All That Glitters Trivia Quiz

Answer: Rayon

Silk is a natural fabric produced by silkworms. Man-made silk is rayon. Made from cellulose fibre, it is not a true synthetic material, such as nylon, but neither is it a true natural material either. It usually has a much higher sheen to it than true silk.

It was first produced in France in the 1880s as an alternative to silk, which was a very expensive fabric. It soon proved highly popular because it was very versatile and took dye well. It also drapes well, which makes it popular for curtains and furnishing fabrics, as well as for dresses and blouses.

Answer: Spelter

True bronze articles were highly expensive. Spelter, which is a zinc alloy, was commonly used in the 19th century for many cheap items such as clock cases and candlesticks. These were cast in the same way as bronze items and were then given an artificial patina.

As home ornamentation became popular, especially in the art deco period, it was used for copies of the famous art deco ladies, as well as for statues of animals, busts of heads and other popular ornaments of the day. These were often weighted with lead to give the feel of a true bronze ornament.

Answer: Tanzanite

Tanzanite is a real gem stone. Mined in Tanzania it ranges in shade from light purple to dark blue. It is often heat treated to enhance the colour.

Diamonds have been synthesised for many years. Often the real gems were too valuable to wear and they were kept in a bank vault with good copies being made for use. In recent years some of the alternatives to real diamond have become so realistic that it takes a diamond tester to tell the difference. Some are now so good they can even fool a jeweller.

Answer: Alabaster

Alabaster, which is a type of gypsum, has been used as an alternative to the far more expensive marble from as far back as ancient Egyptian times. It is a much softer material than marble, so it carves and sculpts easily. The statue is then carefully treated in hot water to partially dry out the gypsum.

This reduces the natural translucency of the alabaster, and the result looks very close to true marble.

Answer: Trompe l'oeil

Trompe l'oeil is French for deceive the eye and is a paint effect that portrays objects in such a realistically three dimensional way that they are perceived as being real. It was often used in houses to give the appearance of a much larger room, or a higher ceiling than actually existed, or to give the illusion of rich carving or even window drapes.

It was also used on furniture, for example, to give the illusion of a deck of cards left lying on a table.

Answer: Gold

Invented by watchmaker Christopher Pinchbeck, pinchbeck is an alloy of copper and zinc mixed so that it looks like gold. At the time it was invented in the 18th century, the only gold sold was 18 carat which was beyond the finances of most people. In later years, dishonest traders passed it off as real gold so the name pinchbeck came to mean something cheap and worthless.

Answer: France

Only sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region of France is entitled to call itself champagne. The grapes must have been grown within specifically designated plots within the region. The name "champagne" is now protected as a Protected Designation of Origin under European Law.

Other countries produce sparkling wines that are the equivalent of the very best French champagne, but they are not allowed to use that name.

Answer: Metal

Artificial flowers are made from a variety of materials, and some are now so realistic they are even scented. Most artificial flowers for sale today are made of polyester. This is now a very specialised industry, with most flowers being made in the Pearl River delta area of China. From there thousands of 40ft containers full of artificial flowers are sent to every corner of the world. Silk flowers are usually far more expensive than the polyester variety and plastic ones are rarely seen these days.

Answer: The burn test

Today's fake furs are so realistic that just sight or touch alone will not reliably tell you the difference. The only real way to tell is the burn test. Take a few hairs and set fire to them with a match. If they crumble and smell like burning human hair they are real fur; if they melt and curl up into a hard ball and give off a horrid chemical smell they are fake fur. Word of warning, doing this to coats in a store before buying one is not recommended.

Answer: The LED

Tiny LEDs now light the new generation of flame less candles, and they even give a flicker effect. Most are battery operated and some can even be set on a timer. They look and smell highly realistic, coming with scent and built in drips of wax down the sides. Taper candles will even fit into a candlestick or chandelier with candle holders.

Much safer than naked flame candles they can be safely left unattended.