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.
If you were looking at a painting, you would probably see a signature. This is less true of furniture, but it is possible to find some sort of signature, stamp or label that can give you more information. Experts say the best place to look for an identifying mark is on the back or bottom of a drawer or on the backs and bottoms of the pieces if there are no drawers.
Any piece being sold as original should be inspected for damage. If there have been repairs or restoration work done it will be usually be found in the places on the piece that get the most wear. On chairs that is the backs. Center supports are often replaced because they have worn out. You will see replacement feet on dressers because people tend to push and drag to move them, cracking and breaking the feet.
You should expect to see cracks in old pieces. Wood expands and contracts, and that creates cracks. Most experts agree that cracks do not adversely affect 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.
If you were looking at a painting, you would probably see a signature. This is less true of furniture, but it is possible to find some sort of signature, stamp or label that can give you more information. Experts say the best place to look for an identifying mark is on the back or bottom of a drawer or on the backs and bottoms of the pieces if there are no drawers.
Any piece being sold as original should be inspected for damage. If there have been repairs or restoration work done it will be usually be found in the places on the piece that get the most wear. On chairs that is the backs. Center supports are often replaced because they have worn out. You will see replacement feet on dressers because people tend to push and drag to move them, cracking and breaking the feet.
You should expect to see cracks in old pieces. Wood expands and contracts, and that creates cracks. Most experts agree that cracks do not adversely affect 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.