How to Recognize Antique Furniture?

We all dream of finding that perfect piece of antique furniture at the yard sale or auction, but remember that you'll only make that purchase if you can recognize its worth in the first place! While only a professional appraiser will be able to get the real story on a particular piece of furniture, you'll find that by just keeping a few pieces of information in mind, you will stand a fighting chance the next time you come across a great piece of antique furniture!

First, make sure that you are familiar with the styles that you like. Do you have a love for Chippendale, or do you have a real love of Shaker pieces? If you are looking for specific pieces, make sure that you are well versed in the commonalities and motifs of the style; this is the best way to make sure that one doesn't escape your grasp.

When you are looking for antique furniture, learn to recognize veneering. Essentially, this process involves making the "carcass" of a piece of furniture out of a less expensive wood and then using thin slices of a more desirable wood to cover it. While this may have started out as a money saving device, furniture makers soon started utilizing the natural grain of the wood, and you'll find some wonderful examples of how this grain was incorporated into the design.

The second thing you should look for is the patina. The patina is essentially the gloss that a piece of antique furniture gets from an accumulation of dirt and polish and this is nearly impossible to replicate. The patina of a certain object indicates its use; for instance, there may be spots where the antique furniture itself is often lifted or handled. If you notice that the patina is unnaturally uniform and even, someone might have been trying to gloss over some flaws or create an aged look that doesn't really belong to that piece of furniture.

How is the antique furniture constructed? Recognize the joints and the use of techniques like dovetailing and mortise and tenon joins. These will obviously be older than furniture that has been glued or screwed together, but if you see screws, don't forget to check it out. The older and simpler the screw itself, the more likely it is that you have a genuine antique on your hands.

Recognize and make sure that the piece hasn't been "married." A "married" piece, in terms of antique furniture, means that two pieces of furniture have been put together for one reason or another, whether that is decoration or utility. While this may not detract from the appearance of a piece, it can certainly make it less valuable. Look for obviously newer joints or screws, or a strong difference in the patina of one wood to the other.

Whether antique furniture is a hobby or a job for you, remember to keep on looking and apply your brain to making sure that you get the best buys possible!

For more information about recognizing and dating antique furniture, visit: the online antique furniture guide.