Archive for March, 2009
Friday, March 27th, 2009
There is something greatly fascinating about antique furniture Chests of Drawers that actually draws a lot of antique aficionados to them. We seem to be possessed by a strange and irresistible emotional bond that links us to a distant past. It compels us to remember the people who lived long before us and the proof of excellent craftsmanship they left behind. No matter what the feeling is, the timeless beauty of an antique chest of drawers remains with us today to add character and accent to any bedroom, sitting room or den.
Types of antique chests
There are a lot of options when choosing the right kind of vintage furniture chest to suit your taste and purpose. There are many types of antique furniture Chests of Drawers to choose from. Perhaps you may want a vintage hope chest. Or you may prefer a tall-boy period piece. What about an old-fashioned regular chest of drawers? Whatever you pick, you can be assured that this period piece will add a touch of class and elegance in any room.
18th century antique chests
You can also base your choice on the period or era it was constructed. You can purchase a Queen Anne oak period piece out of the 18th century with its graceful lines and curves. You can also opt for a straight-detailed or an ornately carved Georgian Chippendale mahogany chest of drawers out of the same period.
19th century antique chests
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Sunday, March 22nd, 2009
One of the popular reasons why many antique collectors choose antique furniture pieces is because of their aesthetic value that can add a touch of class in any home or office. One can choose from a wide selection of periods and styles. While professional antique collectors have learned various ways to shop for prized items, beginners need to get more information in order to get around.
Visit single-owner antique shops
Rather than hunt for period pieces in antique shops in malls, it is better to get your English antique furniture from specialized antique stores or single-owner antique shops. They offer personalized service and may even give you a lower price.
It is best to by in bulk especially if an antique item you are interested in is sold at greatly discounted prices. You can order directly from single-owner shops where you can talk terms about the price.
Scour the flea markets and auctions
You can also find great antique furniture at a terrific bargain in flea markets and garage antique sales. You can be alerted of upcoming antique fairs and flea market sales online where you can find a slew of information.
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Tuesday, March 17th, 2009
An increasing number of people are choosing to invest in antique furniture because of its high market value. If you own antique furniture English antiques, you will be able to command a very high price for one piece of furniture alone.
The market value of an antique item depends on various factors related to the item itself. The workmanship, style, material used and the period in which it was constructed are some of the factors that determine an antique furniture’s value. It is, therefore, proper to properly maintain and preserve your precious investment. Here are some tips to clean and preserve antique furniture.
Clean antique furniture with care
Make cleaning antique furniture a part of your daily routine so it won’t be neglected. Dusting should be done every other day or, at he very least, once a week. Not all materials are appropriate as dusting device; they might cause some scratches. Use a soft cloth instead.
Avoid using just any kind of sprays or common furniture polish for cleaning antique furniture English antiques. The dust-repelling formulas in sprays and polishes contain harmful chemicals that may stain the antique furniture’s wood and create weak spot.
Certain polishes do a great job without damaging your period pieces. Orange oil is ideal for weekly cleaning of antique furniture. After this, you should polish it once every two months using furniture wax. Using a thin coat is enough to give it a healthy shine without bringing on wax build-up.
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Thursday, March 12th, 2009
One of the main reasons why most antique collectors prefer period furniture pieces is because of their aesthetic value. One can choose from a wide range of period and styles. While experienced antique collectors have various techniques to recognize the originality of an item, beginners need to learn more in order to get around. If you are considering to purchase Antique English Furniture, watch out for clever fakes and reproductions.
Look at the proportion
Original antique furniture are not equally proportioned because wood, which most period pieces are built of, shrinks over time. If it is otherwise, chances are you may be looking at a counterfeit. When in doubt, examine the item from different angles in a well-lighted area.
Test for functionality
Examine if all the parts, including the decorative ones, are intact and functioning.
A good period piece should be solidly built. An antique piece ceases to have value if it loses its usefulness. How can you appreciate a Windsor chair if you cannot sit on it? Most antique dealers allow customers to test Antique English Furniture for verification. This method is highly recommended by experts.
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Saturday, March 7th, 2009
The earliest recorded antique furniture styles to be officially recognized at the start of the 17th century is Gothic. Most Gothic furniture were made of oak and had simple lines but massive designs. It was directly influenced by the architectural discipline of that era, mostly straight lines with emphasis on right angles.
Gothic and Colonial furniture
France produced the most admired Gothic furniture known for their foliage themes, like leaves and vines. Rococo and baroque stood out among other Gothic styles for the remainder of the century.
A lot of the famous furniture designs sprang up from England. As Gothic pieces diminished in popularity, the Early and Late Colonial furniture styles were ushered in. With pine as its primary wood source, these heavily-decorated furniture featured square lines. A standard and popular example of this style is the Windsor chair.
Queen Anne and Georgian designs
The early 18th century saw the rising popularity of Queen Anne designs which had simple detailing and graceful curves and lines. These antique furniture styles were usually built using oak, mahogany maple, walnut and cherry.
At the end of the 18th century, four famous types of Georgian furniture style have emerged. Georgian Chippendale were famous for their ornate carvings; Georgian Adam is dominated by straight lines. Georgian Hepplewhite furniture had straight tapering legs, with a design influenced by Adam. Georgian Sheraton added more emphasis on straight detailing. All of the designs were constructed with mahogany.
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Monday, March 2nd, 2009
If you have developed the love for collecting antiques, particularly antique furniture, and are quite new to it, your main problem will probably be finding a reputable merchant of antique furniture for sale and how to determine if a period piece is genuine or not. New collectors of antique furniture take great pride in their collection only to suffer great disappointment when a real expert tells them that most of their items are clever fakes and reproductions.
What do antique furniture stand for?
Furniture selection follow various criteria like choice of material, type, usefulness and aesthetic value. Antique furniture, however, belong to a higher bracket with a stricter set of criteria. A period furniture piece is normally a form of decorative art. As time passed, furniture has transcended from its basic and fundamental purpose to become a symbol of social position and personal preference. Antique furniture can also stand for religious or cultural symbolism and testimony of the artisan’s woodworking skill.
It is the daunting task of choosing and buying the right antique furniture for sale that scares the wits out of new collectors. A materially oriented society dictates that you have a knowledge of your antiques and know where to get the best. As if that isn’t enough, there are a lot of clever fakes and reproductions going around in the antique marketplace. In this age of competition, how in the world will you know if the period piece you are looking at is the real deal?
Walk the walk, talk the talk
You may know of some classy and fashionable people fuss over which antique furniture should go with what in their modern homes. You here them refer to Victorian, Georgian, Edwardian or Regency period pieces but don’t know exactly what they are talking about. The best way to be with the “in” antique crowd is to acquaint yourself with their “antique lingo” by seriously reading magazines and book on the subject. Attend antique shows and auctions and familiarize yourself with popular trade terms in the process. You can also easily gather a lot of antique furniture for sale information on the internet which is a readily accessible source of knowledge.
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