“Wood I Lie to You?”
by Miriam J. Haines
So you think you understand antique furniture? Well the next time someone at the local flea market tries to tell you that the commode he bought in the 1960s is an antique… just smile. A piece of furniture, rug, objet d’art or any other collectible must be at least 100 years old to be so classified. This brings us to one of the golden rules of furniture: perfection is not always desirable. Simply put, older furniture had inconsistencies, imperfections and irregularities in its construction. The joints were not always symmetrical; the hardware was not always uniform, etc. Be careful of furniture that “matches up” too perfectly, it might just be reproduction. You also need to be aware of descriptive adjectives, they can be very revealing. Furniture “made in the style of”, or “in the manner of” (let’s say Chippendale) is not Chippendale. It is furniture fashioned to resemble the original, by utilizing some of the key design or architectural elements of the original. If you are buying furniture at auction, read the terms of sale very carefully. The auction is not responsible for such misunderstandings, the buyer is. Try to purchase “best of breed” examples of a classic style or period; they will far better retain their value. Remember size is not the criterion, quality is. On a health-related note: if are you bringing furniture into a home with young children, be very aware of wood that has been repainted. Often such paint can have a high lead content (especially paint used in the 1950s and 1960s.) Common sense dictates that before you buy furniture – unless you are an expert – you bring someone in (if at all possible) to appraise the piece. In many instances, store persons will (at best) exaggerate and (at worse) misrepresent its history. So do your own research, whenever possible. With that, Happy Hunting!
Miriam sez: Buy it right and sleep tonight™
|
