instanceof

object instanceof constructor

// defining constructors
function C() {}
function D() {}

var o = new C(

// true, because: Object.getPrototypeOf(o) === C.prototype
o instanceof C;

// false, because D.prototype is nowhere in o's prototype chain
o instanceof D;

o instanceof Object; // true, because:
C.prototype instanceof Object // true

C.prototype = {};
var o2 = new C(

o2 instanceof C; // true

// false, because C.prototype is nowhere in
// o's prototype chain anymore
o instanceof C; 

D.prototype = new C( // add C to [[Prototype]] linkage of D
var o3 = new D(
o3 instanceof D; // true
o3 instanceof C; // true since C.prototype is now in o3's prototype chain

var simpleStr = 'This is a simple string'; 
var myString  = new String(
var newStr    = new String('String created with constructor'
var myDate    = new Date(
var myObj     = {};

simpleStr instanceof String; // returns false, checks the prototype chain, finds undefined
myString  instanceof String; // returns true
newStr    instanceof String; // returns true
myString  instanceof Object; // returns true

myObj instanceof Object;    // returns true, despite an undefined prototype
{})  instanceof Object;    // returns true, same case as above

myString instanceof Date;   // returns false

myDate instanceof Date;     // returns true
myDate instanceof Object;   // returns true
myDate instanceof String;   // returns false

function Car(make, model, year) {
  this.make = make;
  this.model = model;
  this.year = year;
}
var mycar = new Car('Honda', 'Accord', 1998
var a = mycar instanceof Car;    // returns true
var b = mycar instanceof Object; // returns true