Beginner's Guide to Collecting Antique Furniture

 Hello my friends. I am very busy right now working on getting my shop finished up, stocked, and painting furniture; but I am glad to have a guest to post today. Pierre Angela Cruz will be sharing some very useful information today. Pierre?

Thank you Peggy I'm so glad to be here today and share with your readers.  

Today I would like to speak to those of you who are starting their own antique furniture collection.

Nothing exudes dignity and class quite like having antique furniture to fill one’s household. For those who want to be part of that circle that can appreciate the finer things in life, this is the guide to read.

Brief History of Antique Furniture

Antique furniture as we know it today can be traced back to the Renaissance period, which began in the 16^th century among the affluent European countries such as France, Italy, Spain, Germany and England. Art flourished during these times, and it affected the designs of furniture as well. As the era’s name implied, the style was mainly a rebirth of the classical aesthetics of the Greco-Roman period. 

 Photo courtesy renaissance-spell.com

Italian designers of the time were one of the main influences in furniture, applying the simple elegance of Roman architecture to the buildings of their time. The interiors had the same treatment, and so the tables, chairs and cabinets soon echoed the same designs. Such furniture pieces would become more elaborate later on especially in France as highlighted by the royal furnishings of Louis XV in the 18^th century

Photo courtesy egyptianfrenchfurniture.com

Why Collect Antique Furniture?

People have been collecting antiques as far back as the 18^th century due to the many discoveries being made at that time of forgotten pieces of art. Having a priceless and beautiful piece that can appreciate in value over time is one of the major reasons why people collect antique. Of course, the allure of unearthing rare relics of olden times, and knowing more about the culture and stories of people from long ago, can be enough for some collectors.

There are certain issues that can give would-be collectors pause. There is the practicality of keeping a collection of antiques when you have limited space due to the size of your house or the number of people living with you. Maintaining antiques can also be expensive due to their delicate nature, and using the wrong tools can lead to devaluation.

Photo courtesy of etraderplus.com

Starting Your Collection

Before you start looking for furniture pieces to collect, you have to first decide on what kind of antique furniture you want. There are plenty of styles out there to choose from that can satisfy your taste. Choosing just one will greatly help your search because you can focus on looking for certain characteristics without getting lost in all the details.

Determining Features

Of course, you also need to learn how to recognize antique furniture. Basically, these are furnishings that are at least 100 years old. They are usually made completely of wood, with only later aged pieces having any screws or bolts. The material is coarser, certain spots are lighter, cracks and warps are more common, and the overall shape might no longer be completely uniform, all of which are due to age. Authentic pieces made out of metals like bronze and iron will have some discoloration called patina, and some parts might be bent or scratched.

Photo courtesy ehow.com

Where to Look

Once you can detect which pieces are authentic antiques, start your hunt in a couple of places such as your family’s own store rooms, garage sales, thrift stores and nearby furniture warehouses. You can uncover valuable pieces that some people see as nothing more than junk taking up their space, and you will get great deals in the process.

Photo courtesy google.com

Auctions and antique stores will definitely offer higher quality pieces, but be prepared to spend more money as the people running these operations know the exact values of the furniture being sold.

Photo courtesy ehow.com

Building a collection of antique furniture can be a very rewarding pursuit, but it takes a good amount of patience and research to ensure you find what you are looking for, whether it’s bringing a sense of sophistication to your home or adding to your investment assets.

I hope you have found this information useful. Thank you for having me Peggy.

Pierre

Pierre Angela Cruz is a Marketing Consultant for Open Brook, an excellent source of information and reviews about outdoor and outdoor furniture.

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