Collecting Antique Furniture a Beginner's Guide

For people considering collecting antique furniture a beginner's guide to buying is a must. Buy affordable pieces in styles you like from respected dealers. Antique furniture continues to grow in popularity because it is solid hand crafted furniture that adds beauty to a room while increasing in value.

Basic styles

Basically, antique furniture is classified as European, Chinese, English and American. There are many styles, designs and historical periods for antique furniture. Among the styles are Oriental, English, Continental (French and German) and American. Each of the categories have sub-categories that indicate the historical period and style.

Determining value

The kind of furniture, the hardware and construction details, practicality and the authenticity of all the parts determines the value of a piece. If an article of furniture has had hardware or other parts replaced because of damage, this reduces the value significantly. The type of wood also impacts the worth of antique furniture. The most widely used kinds were mahogany, walnut, oak and pine.

Avoid polishing mistakes

A mistake made by many antique furniture owners is using lemon oil. They believe this is beneficial for preserving the wood and making it more valuable. The fact is that lemon oil dries out the wood and darkens the patina, which lowers the value of the article of furniture. Only beeswax is appropriate for polishing antique furniture. Check for an oily residue on antique pieces before you make a purchase.

Start small, shop smart

Start by buying smaller articles of furniture and slowly expand your collection to larger and more valuable pieces. The majority of older furniture is best when it has the original patina. Victorian furniture is acceptable to buy with restorations and some furniture styles like Austrian Biedermeier increases in value after restoration.

Mix and match periods and styles of furniture to fit your decor and preferences. Use similar shades of wood to make everything fit together, providing both enjoyment and value.