Authenticity in traditional toys usually means three things at once: the right region, the right materials, and the right technique. A Channapatna toy made with synthetic lacquer in a Rajkot factory is not a Channapatna toy in the meaningful sense, even if it looks similar. Look for: (a) GI-tag registration where the craft has one — India, EU, and many other jurisdictions maintain public GI registers; (b) the maker's workshop name, city and district — reputable pieces from Bogorodskoye, Sergiev Posad, Seiffen, Oaxaca, Channapatna, Kondapalli almost always carry a label; (c) natural rather than synthetic finish (real lac, real vegetable dye, natural hair, unglazed clay); (d) small imperfections consistent with hand work. The live searches below can pull up current registration lists and seller directories.