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How to Buy Antique Furniture
Classical furniture 2004-12-7 http://www.cfhot.com ehow.com
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Youcanfindantiquefurnituretofitanydecor,fromcountrytocontemporary.Letthebuyerbeware:Reproductionsaboundinthefurniturefield.Doyourhomeworktomakesureyou'repurchasingtherealdeal.
Steps:
1.Becomefamiliarwithtermslikecabriolelegsthatyou'regoingtocomeacrossinadvertisementsandauctioncatalogs.(Bytheway,cabriolelegscurveoutlikeacowboy'saftertoolonginthesaddle.)
2.Studythenames(therecanbemorethanone)ofthestylesyoulikebest.Sellersclassifytheirfurniturebystyle--LouisXV,QueenAnne,Chippendaleandsoon.
3.Checktheantiquessectionofyourlocalbookstoreorlibraryforreferenceguides.TheInternetisanothergoodsourceforinformationandphotographsofdifferentfurniturestyles.
4.Visitalocalmuseum.Seeingantiquefurnitureupclosewillhelpyouidentifyitinthefield.Askthecuratorforthenamesoftrustworthylocaldealers.
5.Learntospotfeaturesthatcouldaffectthevalueofapiecesuchasdamagedfinishorjoints,orunauthentichardware.(Seechart,nextpage.)
6.Gettoknowthelocalantiquedealersandshowthemyourwishlist.They'llhavecontactsinothercitiesandstateswhocanfurtheryoursearch.Theywillalsobeabletohelpyourecognizeareproduction.
7.Gotoanauction.Fortop-quality,top-dollarfurniture,chooseanauctionhousethatguaranteeswhatitsells.Ifyou'renotlookingforamuseum-qualitypiece,tryacountryauction,whereyoucouldfindabargain.(SeeHowtoBuyatAuction.)
8.Watchforestatesales.Ifyou'relucky,afamilymemberwillbeatthesaletotellyouaboutthepiece'sprovenanceorhistory.
9.Lookthroughantiquingnewspapersandmagazinesforads,orsearchtheInternetforantiquefairsspecializinginfurniture.(SeeHowtoShopatanAntiqueFairorFleaMarket.)
10.Curbyourdesireforperfectioninapieceoffurniturethatmightbemorethan100yearsold.Itshouldshowsignsofwearinplaceswhereyou'dexpectit,likethebottomsofchairlegsandunderneathdrawerrunners.
OverallTips:
Definitionsvary,especiallyregardingmorerecentitems,butgenerallyspeaking,anantiqueisatleast100yearsold.Everythingnewerthanthatfallsintothecollectiblecategory.
Buypiecesyoucanuse.Fewofushaveextraroomswecanfillwithanuntouchablecollectionofantiquefurniture.
Ifyouknowhowtodateapieceoffurniture,youwon'tfallforareproduction.Readoneofthemanybooksonthesubject.
WHATTOLOOKFORWHERETOLOOKISITOLD?
Hand-planingThebottomofachairordrawer.Ifaseatbottomshowssignsofhand-planing,itwasprobablymadebefore1810.
ConstructionJointsThejointsbetweentwopiecesofwood.18th-centuryfurniturewasoftenpeggedandglued,notnailed.Lookforirregularlyshapedandspaceddovetails(notchescutinwoodsopiecesfittogetherlikepuzzlepieces).Untilthelasthalfofthe19thcentury,thesewerecutbyhandandshouldn'tbeperfectlyspacedorformed.
SizeofBoardsTabletopsandbacksofdressers,bureaus.Theseshouldbebuiltwithonesolidpieceordifferentpiecesofvariouswidthsifthepieceistrulyold.Perfectlysizedandspacedboardsindicatenewconstruction.
SawMarksOnthebacksofchestsandundertables.Straightsawmarksindicatethepiecewasmadebeforethemid-18thcentury.Wavylines(cutwithabandsaw)showitwasmadeinthemid-18thto19thcentury.Lookforcircularsawpatternsinfurnituremadeafterthat.
SecondaryWoodInsidedrawersandondresserbacks.Thebuildersofoldfurnitureusedless-expensivewoodinplaceswhereitwouldn'tshow.Nosecondarywoodisasuresignofnewconstruction,andanyplywoodisadeadgiveaway.
OriginalPaintFinishCracksordentsinpaintedfurniture.Ifthepaintfinishisoriginal,exposedwoodshouldappearinanycracksandgouges.Ifyouspypaintdowninthecracksandcrevices,thenit'sbeenpaintedsincethedingoccurred.
AntiqueGlassMirrors.Antiqueglassisverythin.Testbyplacingacoinonedgeagainstthemirror.Ifthereflectionisveryclosetothecoinitself,almosttouchingit,theglassisold.
WormholesOnthesurfaceofanywoodpiece.Stickapininthehole.Ifthepingoesstraightthrough,theholeismanufactured.Truewormholesarewindingpaths.
Whattolookfor:
Style
Reputabledealers
Auction
Estatesales
Wearandtear
Furnitureshows
Steps:
1.Becomefamiliarwithtermslikecabriolelegsthatyou'regoingtocomeacrossinadvertisementsandauctioncatalogs.(Bytheway,cabriolelegscurveoutlikeacowboy'saftertoolonginthesaddle.)
2.Studythenames(therecanbemorethanone)ofthestylesyoulikebest.Sellersclassifytheirfurniturebystyle--LouisXV,QueenAnne,Chippendaleandsoon.
3.Checktheantiquessectionofyourlocalbookstoreorlibraryforreferenceguides.TheInternetisanothergoodsourceforinformationandphotographsofdifferentfurniturestyles.
4.Visitalocalmuseum.Seeingantiquefurnitureupclosewillhelpyouidentifyitinthefield.Askthecuratorforthenamesoftrustworthylocaldealers.
5.Learntospotfeaturesthatcouldaffectthevalueofapiecesuchasdamagedfinishorjoints,orunauthentichardware.(Seechart,nextpage.)
6.Gettoknowthelocalantiquedealersandshowthemyourwishlist.They'llhavecontactsinothercitiesandstateswhocanfurtheryoursearch.Theywillalsobeabletohelpyourecognizeareproduction.
7.Gotoanauction.Fortop-quality,top-dollarfurniture,chooseanauctionhousethatguaranteeswhatitsells.Ifyou'renotlookingforamuseum-qualitypiece,tryacountryauction,whereyoucouldfindabargain.(SeeHowtoBuyatAuction.)
8.Watchforestatesales.Ifyou'relucky,afamilymemberwillbeatthesaletotellyouaboutthepiece'sprovenanceorhistory.
9.Lookthroughantiquingnewspapersandmagazinesforads,orsearchtheInternetforantiquefairsspecializinginfurniture.(SeeHowtoShopatanAntiqueFairorFleaMarket.)
10.Curbyourdesireforperfectioninapieceoffurniturethatmightbemorethan100yearsold.Itshouldshowsignsofwearinplaceswhereyou'dexpectit,likethebottomsofchairlegsandunderneathdrawerrunners.
OverallTips:
Definitionsvary,especiallyregardingmorerecentitems,butgenerallyspeaking,anantiqueisatleast100yearsold.Everythingnewerthanthatfallsintothecollectiblecategory.
Buypiecesyoucanuse.Fewofushaveextraroomswecanfillwithanuntouchablecollectionofantiquefurniture.
Ifyouknowhowtodateapieceoffurniture,youwon'tfallforareproduction.Readoneofthemanybooksonthesubject.
WHATTOLOOKFORWHERETOLOOKISITOLD?
Hand-planingThebottomofachairordrawer.Ifaseatbottomshowssignsofhand-planing,itwasprobablymadebefore1810.
ConstructionJointsThejointsbetweentwopiecesofwood.18th-centuryfurniturewasoftenpeggedandglued,notnailed.Lookforirregularlyshapedandspaceddovetails(notchescutinwoodsopiecesfittogetherlikepuzzlepieces).Untilthelasthalfofthe19thcentury,thesewerecutbyhandandshouldn'tbeperfectlyspacedorformed.
SizeofBoardsTabletopsandbacksofdressers,bureaus.Theseshouldbebuiltwithonesolidpieceordifferentpiecesofvariouswidthsifthepieceistrulyold.Perfectlysizedandspacedboardsindicatenewconstruction.
SawMarksOnthebacksofchestsandundertables.Straightsawmarksindicatethepiecewasmadebeforethemid-18thcentury.Wavylines(cutwithabandsaw)showitwasmadeinthemid-18thto19thcentury.Lookforcircularsawpatternsinfurnituremadeafterthat.
SecondaryWoodInsidedrawersandondresserbacks.Thebuildersofoldfurnitureusedless-expensivewoodinplaceswhereitwouldn'tshow.Nosecondarywoodisasuresignofnewconstruction,andanyplywoodisadeadgiveaway.
OriginalPaintFinishCracksordentsinpaintedfurniture.Ifthepaintfinishisoriginal,exposedwoodshouldappearinanycracksandgouges.Ifyouspypaintdowninthecracksandcrevices,thenit'sbeenpaintedsincethedingoccurred.
AntiqueGlassMirrors.Antiqueglassisverythin.Testbyplacingacoinonedgeagainstthemirror.Ifthereflectionisveryclosetothecoinitself,almosttouchingit,theglassisold.
WormholesOnthesurfaceofanywoodpiece.Stickapininthehole.Ifthepingoesstraightthrough,theholeismanufactured.Truewormholesarewindingpaths.
Whattolookfor:
Style
Reputabledealers
Auction
Estatesales
Wearandtear
Furnitureshows
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