Shadwell forgeries

The obverse and reverse sides of a Billy and Charley in the form of a lead plaque, 130 by 75 millimetres (5.1 by 3.0 in). The obverse carries the profile, head of a man and the purported date of "1292"; the reverse side is a simple, crosshatch pattern. Auckland War Memorial Museum, accession number 1932.434

The Shadwell forgeries, most commonly known as Billy and Charley Forgeries, or "Billys and Charleys", but also called Shadwell Dock forgeries, were mid-19th-century forgeries of medieval lead and lead-alloy artefacts. The name "Billy and Charley" derives from William "Billy" Smith and Charles "Charley" Eaton, who were responsible for the large-scale manufacture of the objects between 1857 and 1870. Some leading antiquarians were fooled by the forgeries, despite their being crudely made, due to Smith and Eaton's limited metalworking skills and illiteracy.

Today, Billy and Charleys are sometimes viewed as examples of naïve art or outsider art. Some museums hold collections of them and they have become sought-after collectible items in their own right. It has been alleged that modern fake Billy and Charleys are in circulation, although it is uncertain if this is true.

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