hand work is slow. A hand-woven sari can take weeks, and a large Pichwai or Kalamkari panel can take months. A very low price for something sold as hand work is a warning sign. In markets some bargaining is normal, but fixed-price cooperatives and emporia are a useful way to learn what things cost. For paintings and collectables, see what makes a painting expensive.
4. Buying online from abroad
- Ask for photos of the back of textiles and paintings, close-ups of the surface and a picture with a ruler for scale.
- Ask what the materials are and get them written on the invoice: “pure silk handloom” is a promise you can hold a seller to.
- Read the return policy before you pay, including who pays return shipping and customs.
- Pay with a method that offers buyer protection, such as a credit card or a protected payment service.
5. Taking it home
Antiques stay in India. Under the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972, objects over 100 years old, and manuscripts over 75 years old, may not be exported without government permission. For new pieces that look old, ask the seller about a non-antiquity certificate from the Archaeological Survey of India before you leave.
Some materials are banned. Ivory, many wild animal parts, certain shells and corals, and some protected woods are restricted by Indian wildlife law and the international CITES convention, and may be seized at either border. Bone and horn items can also be questioned, so keep the invoice that states the material.
Duty and tax at home. Your own country may charge import duty and sales tax or VAT when a parcel arrives, and the courier often collects it before delivery. Small-parcel allowances have changed in several countries in recent years, including the United States in 2025, so check your customs authority’s website before you order.
Packing and insurance. Roll textiles and canvas paintings rather than folding them, and protect frames and ceramics with rigid boxes. Insure anything valuable for its full price. Our Collectors’ Corner covers framing and shipping in more detail.
Sources
Main sources: Archaeological Survey of India, official website; India Code (Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972; Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972); CITES; Intellectual Property India, Geographical Indications Registry; Ministry of Textiles, India Handloom Brand; Silk Mark Organisation of India; Bureau of Indian Standards; World Fair Trade Organization.
Last checked: November 2026.