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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!
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