Guide to Buying Antique Furniture

Guide to Buying Antique Furniture

Tuesday, 25 September 2018 | Mike Leano

There's no other way to put this: unless you're already an expert, buying antique furniture is challenging. You might ask yourself a number of questions, including:

• How can you tell if it's worth the price tag?
• Was it really created during that period?
• Is it an original or elaborate fake?

If you're absolutely smitten with the item (and you have the funds to spare), then the price probably wouldn't matter much to you. Even then, you might not want to pay a king's ransom for an imitation masquerading as the real deal.

To help you through this process, we've put together a guide.

Buy what you love

When you buy antique furniture, you shouldn't treat it like some investment and expect a financial return. Yes, the money is there but it's something you get into long-term. When you buy a piece today, you're not likely to sell it by the following week. Plus, the value of antiques may fluctuate as certain styles move in and out of fashion.

The solution to this unpredictability? Buy what you love. The pieces you acquire should give you pleasure. If not, you'd be in for a rough time spending your money on antiques.

Know the factors that determine worth

Having "a good eye" for antiques means you know the things that make them valuable. These include, but are not limited to the following:

Condition
This refers to the piece's physical state. Is the item in mint condition? Does it come with physical defects or damage? Has it been restored to its original condition?

Note: "Mint" means it's in the same condition as the day it was made, and "restored" means it was refurbished - and perhaps with replacement parts. Antiques in mint condition will demand a far higher price than restored ones.

Materials
The material alone may drive up a furniture's worth. For instance, rare types of wood like Huanghuali (a kind of rosewood) and red sandalwood are nearly extinct. If the antique you wish to buy is built from such parts, expect a boost in price.

Rarity
Antiques that are difficult to obtain - particularly if they're unique - will have higher value than similar yet more common pieces. But while hand-made antiques will usually be more expensive (because no two creations are exactly the same), mass-produced items like coins can still be considered rare thanks to mint-made errors.

Provenance
In addition to artistic value, collectors are typically attracted to antiques because of their history or provenance. An antique may not be as rare or be in good condition, but if it can be established that it was owned by a famous person, it becomes more valuable. The important part of here is that the origin comes with proof, like having records.

Ask for the condition report

Because auction sales are final, ask for an antique furniture's condition report from the auction house or website. As its name suggests, a condition report is an account of the item's changing physical condition. This makes it easier to evaluate an antique's value.

If a condition report isn't available, take the time to inspect the antique in person. Once you get that chance, make sure you do the following:

The hardware matters

You need to look over the furniture's hardware. It will give you some insight on the item's condition, and perhaps even its age. For instance, an old cabinet drawer should come with a threaded post with a nut, which attaches the hardware into the front of the assembly. If it instead uses a screw, then the furniture isn't that old to begin with.

If the corresponding hardware is there, does it seem newer than the furniture? This could mean it's just a replaced part. Otherwise, does the hardware have some damage, defects or deterioration? These little details will provide fascinating answers.

Search for signs of authenticity

Like artists, wood crafters often left their signature on antique furniture, and this serves as proof that a piece is authentic. Likewise, this signature can also give you hints about the furniture's history. So where do you look?

• If the antique has drawers (e.g. cabinets, bureaus), pull it out then look for a stamp/signature/mark on its underside, back or insides.
• If it doesn't have drawers, look for the signature at its back or bottom.

Note: The signature's location and type of mark (whether it's a stamp, signature etc.) may differ, depending on the piece's creator.

Dovetails show the age in drawers

Another way to tell a furniture's age, especially if it has a drawer, is if it uses dovetails on its sides. Dovetails are joints with several tapered projections which interlock with each other and are used to connect the sides of a drawer to its front.

Dovetail joints are an old woodworking technique which holds lumber pieces perfectly in place for long periods of time. Interestingly, the type of dovetail used can shed some light on a furniture's age and construction. Here's how:

Older antiques - chiefly those created in country areas - use larger dovetail joints. Some even just one tail and pin for each side. Furniture created on later dates use smaller, thinner and more intricate dovetails.

If the furniture doesn't have dovetail joints, it's most likely built using glue and/or nails. In other words, it was probably made in a factory, which indicates that it's not that old.

Test all moving parts

When you inspect an antique, see to it that you also try out all its moving components - as reasonably as you could anyway. For instance, if you're looking at something with a drawer or hinges (e.g. cabinet doors), see to it that its moving parts open and close without difficulty.

Of course, when you test these parts, do so gently. You're inspecting an antique after all, and you wouldn't want to break anything.

Look for damage

Speaking of which, you should also search for any signs of damage as this will affect the antique's price. The damage differs, depending on the type of furniture you're inspecting. For example:

• If you're examining an antique with drawers, like a tallboy or secretary desk, start at its feet. Moving these types of furniture around usually involves pushing instead of lifting - and this tends to damage the feet first.
• If you're examining a wooden chair, look closely at its splat. It's the vertical part of the chair's back (below the top rail and between the two uprights/stiles). When we regularly lean a chair backwards, it's usually the part that may need repair.

Note: Cracks in the wood naturally occur due to factors like age and changing temperature, so expect to see them in antique furniture from the 17th to 19th centuries. These are actually considered wear instead of damage.

Do your research beforehand

Like any diligent buyer, you need to investigate beforehand what you wish to buy. Otherwise, you'll mistakenly purchase something more than it's worth to you. The best place to start would be researching the antique's style, which will then point you towards the period it was made.

Once you have a general knowledge of when the item was created, you'll have a better idea how much it will be worth. Here are a couple of ideas to get you started:

• Borrowing a reference book from your local library. If they don't have the book you need, ask if they can borrow materials from other libraries.
• Visiting online auction sites for similar items and looking at their prices.
  
  

Consult a professional appraiser

Another way to answer whether a piece is worth purchasing is by going straight to a certified appraiser, provided you have extra funds to consult one. The appraiser is a specialist who has the knowledge and necessary tools to determine how much an antique would cost.

The appraiser will most likely ask you for the following:

• Background information on the piece, including its measurements, history and documentation (if any).
• Photographs from various angles, showing the antique's details.

Once you're armed with the proper information, you can purchase the item at the right amount, and you also get to know your antique furniture a little better.

Take the online auction route

If your neighbourhood doesn't have a local antique store, consider visiting online auction sites instead, like eBay, Christie's or ALLBIDS.

People normally prefer to see and/or touch an item before buying it, unless they're already certain of the quality. This is why it's crucial for auction sites to establish credibility: buyers need to have trust in the seller, to believe that:

• The item being sold is authentic.
• The information from the seller is accurate.

We at ALLBIDS regularly run online auctions for antique furniture. We also provide layers of protection on each auction, which means you can bid with absolute confidence. So add to your antiques collection today with ALLBIDS.

If you wish to sell your antique furniture, we can help. Get in touch with us to find out how.