Even though the antique collector craves for anything which belongs to ancient age, furniture is the most sought after item among them. Carved oak arm chairs, pine and oak side tables or mahogany and walnut tripods which belong to 17th and 18th centuries are always considered as favourite collector’s items in the antique market. It is very common to find advertisements in newspapers or elsewhere regarding antique pieces, but whether the items offered are really genuine or not, is a matter to be ascertained by an expert in the field. However people who are not fully conversant with the subject matter may find it difficult to recognize the antique value of the furniture which they want to acquire.
Generally antique furniture belong to earlier periods are unique pieces with marks of antiquity, which are distinctively visible and therefore identifiable by even laymen. Many of such pieces would be weather-beaten and would have undergone some sort of restoration process. The buyer must be very cautious about its condition. Restoration to retain the antiquity of the pieces is a necessary and unavoidable process. But in the course of restoration the originality of the pieces should be maintained. There are possibilities of erroneous or defective workmanship causing irretrievable damages.
The buyer has to make sure that the antique furniture is a genuine one, as it is very common to find cheap imitations of the original antique pieces offered for sale. The broken or damaged parts are often replaced with similar woods, but such attempts will diminish the value considerably.
It is to be understood that all ancient pieces were generally carved out from solid wood by skilled carpenters, but post 18th century furniture are typically of advanced techniques. Cabinet making and other carpentry skills underwent up gradation by the middle of that era. Hard woods like beech, cherry, chestnut, ebony and mahogany were used to create intricate designs of furniture. The size and proportions were very much different from the modern furniture.
The quality of the workmanship and the age of the wood used are to be determined. The colour of the wood and patina should be characteristically visible with some sort of accumulation of polish and dust. The weather-beaten pieces will have subtle glow. Any antique piece will be of correct proportion to maintain stability. Any disproportionate construction is an indication that the furniture is altered and spurious.
The construction of the antique furniture has its own characteristics as mentioned earlier. Mortise and tenon were used instead of nails or rivets of modern days. Hand made wood pegs were generally used.
The original pieces will have marks and blemishes indicating the age of the wood used. Beware of plugged holes or repaired surfaces which look awkward. Joints and handles will clearly show whether any alterations are made in the piece.
There are many dealers and auction sites who are dealing with antique furniture. Buying antique furniture is very expensive deal as well as a good investment. It is therefore imperative that care should be taken to choose the genuine pieces. Consulting experts in this field will be definitely beneficial.
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