How can you tell if furniture is antique?
There are several ways you can spot an antique. The first giveaway is the joinery; machine-cut furniture wasn't made until about 1860. If the piece has drawers, remove a drawer and look closely where the front and back of the drawer are fastened to the sides of the drawer.
The ability to determine the age of antique furniture is a great skill. When attempting to determine the age of an antique there is no one definitive factor, but rather a combination of elements at work. Here is a closer look at some of them.
1.Perform a close inspection
Upon inspection, antique furniture has some irregularities in its surface. These irregularities indicate that an antique piece is made by hand and not by machine. Look at the bottom, side, or back of a piece. Behind doors and inside its crevices are good places to look for the characteristic irregularities.
It is also common for the materials of an antique piece not to match completely. If a piece of furniture was handcrafted, you will notice that carvings or details such as knobs and spindles may not be exactly identical.
2. Determine the style period
When it comes to antique furniture, style is a good indication of the era the piece is from. English furniture in the 15th century highlighted floral and animal-based patterns, while furniture in the 17th century featured elaborate gildings and extravagant engravings. Antiques on Old Plank Road have numerous antique pieces from different eras and expressed in different styles.
3. Keep an eye out for the materials
To determine the age of your antique furniture, note the materials that were used in its manufacturing. Expert antique collectors generally check the type of wood and metal that was applied to a piece in determining the era where it came from.
Furniture that is made from oak was usually manufactured before the 1700s. Most of the pieces made of mahogany and walnut that we have today are made after the 1700s because they were the popular materials then. A collector familiar with the different grains and types of wood has the perfect advantage when it comes to telling the age of antique pieces.
4. Observe its craftsmanship
The processes involved in manufacturing furniture then and now have many differences. For one, antique furniture is largely handcrafted. Many claims that antique furniture is more durable than modern furniture but craftsmanship extends beyond durability. It is common to see cuts and nicks with furniture where hand tools such as chisel were used.