If you wish to collect antique furniture, be prepared for Saturday shopping trips and many a Sunday spent reading classified ads in the newspaper and on your computer via the Internet. Finding the perfect piece that is not only a collectible, but will become a part of your home, will take time.
Things You’ll Need:
-Antiques
-Arts And Antiques
-Joy Of Collecting Subscription
-Newspaper Subscriptions
-Internet Access
1. Study the market firsthand. Take along a knowledgeable friend and visit antique shops, shows, museums, flea markets and auctions.
2. Carefully inspect pieces and ask questions.
3. Read the classified ad section of your daily newspaper. People who are interested in selling pieces will advertise.
4. Check the classified ad section of your Internet server. America Online, for example, has a hobby channel that includes a link to classified ads from people trying to sell antiques.
5. Enter chat sites for antique collectors. AOL, again, has a link to chat rooms of this variety on its hobby channel.
6. Place requests on Internet message boards and periodically read the messages on the boards from others. You might find a gem among the rough.
7. Visit Web sites like Antiques Oronoco (antiques-oronoco.com). These have an abundance of information concerning collecting and links to all sorts of sites that can teach you as well as help you find items you want to buy.
8. Visit the eBay, which has listings of all sorts of items people are trying to sell and gives you a way to bid for them.
9. Resist buying the first item you see.
10. Get a detailed receipt when you do buy. Besides the traditional information, have the seller describe the antique, in writing, as it was represented to you.
11. Beware of the word "style" in advertising and on a receipt; it can be interpreted to mean that you have been given notice that the piece is a reproduction and not an original.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
An Introduction to Antique Furniture Part Two
by: Stephen Morgan
Early forms of furniture were primitive items constructed quite often out of solid pieces of timber. Though quite ornate at times they were still fairly basic items that lacked the finesse of later centuries and manufacturers.
It was during the 17th and 18th Centuries that Furniture Construction as we know more of it nowadays came into its own. With the appearance of Thomas Chippendale (1718-19) furniture manufacture became more sophisticated in its design and execution with finely executed joints and a carcase (body of the item of furniture) that was as well made as the façade.
However as with all things, the prohibitive cost of craftsmanship meant that by the late 19th Century suppliers of Furniture were looking at techniques that could help bring the cost of manufacture down to more manageable and cost efficient proportions and hence the introduction of the earliest forms of machine assisted furniture.
For the purpose of this article we will be looking at Furniture from the following aspects: Pegged Construction and Drawer Construction, and then in the next article a detailed look at styles of two items of furniture, Chairs and Tables.
Pegged Construction
Until the early 18th Century, furniture was constructed by and large using a “Pegged” or “Joined” technique using Mortise-and-Tenon joints held together held together quite often just by wooden pegs or dowels and on very rare occasions, nails.
As you can imagine the earliest forms of pegs were quite primitive in their manufacture and acted more like wedges and tended to tighten the joints they were hammered into.
Quite often, as the years would go by these joints and pegs would find themselves being pushed out of shape and this is quite often an indicator of firstly, how old a piece is and secondly how well cared for an item of furniture is with the appearance of these joints.
Drawer Construction
Early Drawers were characterised by the thick sides or linings which were usually channelled so that they could run on bars or runners fixed to the sides of the carcase. As you can imagine these developed quite considerably as the items of furniture or drawers that they were designed to support became more and more delicate and sophisticated. From the 17th Century onwards as with other forms of furniture, the practice of just using simple pegs and runners all but died out to be replaced by more sophisticated runners being placed beneath rather than at the sides of the drawers.
I am often asked as to why a study of furniture is so important? Will it solve the Worlds ills, can it help solve World Poverty (yes if the stuff is manufactured in the right places at the right costs but that is another matter)?
Well the answer primarily to all of the above questions is by and large no but as in all these cases the situation is like anything that relates to the study of History. By only correctly understanding where we have come from, how we arrived here and what we did, can we begin to have any real hope of moving forward without repeating the same mistakes over and over again.
As to how important furniture is?
Well what else would you sit and write on?
Early forms of furniture were primitive items constructed quite often out of solid pieces of timber. Though quite ornate at times they were still fairly basic items that lacked the finesse of later centuries and manufacturers.
It was during the 17th and 18th Centuries that Furniture Construction as we know more of it nowadays came into its own. With the appearance of Thomas Chippendale (1718-19) furniture manufacture became more sophisticated in its design and execution with finely executed joints and a carcase (body of the item of furniture) that was as well made as the façade.
However as with all things, the prohibitive cost of craftsmanship meant that by the late 19th Century suppliers of Furniture were looking at techniques that could help bring the cost of manufacture down to more manageable and cost efficient proportions and hence the introduction of the earliest forms of machine assisted furniture.
For the purpose of this article we will be looking at Furniture from the following aspects: Pegged Construction and Drawer Construction, and then in the next article a detailed look at styles of two items of furniture, Chairs and Tables.
Pegged Construction
Until the early 18th Century, furniture was constructed by and large using a “Pegged” or “Joined” technique using Mortise-and-Tenon joints held together held together quite often just by wooden pegs or dowels and on very rare occasions, nails.
As you can imagine the earliest forms of pegs were quite primitive in their manufacture and acted more like wedges and tended to tighten the joints they were hammered into.
Quite often, as the years would go by these joints and pegs would find themselves being pushed out of shape and this is quite often an indicator of firstly, how old a piece is and secondly how well cared for an item of furniture is with the appearance of these joints.
Drawer Construction
Early Drawers were characterised by the thick sides or linings which were usually channelled so that they could run on bars or runners fixed to the sides of the carcase. As you can imagine these developed quite considerably as the items of furniture or drawers that they were designed to support became more and more delicate and sophisticated. From the 17th Century onwards as with other forms of furniture, the practice of just using simple pegs and runners all but died out to be replaced by more sophisticated runners being placed beneath rather than at the sides of the drawers.
I am often asked as to why a study of furniture is so important? Will it solve the Worlds ills, can it help solve World Poverty (yes if the stuff is manufactured in the right places at the right costs but that is another matter)?
Well the answer primarily to all of the above questions is by and large no but as in all these cases the situation is like anything that relates to the study of History. By only correctly understanding where we have come from, how we arrived here and what we did, can we begin to have any real hope of moving forward without repeating the same mistakes over and over again.
As to how important furniture is?
Well what else would you sit and write on?
Antique White Bedroom Furniture: Enhance The Elegance Of Your Bedroom
by: David Faulkner
There are several extremely popular types of antique bedroom furniture at any given time, usually in line with the fashions of the day, but one type seems to remain as popular as it has ever been amongst consumers. Antique white bedroom furniture has a universal appeal because it is different and can brighten up what would otherwise be a dark and dingy bedroom.
Other bedroom furniture comes in a rainbow of browns. Everything from mahogany to walnut to oak usually makes it into a bedroom but can make it seem smaller somehow, not to mention overbearing, and antique white furniture marks a distinct difference. It is undoubtedly unique and thus is definitely more difficult to find. Its popularity does not help with this problem but could potentially raise its value even further.
Antique white bedroom furniture does not have one particular and definitive style. It can be found in a wide range of designs so that you can personally select one that matches your tastes and home décor. The fact that it is different in colour means that it gives a room a better, lighter quality than most bedroom furniture and adds an elegance to every room that is hard to create from scratch.
Antique white bedroom furniture combines European and American styles. This combination makes it completely different to anything that has ever been created before, although it has been subjected to a few attempted recreations since. It has an innate sense of style that can fit in with most individual tastes so very few people actually dislike it. Most antique furnitures are an acquired taste but antique white furniture is not too hard to get used to! For more info see http://www.antiquefurniturersource.com/Antique_Furniture_Hardware/Replacement_Hardware_For_Antique_Furniture.php on Replacement Hardware For Antique Furniture.
Some antique styles can prove to be very expensive but antique white bedroom furniture is in fact more affordable than the majority of its competition. There is the opportunity to pick up some real bargains. Although there are some very expensive antique white furniture sets around, at least this gives you the choice. You can choose the set that best fits your budget so you do not have to break the bank to enhance your home with antique white bedroom furniture and neither do you have to compromise on quality. Whatever combination you are looking for, you can get it!
Antique white bedroom furniture is neutral in colour, shape and designs and so will fit into any bedroom and quickly become a household asset. It will blend in well with existing décor and can be used to create a warmth and safe environment for children as well as adults. In short, antique white bedroom furniture is about as perfect as it gets so enjoy it!
There are several extremely popular types of antique bedroom furniture at any given time, usually in line with the fashions of the day, but one type seems to remain as popular as it has ever been amongst consumers. Antique white bedroom furniture has a universal appeal because it is different and can brighten up what would otherwise be a dark and dingy bedroom.
Other bedroom furniture comes in a rainbow of browns. Everything from mahogany to walnut to oak usually makes it into a bedroom but can make it seem smaller somehow, not to mention overbearing, and antique white furniture marks a distinct difference. It is undoubtedly unique and thus is definitely more difficult to find. Its popularity does not help with this problem but could potentially raise its value even further.
Antique white bedroom furniture does not have one particular and definitive style. It can be found in a wide range of designs so that you can personally select one that matches your tastes and home décor. The fact that it is different in colour means that it gives a room a better, lighter quality than most bedroom furniture and adds an elegance to every room that is hard to create from scratch.
Antique white bedroom furniture combines European and American styles. This combination makes it completely different to anything that has ever been created before, although it has been subjected to a few attempted recreations since. It has an innate sense of style that can fit in with most individual tastes so very few people actually dislike it. Most antique furnitures are an acquired taste but antique white furniture is not too hard to get used to! For more info see http://www.antiquefurniturersource.com/Antique_Furniture_Hardware/Replacement_Hardware_For_Antique_Furniture.php on Replacement Hardware For Antique Furniture.
Some antique styles can prove to be very expensive but antique white bedroom furniture is in fact more affordable than the majority of its competition. There is the opportunity to pick up some real bargains. Although there are some very expensive antique white furniture sets around, at least this gives you the choice. You can choose the set that best fits your budget so you do not have to break the bank to enhance your home with antique white bedroom furniture and neither do you have to compromise on quality. Whatever combination you are looking for, you can get it!
Antique white bedroom furniture is neutral in colour, shape and designs and so will fit into any bedroom and quickly become a household asset. It will blend in well with existing décor and can be used to create a warmth and safe environment for children as well as adults. In short, antique white bedroom furniture is about as perfect as it gets so enjoy it!
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