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How to Evaluate Antique Furniture
Classical furniture 2004-12-7 http://www.cfhot.com Classical furniture
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Collectingantiquefurnitureisacostlyendeavor.Youdon'twanttomakeanymistakesandbuyamisrepresentedpiecethatyouthoughtwasworthhundredsofdollarsormore.
SignsofAge
Steps:
1.Measureapieceofwoodfurniture.Woodshrinksasitagesbyupto1/8inchperfoot.Ifthefurnitureisold,itsdimensionswillnotbeuniform-itwon'tbethesamewidththroughout,andatabletopwillnotbecompletelyround.
2.Runyourhandoverandshineaflashlightacrossthesurfaceofthewoodtodetecthairlinecracksandripplesthatcomewithaging.
3.Lookunderneathfortheinevitablewarpingandbucklingofwood.
4.Lookforwoodthatisdiscoloredfromunevenexposuretolightandsun.Anoldpieceoffurniturethathasstoodagainstawallforyearswillshowitsagewithdistinctdifferencesincoloring.
5.Checkthewoodbeneaththehardware.Here,thewoodshouldshowevengreatercontrastsincolor.
6.Lookatthescrews.Screwsmadebefore1840hadflat,un-taperedheads.
7.Searchforthesignsofnormalwearandtearandthebuildupofdustandgrimeinthefurniture'scornersandcrevices.
8.Lookattheframeundertheupholsteryforsetsofnailholesfrompreviousupholstery.Anagedpiecemayhaveseenseveralchangesinfabric.
9.Useapocketlevelonapieceofglassoramirror.Glass,too,warpswithage.
SignsofNewness
Steps:
1.Lookcloselyatthevariouspiecesofwoodusedinthefurniture-particularlytheedgesandfeet.Differencesbetweenthepieceswouldindicatethatpartshavebeenreplaced.
2.Bewareofsmoothedgesfromapowersawincontrasttotheraggededgesmadebyahandsaw.
3.Distinguishbetweentheolderplank-styleconstructionandthemoremoderntongue-and-grooveconstruction.
4.Inspectforoldorfillednailandscrewholesthatwouldhavebeenmadewhenthepiecewasoriginallybuilt.
5.Opendrawersanddoorsandlookforscrewholesthatindicatethattheoriginalhandlesandhingesaregone.
6.Lookatdovetailjoints.Newdovetailsareeithermachine-madeormuchnarrowerthanthewide,up-to-3/8-inchdovetailsofthe1800s.
7.Compareallthedovetailjointsinthepiece.Perfectmatchingcouldmeanthefurnitureisnewerthanadvertised.Grossdifferenceswoulddemonstratethatpieceshavebeenreplaced.
8.Checkoutthesurfaces.Uniformityincoloring,textureandsmoothnesspointstonewnessorrefinishing.
Warnings:
ReplacedhardwaremaynotaffectthevalueofaEuropeanantique,butitcanwithanAmericanantique.
Forgerstrytomimicsignsofwearandaginganduseantiquehardwareandscrewstodressupnewpieces.
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