Antique Furniture Appraisal – How To Recognize the Real Thing
Wednesday, February 25th, 2009
Finding the piece of antique furniture you’ve always wanted in a shop, auction or yard sale can be a joyful experience. It can, however, turn into a big disappointment if you discovered that the item is a fake. Learning a few antique furniture appraisal techniques will be well worth your time. Although only a truly experienced antique appraiser can recognize the real from the fake period piece, learning a few professional secrets will give you greater confidence the next time you shop for antique furniture.
For starters, be sure to identify the particular period styles that you prefer. Are you into Victorian or would Regency pieces suit your fancy? If you are searching for specific period pieces, be sure you have familiarized yourself in the common attributes and designs of the style. This will make you readily recognize the item once you see it.
Veneering
Recognizing veneering is one practical antique furniture appraisal technique that is worth learning. The process of veneering involves constructing the main body of the furniture with less expensive wood and then covering it with thin pieces of more expensive wood. Although this may appear as some method to cut production cost, furniture manufacturers soon began using the wood’s natural grain. There are a lot of fine antique furniture works that made use of natural wood grain into their design.
Patina
Looking for the patina in antique furniture is a reliable method of antique furniture appraisal. The patina is basically the naturally occurring gloss that an antique furniture gets from decades of accumulated dirt and polish. Patina builds up naturally and is almost impossible to duplicate. The patina indicates how some period pieces have been used or handled. There may be areas of wear in the furniture where it was often handled or lifted. If you observe that the patina is unnaturally consistent and smooth, this may indicate that some imperfections in the piece have been concealed or given an aged look that doesn’t go with the furniture.
Antique furniture offers a touch of class and distinction in any home provided you choose the right kind. What should you consider before buying special period pieces from antique furniture dealers?