Kinds of Wood and Their Value
There are many kinds of wood used in furniture making. Over the years, preferences for wood have changed and varied. However, there are some basic woods that have maintained their popularity since colonial times and continue to be used in furniture making today. Many times, when considering antique furniture, the [...]
How to Choose a Furniture Restorer
When you have a treasured piece of antique furniture that you feel is in need of some improvement, the first question you need to ask yourself is: Are you going to have the piece completely restored, cleaned and refinished, or are you merely trying to have some damage repaired? To [...]
Where to Find Valuable Antique Furniture
Where do I begin? Valuable antique furniture is rare. (After all, that’s what makes it valuable.) But it is surprisingly easy to find if you know where to look. There are thousands of reputable dealers who sell items in galleries, and many more collectors, dealers and owners who are selling [...]
Furniture Makers of the 1700s
The 1700s are often referred to as the “Golden Age” of English furniture making. In fact, even today, many antique furniture markets throughout the U.S. feature pieces made during this crucial century in design history. These pieces — often constructed from what was then a newly available wood, mahogany — [...]
Top 10 Ways to Recognize Valuable Furniture
Every collector dreams of finding a priceless piece of furniture that has been overlooked by everyone else. If you do not have a background in furniture appraisal, the odds of you finding such a piece of furniture at a bargain price at an estate sale or in the classified ads [...]
Patina – A Sign of Wear or a Sign of Value?
What is a patina? A patina is a natural change to the surface of an object caused by oxidization, sunlight or dust/dirt. Patination is considered to be an unavoidable change to a piece as compared to an accidental stain such as that caused by spilling something on the item. Patination [...]
How Antique Furniture Restoration can Preserve Family History
Furniture is one of the most concrete ways to pass down a family’s history. Whether purchased locally or abroad, our furniture enriched the rooms and lives of our ancestors. The stories these antiques carry with them transform them into precious relics that tie us back to our family’s roots. Preserving [...]
5 Reasons to Prolong the Life of your Antique Furniture
Imagine: Your mother gives you a piece of furniture that she got from her great grandmother, but either it doesn’t match your home décor or you don’t have room for it. You consider putting it on the curb at your next yard sale, but you’re afraid that your ancestors will [...]