Saw marks can help you determine dates. Straight saw marks signify antique chest of drawers from the first half of the 18th century. From the end of the century, however, circular saws were used, leaving visible circular saw marks on the inside of carcases. Don’t completely be put off by restoration.
How can you tell how old a chest of drawers is?
Look at the bottom board’s grain as well; if it runs from front to back, the chest was likely built in the early 18th century; if it runs from side to side, it was presumably made after 1750. The chest’s handles should also be examined to see if they are authentic.
How can you tell if a chest is antique?
A few signs that furniture is newer include consistent color, lack of patina, machine-cut moldings/carvings, and modern screws or nails. Things like mortise-and-tenon joints, wood pegs, hand-cut dovetails, and rose head nails are typically found in antique furniture.
How do you date a chest of drawers UK?
The style of foot or base on a chest of drawers is also a good indication of the period. Whilst bun feet were common through the late 17th century, they were then replaced by bracket feet in the Georgian period and by enclosed plinths in Victorian times.
How do you date drawers?
Saw marks can help you determine dates. Straight saw marks signify antique chest of drawers from the first half of the 18th century. From the end of the century, however, circular saws were used, leaving visible circular saw marks on the inside of carcases.
How do I know if my old furniture is valuable?
If you haven’t bought an appraisal, you can determine the value of your antique furniture from a dealer. More often than not, a dealer will provide a price that is most likely the wholesale value. Essentially, this means they give you the cost they are willing to pay for your antique items.
How to date antique furniture by drawers?
You can get an idea of the date of a piece of antique furniture by looking at the dovetail joint, as if it is hand cut you know its pre 1880 and the more primitive the cut usually means an earlier piece. Below you can see examples, the first is a 17th century drawer, pre dovetail so very primitive clout nails used.
How can you tell if wood furniture is antique?
Look carefully at the bottom, sides, and back of the drawer; if the wood shows nicks or cuts, it was probably cut with a plane, a spokeshave, or a drawknife. Straight saw marks also indicate an old piece. If the wood shows circular or arc-shaped marks, it was cut by a circular saw, not in use until about 1860.
How can I tell what kind of wood my antique furniture is?
How do I determine what type of wood my furniture is made from? Usually by the grain. Color may have been stained or bleached, but the pattern of the grain is the same as the raw lumber. Some woods like oak, mahogany, teak and walnut have very distinct grain patterns.
What is the difference between a chest and a chest of drawers?
While dressers feature multiple columns of drawers, a chest of drawers has just one single row, stacked vertically. Typically, there are just four-to-six drawers in a chest, which provides less storage space than their dresser counterpart. A chest of drawers is more commonly shortened to “chest”.
What’s the difference between a bureau and a chest of drawers?
The difference between a bureau and a dresser is their location: A bureau istypically in an office or library and a dresser is usually in a bedroom or closet. Both pieces of furniture consist of a chest of drawers underneath a cupboard with shelves.
What is considered vintage dresser?
How can you tell the difference between antique and vintage?
Simply put, an antique is any item — whether it be a work of art, jewelry, carpets or everyday objects like housewares and accessories — that is over 100 years old. Vintage items are much younger, less than 100 years old, and typically have a collector’s appeal.
How do I identify my antiques?
A maker’s mark is one of the main clues in figuring out an item’s age. These marks can also tell us who made the item and where. To locate a potential marking, look underneath the object and in hidden spots. Remember, not everything will have a maker’s mark, so don’t give up hope if you can’t find one.
Is there an app for antique furniture valuation?
ValueMyStuff is the world’s leading online art, antique and collectables valuation and appraisal service. Upload photos and receive your valuation report within 48-hours!
How to date antique furniture by drawers?
You can get an idea of the date of a piece of antique furniture by looking at the dovetail joint, as if it is hand cut you know its pre 1880 and the more primitive the cut usually means an earlier piece. Below you can see examples, the first is a 17th century drawer, pre dovetail so very primitive clout nails used.
Is there a free app to identify antique items?
Antique Identification Apps Hallmarks – The app Hallmarks – Identify Antiques is a good option for identifying random hallmarks on silver and other pieces. The hallmarks are alphabetical. Although the initial app is free, you’ll need to pay to unlock all the hallmarks.
Can you tell how old a piece of wood is?
Radiocarbon Dating Because wood can be dated directly and by radiocarbon, scientists used bristlecone pines to calculate a new calibration curve, and convert radiocarbon results into accurate calendar dates.
How can you tell what kind of wood is antique furniture?
How do I determine what type of wood my furniture is made from? Usually by the grain. Color may have been stained or bleached, but the pattern of the grain is the same as the raw lumber. Some woods like oak, mahogany, teak and walnut have very distinct grain patterns.
Is 60 year old furniture considered antique?
For an item to be an antique, experts agree that it must be at least or over one hundred years old. While there’s no official expert consensus for an item to be considered vintage, many agree an item should be between twenty to ninety-nine years old.
Is 50 year old furniture antique?
The trading standard, or perhaps a ‘purist’s’ definition of what is antique is an item that is more than 100 years old. Some believe items over 50 years old should be considered antique and some use an 80-year marker.
At what age is furniture considered antique?
“By definition, an antique is an item that is 100 years old or older,” says Brandon. This doesn’t matter whether it’s a book, a vase, some glassware, or even a piece of furniture—the rule of thumb remains the same.
How can I tell who made my antique furniture?
The obvious answer, and the most straightforward, is that a maker’s mark helps you identify the brand or creator of the piece of furniture, which may assist you in finding out more about the item in question, such as its place of manufacture, the name of the furniture model, the type of wood/finish used, or even …
What is the difference between vintage and antique furniture?
Antiques are much older than vintage items, often reflect a bygone era, and have high cultural or historical value. Vintage items, on the other hand, are much younger and represent a specific period within the last century.
Is there a free app to identify antique items?
Antique Identification Apps Hallmarks – The app Hallmarks – Identify Antiques is a good option for identifying random hallmarks on silver and other pieces. The hallmarks are alphabetical. Although the initial app is free, you’ll need to pay to unlock all the hallmarks.
When not to restore an antique?
Refinishing usually makes sense except in cases of great rarity and truly original historic condition. If a piece is genuine Chippendale or Georgian and is 250 years old and in exceptional original condition, it will be worth much more than its numerous refinished cousins.
