If you love browsing shops, flea markets, and yard sales looking for interesting chairs, tables, and sofas, you aren't alone. Sellers are aware of the attraction and are willing to offer consumers everything from genuine antiques to cheap reproductions. If modern decor isn't to your taste, and you prefer to fill your home with older pieces, check out these tips for buying country and town house antique furniture Kensington decorators offer.
One of the easiest ways to determine whether or not you are looking at an old piece is to check for dovetails. Handmade pieces will be dovetailed. You will get more information by noting the size of the dovetails. The larger ones required less skill and indicate the craftsman was outside an urban area. Small dovetails are usually the mark of a professionally trained urban craftsman. Glue and nails indicate a newer piece made in a factory.
It is customary for artists to sign paintings. It's unusual for a craftsman to sign a piece of furniture. What you may be able to find are manufacturer's stamps or labels that will help you identify the age and maker of a piece. The most common place to find stamps or labels is on the bottoms or backs of drawers. For pieces without drawers, you should look for identifying marks on the bottom or back of the piece itself.
You should certainly inspect any piece you are interested in for damage. The areas on a chair or dresser that get the most wear are where you are likely to see repairs or replacements. You should check the backs of wood chairs to see if the center supports have been replaced. On dressers, the feet tend to wear out first.
Cracks are very common in old pieces. They are caused by the wood contracting and expanding over time. This concerns a lot of potential purchasers, but experts say it seldom affects value.
There are differing opinions when it comes to refinishing. If you are a lover of authenticity, you will prefer pieces that have their original finish. Original finishes are indicated by a purplish black coloring. The varnish is often crackled from exposure to heat.
On the other side are the people who argue that the discoloration caused by age is not what the maker had in mind when he created the piece. When it was new the table or dresser would have been shiny. Without refinishing, they argue, you can't appreciate the beauty of the wood. Refinishing may reduce the value of the piece however. Once you decide to refinish, there's no going back. The original finish will be gone for good.
In rural areas, it may be difficult to find a wide variety of antiques to choose from. When this is the case experts say shopping online is perfectly acceptable. It's important to only deal with reputable dealers and established auction houses. Most auctioneers take online bids in addition to live bidding during an antique auction. Many dealers provide certificates of authenticity as proof of the age of a particular piece.
One of the easiest ways to determine whether or not you are looking at an old piece is to check for dovetails. Handmade pieces will be dovetailed. You will get more information by noting the size of the dovetails. The larger ones required less skill and indicate the craftsman was outside an urban area. Small dovetails are usually the mark of a professionally trained urban craftsman. Glue and nails indicate a newer piece made in a factory.
It is customary for artists to sign paintings. It's unusual for a craftsman to sign a piece of furniture. What you may be able to find are manufacturer's stamps or labels that will help you identify the age and maker of a piece. The most common place to find stamps or labels is on the bottoms or backs of drawers. For pieces without drawers, you should look for identifying marks on the bottom or back of the piece itself.
You should certainly inspect any piece you are interested in for damage. The areas on a chair or dresser that get the most wear are where you are likely to see repairs or replacements. You should check the backs of wood chairs to see if the center supports have been replaced. On dressers, the feet tend to wear out first.
Cracks are very common in old pieces. They are caused by the wood contracting and expanding over time. This concerns a lot of potential purchasers, but experts say it seldom affects value.
There are differing opinions when it comes to refinishing. If you are a lover of authenticity, you will prefer pieces that have their original finish. Original finishes are indicated by a purplish black coloring. The varnish is often crackled from exposure to heat.
On the other side are the people who argue that the discoloration caused by age is not what the maker had in mind when he created the piece. When it was new the table or dresser would have been shiny. Without refinishing, they argue, you can't appreciate the beauty of the wood. Refinishing may reduce the value of the piece however. Once you decide to refinish, there's no going back. The original finish will be gone for good.
In rural areas, it may be difficult to find a wide variety of antiques to choose from. When this is the case experts say shopping online is perfectly acceptable. It's important to only deal with reputable dealers and established auction houses. Most auctioneers take online bids in addition to live bidding during an antique auction. Many dealers provide certificates of authenticity as proof of the age of a particular piece.
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When you are are looking for information about country and town house antique furniture Kensington residents can come to our website online today. More details are available at http://www.philipburkeantiques.net/about now.
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