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.
Most painters sign their works. It is rarer to find a table or chair signed by the creator. You can find manufacturer labels and stamps on furnishings however. You should look for these on the bottoms and backs of dresser drawers. Stamps and labels on tables and chairs are most likely found on their backs and bottoms.
Inspecting a piece for damage is important. You are most likely to find repair or replacement work in the areas that get the most wear. The center supports on the backs of chairs is one example. The feet on dressers will wear or break if they have been dragged instead of lifted during a move.
You should expect to see cracks in old pieces. Wood expands and contracts, and that creates cracks. Most experts agree that cracks do not adversely affect value.
Experts have different opinions when it comes to the subject of refinishing. If you want pieces that are completely authentic, you won't be buying tables or chairs that have been refinished. Original wood on old furniture is generally purplish or black in color. The varnish is often crackled because it's been exposed to heat over time.
There are others who argue that the discoloration and crackling are not what the craftsman intended for his pieces. They would have been shiny when new. The discolorations disguise the beauty of the wood according to this school of thought. Before you refinish any old piece, you have to decide if reducing the value of the piece matters to you. Once a piece is refinished, it may not be as valuable, and it can't be restored.
In rural areas, it may be difficult to find a wide variety of antiques to choose from. When this is the case experts say shopping online is perfectly acceptable. It's important to only deal with reputable dealers and established auction houses. Most auctioneers take online bids in addition to live bidding during an antique auction. Many dealers provide certificates of authenticity as proof of the age of a particular piece.
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.
Most painters sign their works. It is rarer to find a table or chair signed by the creator. You can find manufacturer labels and stamps on furnishings however. You should look for these on the bottoms and backs of dresser drawers. Stamps and labels on tables and chairs are most likely found on their backs and bottoms.
Inspecting a piece for damage is important. You are most likely to find repair or replacement work in the areas that get the most wear. The center supports on the backs of chairs is one example. The feet on dressers will wear or break if they have been dragged instead of lifted during a move.
You should expect to see cracks in old pieces. Wood expands and contracts, and that creates cracks. Most experts agree that cracks do not adversely affect value.
Experts have different opinions when it comes to the subject of refinishing. If you want pieces that are completely authentic, you won't be buying tables or chairs that have been refinished. Original wood on old furniture is generally purplish or black in color. The varnish is often crackled because it's been exposed to heat over time.
There are others who argue that the discoloration and crackling are not what the craftsman intended for his pieces. They would have been shiny when new. The discolorations disguise the beauty of the wood according to this school of thought. Before you refinish any old piece, you have to decide if reducing the value of the piece matters to you. Once a piece is refinished, it may not be as valuable, and it can't be restored.
In rural areas, it may be difficult to find a wide variety of antiques to choose from. When this is the case experts say shopping online is perfectly acceptable. It's important to only deal with reputable dealers and established auction houses. Most auctioneers take online bids in addition to live bidding during an antique auction. Many dealers provide certificates of authenticity as proof of the age of a particular piece.
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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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