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.
If you want to know if you're looking at an genuinely old piece, you need to check the construction. The dovetails will tell you a lot. If you see them, the piece was probably handmade. If the dovetails are large, that indicates the rustic workmanship of a country craftsman. Smaller dovetails take more expertise. When you see these, you know the piece was created by a highly skilled craftsman. Pieces that are nailed and glued together are factory made and more modern.
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.
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 be less concerned about cracks. Old wood has had time to expand and contract. That's what causes the cracks and why experts say they usually don't negatively affect the value.
There are two schools of thought when it comes refinishing. If you are a stickler for authenticity, you will want pieces with the original finish. Over time wood becomes black or purplish in color. Heat can cause varnish to crackle. These are indications that the piece has never been refinished.
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.
There are plenty of people who love antiques but don't live in areas where they are easy to find. Shopping online for antiques is perfectly fine according to experts, as long as you know who you are dealing with. There are trustworthy and reputable auction houses that take online bids in the course of a live auction. They can often provide details about pieces that point to their authenticity.
If you want to know if you're looking at an genuinely old piece, you need to check the construction. The dovetails will tell you a lot. If you see them, the piece was probably handmade. If the dovetails are large, that indicates the rustic workmanship of a country craftsman. Smaller dovetails take more expertise. When you see these, you know the piece was created by a highly skilled craftsman. Pieces that are nailed and glued together are factory made and more modern.
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.
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 be less concerned about cracks. Old wood has had time to expand and contract. That's what causes the cracks and why experts say they usually don't negatively affect the value.
There are two schools of thought when it comes refinishing. If you are a stickler for authenticity, you will want pieces with the original finish. Over time wood becomes black or purplish in color. Heat can cause varnish to crackle. These are indications that the piece has never been refinished.
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.
There are plenty of people who love antiques but don't live in areas where they are easy to find. Shopping online for antiques is perfectly fine according to experts, as long as you know who you are dealing with. There are trustworthy and reputable auction houses that take online bids in the course of a live auction. They can often provide details about pieces that point to their authenticity.
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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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