What Makes Furniture Antique

What Makes Furniture Antique? If the piece of furniture was made a minimum of one hundred years prior to the purchase date, it is an antique. Occasionally, people purchase older pieces of furniture in order to refinish them, but it is wise to determine the value of the pieces before altering them in any way.

Antique versus vintage: How to tell

One method to identify whether a piece of furniture is antique or vintage is by taking a close look at the drawers. A drawer that has hand-made dovetail construction was built before furniture parts were cut by machines, which was around 1860. After this, identically reproduced pieces of furniture were made by machines. Also, as wood ages, it shrinks, so a true antique article of furniture has dimensions that are somewhat irregular. Additionally, genuine antique pieces are usually made with more than one kind of wood.

Imperfections equal authenticity

There are telltale signs left in the wood of antique furniture, like scratches and nicks made from the use of hand tools such as draw-knives and planes. Genuine antiques were made completely by hand so there are imperfections. Certain details and flaws such as inconsistencies in spindles and rungs are noticeable.

Check the finish

The finish applied onto an older article of furniture provides an indication of whether it is a genuine antique. The oldest furniture items were finished with wax and oil. These were later replaced with shellac. After that, varnish and lacquer were widely used on wood furniture in the mid-1800s.

Ask the expert before you restore

If you buy a piece of furniture at a yard sale and are considering refinishing it, wait. Determine whether it is a genuine antique before making any sort of restorations or alterations. Consult an expert to find out what the piece is worth before you do anything that might ultimately devalue it.

Antique furniture is well made and generally high quality. An antique, however, is an investment that keeps gaining value as time passes. Know what makes furniture antique to make sound investment decisions from the very beginning.