Dec
12
Useful Tips Before Buying Antique Furniture
Filed Under Advice | Leave a Comment
Sarika Kabra asked:
If you are not sure what you are about to buy, better defer your shopping plans until you get complete education about the product than going ahead with the gamble of making an uninformed choice! This article precisely aims at educating you about all you need to make sure before you buy antique furniture. These tips will help you make a better choice on your requirements pertaining to antique furniture as well as provide you with some useful insights to avert a possible scam. Since antiques are high in demand. They also command a higher price. And due to lack of proper understanding about antique furniture, many Smart Alecs find it easy to dupe people by selling cheap fakes in the name of antiques.
To save yourself from embarrassment, the first obvious step is to make sure that the furniture article on offer is actually ‘antique’. A true antique item is at least 100 years old. Now, how to make sure that what you are buying is actually, in fact, an antique?
Take a good look at the furniture by taking it outside the closed interiors. The first sign to observe in true antique furniture is the non-uniformity in its dimensions. This is so due to the fact that wood shrinks as it ages by up to 1/8 inch per foot. The finer aspects in wooden antique furniture may seem missing. If every nook and corner, length, breadth and width of the furniture seems perfect, this is the first sign that something is not right with the antique.
If you are told that a particular antique furniture item is of Amish made furniture, make sure it is genuine. Typically, Amish furniture is made of 3-pieces. These are joined together by different techniques but the number of sub-pieces is always small. If it is genuine Amish handcrafted furniture, it will show its class by the bulkier weight and fine craftsmanship.
Before buying the antique furniture, make sure that it has not lost its sturdiness in the years gone by. If the furniture item is not too light and delicate, you can easily test the sturdiness by sitting on it or shaking it lightly. You can also check out for cracks and cuts by running your hand smoothly all over the furniture surface.
A typically old piece of furniture item will appear discolored from certain places. Some kinds of natural wear and tear at the corners will be evident by a close look at it. This is due to the exposure, over the years, to environmental and other hazards. But the damage should look natural. For instance, the corner blocks should be the same color as surrounding wood. Any variation is a sign that the nature of woods used in a single furniture item is different.
Any kind of hardware used on the antique furniture must be original. The knobs, sliders, screws and bolts can be easily checked by careful assessment of the wood behind these attachments. Any sign of plugged holes means that the hardware has been tampered with.
The next thing is to ask the dealer for necessary warranties and guaranties. Ask all other relevant questions you may have in mind before buying any piece of furniture. For instance, the nature and periodicity of repairs undertaken on the article, the best price for the furniture etc.
Always seek second opinion before buying antique furniture and educate yourself with some useful literature on antique furniture.
DANIAL
If you are not sure what you are about to buy, better defer your shopping plans until you get complete education about the product than going ahead with the gamble of making an uninformed choice! This article precisely aims at educating you about all you need to make sure before you buy antique furniture. These tips will help you make a better choice on your requirements pertaining to antique furniture as well as provide you with some useful insights to avert a possible scam. Since antiques are high in demand. They also command a higher price. And due to lack of proper understanding about antique furniture, many Smart Alecs find it easy to dupe people by selling cheap fakes in the name of antiques.
To save yourself from embarrassment, the first obvious step is to make sure that the furniture article on offer is actually ‘antique’. A true antique item is at least 100 years old. Now, how to make sure that what you are buying is actually, in fact, an antique?
Take a good look at the furniture by taking it outside the closed interiors. The first sign to observe in true antique furniture is the non-uniformity in its dimensions. This is so due to the fact that wood shrinks as it ages by up to 1/8 inch per foot. The finer aspects in wooden antique furniture may seem missing. If every nook and corner, length, breadth and width of the furniture seems perfect, this is the first sign that something is not right with the antique.
If you are told that a particular antique furniture item is of Amish made furniture, make sure it is genuine. Typically, Amish furniture is made of 3-pieces. These are joined together by different techniques but the number of sub-pieces is always small. If it is genuine Amish handcrafted furniture, it will show its class by the bulkier weight and fine craftsmanship.
Before buying the antique furniture, make sure that it has not lost its sturdiness in the years gone by. If the furniture item is not too light and delicate, you can easily test the sturdiness by sitting on it or shaking it lightly. You can also check out for cracks and cuts by running your hand smoothly all over the furniture surface.
A typically old piece of furniture item will appear discolored from certain places. Some kinds of natural wear and tear at the corners will be evident by a close look at it. This is due to the exposure, over the years, to environmental and other hazards. But the damage should look natural. For instance, the corner blocks should be the same color as surrounding wood. Any variation is a sign that the nature of woods used in a single furniture item is different.
Any kind of hardware used on the antique furniture must be original. The knobs, sliders, screws and bolts can be easily checked by careful assessment of the wood behind these attachments. Any sign of plugged holes means that the hardware has been tampered with.
The next thing is to ask the dealer for necessary warranties and guaranties. Ask all other relevant questions you may have in mind before buying any piece of furniture. For instance, the nature and periodicity of repairs undertaken on the article, the best price for the furniture etc.
Always seek second opinion before buying antique furniture and educate yourself with some useful literature on antique furniture.
DANIAL
Mar
26
Tips for Buying Antique Furniture
Filed Under Advice | Leave a Comment
Brooke Yan asked:
Buying furniture is just like buying a piece of artwork. The first criteria is to buy something you will enjoy. And full enjoyment of your new furniture means considering your taste, your lifestyle and, of course, your budget
• Discover Antique Furniture
• Identify Antique Furniture & Reproductions
• Research Antique Furniture
Discover Antique Furniture
Before purchasing antique furniture, consider first how the pieces will match your home. If your décor is contemporary, adding an ornate Victorian object might not create the effect you want. Also, think a bit about what your style is and what design periods can help you create the look you like. Then have some fun, mixing and matching your favorite styles.
Identify Antique Furniture & Reproductions
True antique hunters search for beautifully preserved objets d’art, armed with pins, magnifying glasses, and levels. Many other home decorators aren’t as concerned about a piece’s history or authenticity, opting for quality reproductions that are more affordable. Both approaches are fine. Your challenge: making an educated decision based on what’s important to you.
Research Antique Furniture
Becoming knowledgeable about antique furniture takes research, even if you’re focusing on only one aspect of this wide-ranging subject.
Establish value: Many collectors prefer specific eras, styles, and makers, while others have more eclectic tastes. In either case, an authentic piece’s value is most influenced by its condition, rarity, and history.
Get an expert opinion: A trained eye is more likely to find an undervalued treasure (or a clever masquerade) than a novice. Stay informed about trends in the antiques market by consulting important trade publications.
Consider practical matters: Carefully review the size and weight of each antique furniture piece you consider purchasing. Shipping furniture can be a pricey proposition. To reduce these costs, search for shopndeal sellers in your region. Also, look for sellers who use blanket-wrap shipping services.
ORLANDO
Buying furniture is just like buying a piece of artwork. The first criteria is to buy something you will enjoy. And full enjoyment of your new furniture means considering your taste, your lifestyle and, of course, your budget
• Discover Antique Furniture
• Identify Antique Furniture & Reproductions
• Research Antique Furniture
Discover Antique Furniture
Before purchasing antique furniture, consider first how the pieces will match your home. If your décor is contemporary, adding an ornate Victorian object might not create the effect you want. Also, think a bit about what your style is and what design periods can help you create the look you like. Then have some fun, mixing and matching your favorite styles.
Identify Antique Furniture & Reproductions
True antique hunters search for beautifully preserved objets d’art, armed with pins, magnifying glasses, and levels. Many other home decorators aren’t as concerned about a piece’s history or authenticity, opting for quality reproductions that are more affordable. Both approaches are fine. Your challenge: making an educated decision based on what’s important to you.
Research Antique Furniture
Becoming knowledgeable about antique furniture takes research, even if you’re focusing on only one aspect of this wide-ranging subject.
Establish value: Many collectors prefer specific eras, styles, and makers, while others have more eclectic tastes. In either case, an authentic piece’s value is most influenced by its condition, rarity, and history.
Get an expert opinion: A trained eye is more likely to find an undervalued treasure (or a clever masquerade) than a novice. Stay informed about trends in the antiques market by consulting important trade publications.
Consider practical matters: Carefully review the size and weight of each antique furniture piece you consider purchasing. Shipping furniture can be a pricey proposition. To reduce these costs, search for shopndeal sellers in your region. Also, look for sellers who use blanket-wrap shipping services.
ORLANDO
Nov
23
Ann Marier asked:
In a world of science and technology it is often interesting to note that all our developments in observing the stars began when the Earth was believed to be the center of the universe and telescopes while having advanced enormously in the last few decades they have virtually remained unchanged for their basic premise. So it is nice to be able to take an antique telescope and view the stars as they were seen years ago.
Prior to beginning your search for an antique telescope the collector usually has in mind the style in their mind that they wish to use, therefore searching various sites or even flea markets and garage sales can help the antique telescope collector find his or her reward.
What to Look for in an Antique Telescope
When searching for an antique telescope especially for models that are pre-mass produced, it is important to view with a little skepticism since many older models do not have manufacturing information on them and the ease in which one can engrave a name on the brass. Yet beyond the skepticism you can find the original articles that you can add to your collection.
Doing your research prior to looking for an antique telescope will enable you to be prepared to offer prices and counteroffer those given to you. With many sites available to research it is impossible to choose just one site in order to provide a picture of what you would like to choose to add to your collection.
Once you have chosen an antique telescope there may also be the necessity of repairing it through a professional or obtaining parts in order to repair it yourself dependant upon your skills. Yet with the variety of information out there and with antique stores, malls as well as flea market and yard sales a serious collector can find antique telescopes to add to or begin a collection.
Displaying Your Antique Telescope
When displaying your antique telescope choosing to cover it, mount it or display it as well as utilize the telescope are important. Choosing to display it as a working model is a typical plan for many antique collectors, since the condition lends to the value of the antique. So no matter how you choose to display your antique telescope looking into a professional mounting specialist in order to ensure the safety of the telescope is a better bet than just trusting your own instinct or mounting skills.
No matter how you choose to display the antique you can rest assured that with a little research and shopping around you can find an antique telescope that will provide you and your friends with interesting conversation.
CLEVELAND
In a world of science and technology it is often interesting to note that all our developments in observing the stars began when the Earth was believed to be the center of the universe and telescopes while having advanced enormously in the last few decades they have virtually remained unchanged for their basic premise. So it is nice to be able to take an antique telescope and view the stars as they were seen years ago.
Prior to beginning your search for an antique telescope the collector usually has in mind the style in their mind that they wish to use, therefore searching various sites or even flea markets and garage sales can help the antique telescope collector find his or her reward.
What to Look for in an Antique Telescope
When searching for an antique telescope especially for models that are pre-mass produced, it is important to view with a little skepticism since many older models do not have manufacturing information on them and the ease in which one can engrave a name on the brass. Yet beyond the skepticism you can find the original articles that you can add to your collection.
Doing your research prior to looking for an antique telescope will enable you to be prepared to offer prices and counteroffer those given to you. With many sites available to research it is impossible to choose just one site in order to provide a picture of what you would like to choose to add to your collection.
Once you have chosen an antique telescope there may also be the necessity of repairing it through a professional or obtaining parts in order to repair it yourself dependant upon your skills. Yet with the variety of information out there and with antique stores, malls as well as flea market and yard sales a serious collector can find antique telescopes to add to or begin a collection.
Displaying Your Antique Telescope
When displaying your antique telescope choosing to cover it, mount it or display it as well as utilize the telescope are important. Choosing to display it as a working model is a typical plan for many antique collectors, since the condition lends to the value of the antique. So no matter how you choose to display your antique telescope looking into a professional mounting specialist in order to ensure the safety of the telescope is a better bet than just trusting your own instinct or mounting skills.
No matter how you choose to display the antique you can rest assured that with a little research and shopping around you can find an antique telescope that will provide you and your friends with interesting conversation.
CLEVELAND