Few things add distinction to a room like a fine piece of antique furniture. Whether your decor draws from the ornate Victorian era, the retro appeal of mid-century modern, or the beautiful simplicity of Arts and Crafts, the patina and quality construction of antique furniture provides an individuality to your home like nothing else. You will come to realize, as you explore this field of collecting, that there is no right or wrong. If you like it, then it is right for you.
The term “antique” has gone from a defining adjective to a generic term, but the “purists” among us hold to the rule that furniture becomes antique at 100 years. Retro or MCM denotes furniture from 1950-1970, and the terms vintage or estate denote pieces from 1920 through the end of the 1940s.
So how do you determine age? One way is to check out the joinery. Was the piece handmade or machine made? There is a definite time line here as machine-cut furniture first appeared around 1860. Quite often I hear people say “it is really old because the drawers are dove-tailed.” The drawer of furniture hold many clues to age determination. Dovetailing can be a clue to age — just remember the fewer the dovetails and the more uneven they are, the older the piece. Newer machine-cut dovetailing will be much more exact and evenly spaced.
Take a look at the bottom, back and the sides of the drawer. Nicks and cuts in the wood will mean that it was most likely cut with a plane or a knife. You may also find saw marks on the sides and back. If those marks are arc-shaped it was cut with a circular saw, and circular saws did not exist before 1860. Handmade furniture is not symmetric. The spindles, rockers, and rungs will vary in size and uniformity. The difference here may not be apparent at first, as fine hand-craftsmen were able to make their furniture appear even, but if you look closely there will be a slight difference in repetitive pieces. While the general appearance of a reproduction can be very deceptive, the construction is machine cut and will always be precise.
There are many clues to age in the finish. Lacquer and varnish were developed in the mid-1800′s so pieces made before 1860 were usually shellac. You can verify the finish by rubbing a small spot on the furniture. If it dissolves, it is shellac. You will find that very old pieces were sometimes finished with oil, wax or milk paint. Try to purchase only furniture with a patina that appeals to you as professional refinishing is expensive and in many cases will greatly reduced the value of the piece.
Learn to recognize basic types of wood. Furniture made before 1700 is mostly oak. After that mahogany and walnut were common. Pine has been used through out the history of American furniture construction because it was easy to work with and readily available. Finer furniture from several eras will also be found made of cherry or maple.
Condition is often a factor when considering the purchase of antique furniture. Watch for rot and insect infestation. Dry rot cannot be repaired, it must be replaced and this can be very expensive as it must be professionally done. Insect damage can sometimes be repaired if only a small piece of the furniture has been effected. To check for either, stick an ice pick into the piece. If there is no resistance then you are looking at internal damage so proceed with caution.
Some popular collectible American furniture styles to watch for include: Early Colonial – 17th century, Late Colonial – 18th century, Pennsylvania Dutch – late 17th to mid-19th century, Shaker – late 18th to mid-19th century, Federal – early 19th century, Southern Primitive – early to mid-19th century, and Mission or Arts and Crafts – early 20th century. Until next time ……………..Linda
Irvington resident Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and the liquidation of estates and may be reached at 317-429-7887 or lkennett@indy.rr.com}