French Polishing and Bespoke Furniture
Five Ways to Tell If Furniture Is Actually Antique Look for dovetailing. Dovetailing is a sign of quality craftsmanship in woodworking, used to hold together different parts of the same piece of furniture . Multiple types of wood is a good thing. Beware of furniture that’s made to look old . Do a thorough search for labels or stamps. Shut out symmetry.
How to Determine the Age of Antique Furniture Look Past the Style of a Piece. Examine Bottoms, Insides, and Backs. Check for Perfectly Matching Elements. Try to Figure Out What Tools Were Used. Look at the Wood and Upholstery Fabric. Investigate the Screws and Other Hardware.
Here’s how to find out if your old furniture is vintage or financially valuable . Trace Back the Furniture’s Owners. Determine the Age of Your Furniture . Consider the Rarity of Your Vintage Furniture . Check for Vintage Furniture Quality. Look for Vintage Furniture in Good Condition.
Tips for determining if the wood is veneered: Look at the edges of the wood and if you see a seam then it is veneered. If the edge is seamless then it is solid wood . 17th century veneer was hand cut and may be uneven. 19th century veneer was machine cut and are very thin and even.
“In addition to online services and search engines, it is possible to find out how much your antiques are worth by simply asking an antique dealer or an appraiser at an auction house, for instance,” Martin says.
Antique furniture holds its value over centuries – unlike modern reproductions – and dealers are a fountain of knowledge as to what this value is. Always approach dealers from a reputable trade body with years of studying antique furniture under their belt – they should advise you honestly and stand by their word.
100 years old
Even though wheels (and therefore casters) have been around for quite a while, they weren’t officially used to move furniture until the 1870s . David A Fisher filed the first patent for a caster in 1876.
If it’s more than 50 years old, you have an antique .
Look carefully at the bottom, sides, and back of the drawer; if the wood shows nicks or cuts, it was probably cut with a plane, a spokeshave, or a drawknife. Straight saw marks also indicate an old piece. If the wood shows circular or arc-shaped marks, it was cut by a circular saw, not in use until about 1860.
How much do appraisals cost ? A typical, single-family home appraisal will range from $300 to $450, though that can vary depending on a number of factors including the size of the home, the value of the property, condition of the property and the level of detail involved in the appraisal . 6 дней назад
When Should You Paint Antique Furniture ? Antique furniture can look very good when painted. Many pieces of old furniture simply aren’t worth the time and money to restore them to their original finish – they aren’t valuable or sentimental.
8 tips for buying antique furniture Look closely to see how the piece was made. Check out the hardware. Try to find a signature, a label, or a stamp. Check for damage. Know the difference between a repair and a replacement. Decide how you feel about refinished furniture . Online auctions are okay! Always buy what you love.
Observe the pattern and grain. If the grain is fine and long, it might be mahogany , even if it might have a slight wave to it. Also, if you look close up and you see that there are many dark fine lines to the grain, that may be a good indication of mahogany , as well.
THE MOST EXPENSIVE WOOD IN THE WORLD Grenadil , African Blackwood . This wood is one of the most expensive on the planet. Agar Wood . Agar wood is a valuable plant found in tropical forests of Southeast Asia. Black wood ( Ebony ) Sandalwood . Amaranth, Purple Heart . Dalbergia . Bubinga . Bocote , Cordia ( Bocote , Cordia )