Measurements tell all
The Flashlight and Handslide Technique
Check the Coloration Under the Hardware
The Screws Can Indicate the Age
Search for Wear and Tear
Signs of Reupholstered Furniture
Old Glass and Mirrors should be Warped
or Rippled
Many
people absolutely love antique furniture. Whether it is
antique chairs or chandeliers, it’s no wonder that
they create such huge droves of auction-goers worldwide.
Have you ever observed these people as their browsing
the lot for their next purchase? They’re like children…crawling
around examining extremely closely. Antique furniture
collectors have various inspection techniques that ensure
that they’re making a purchase that will be beneficial
to their homes and collections.
So what exactly are the antique furniture buyers looking
for when they get on all fours, flipping items over, and
browsing through their magnifying glasses? This is what
we’re about to cover.
One way to tell if a piece of wood
furniture is old is to measure it. You see, wood shrinks
as it ages (nearly 1/8” per foot in length!). If
the piece is genuinely old, you will not get an exact
length. An example of exact lengths would be if you thought
that you were examining a piece of vintage oriental furniture
approximately 100 years old, it would be highly unlikely
that it would measure precisely 60” in length and
36” in width. You would be more likely to find a
length of 5 5/8” and a width of 35 11/16”.
Again, if the measurements are too precise, odds are it
is not as old as you think.
It is also a good idea to bring
a flashlight with you to the auction because they work
wonderfully when examining flat surfaces for ripples and
cracks. When examining antique tables for example, it
is a good idea to run your hand across the surface or
shine your flashlight on it to determine whether or not
these ripples and cracks exist. Ripples and cracks will
be present on a genuinely aged piece. Check the underside
too to for warping and buckling. This will give you a
very good idea as to whether or not the piece is as old
as you anticipate it to be.
The next examining technique is
extremely easy and extremely useful. You’ll want
to get a peak at the coloring of the wood underneath any
hardware that is present. If the piece is old, there should
be a large amount of contrast between the color of the
exposed wood and the color of the hardware covered wood.
Here’s another little tip that
can be useful in many situations. If there were screws
used to manufacture the specific piece of furniture, take
a good look at them. Screws made prior to 1840 were flat
(rather than tapered). Again, flat screws are old, tapered
screws are new. Easy huh?
Search for wear and tear on the furniture
as well. If it’s been around for a long time, odds
are it has suffered a fair amount of usage and mishaps.
Check the corners and edges of the piece for dust and
grime buildup. These are also excellent indicators of
age. The more there is, the more likely your piece is
to be genuine.
Check the underside again
for nails that had been removed in the past. Old furniture
has often times been reupholstered not only once, but
possibly several times…handbuilt antique furniture
needs a facelift now and again too!
Last but not least, bring a pocket
level or a pocket square with you to check the flatness
of any glass or mirrors. Antique mirrors will always have
rippling and warping present.
The above listed tips of the trade should help you to
make wise buying decisions when it comes to antique furniture.
It should also give you a good idea as to why the antique
furniture fanatics are doing on their hands and knees
at the auction. We wish you the best of luck, and happy
antiqueing!
