We often see people who are in the market for antiques but don't know where to look, or how. So we decided to put together a helpful list of tips to help make buying antique furniture easier for our readers.
1. Take measurements—before leaving.
Many people leave the home or office without knowing how large or small they need their furniture to be. After all the effort of finding the perfect antique, learning that it won't fit through your doorway can be a real downer—you may also find yourself coming back the next day only to see a sold sticker on your favourite table, or having to leave a show on its last day. So take measurements and come prepared with pen, notepad, tape measure, and camera in hand. Now that you are prepared, you can begin looking for the perfect antique.
2. Know where to look.
Many antique shoppers take the whole process in as if it were a typical retail experience—which it isn't. Some antiques can be hard to find, so while driving around your local retail district may reveal some interesting buys, you may be missing out. Be sure to try out eBay, local auctions, shows, and even estate sales. Estate sales and live auctions are a particularly good way to find antique furniture at great prices, but be on the look-out for hidden damage when buying at auctions. I might also add that our own selection of antique and reproduction furniture would be worth a look.
3. Learn to recognize quality.
Once you've found a place to buy your furniture, knowing the difference between a good antique and a bad one can save you hundreds of dollars, so it benefits you to learn how to recognize quality furniture when you see it. Start with the basics: is there any damage? Does it wobble? How old is the piece, and what period is it from? Be sure to have a look at the hardware. If it has drawers, are they dovetailed?—take the drawer out and look at the front and back. Does the piece have a striking grain as opposed to one you can't see too well? What wood type is it? Are there any inlays? Have any parts been replaced or restored—if so, what did that entail?
Be careful not to shun a piece because it is veneered. This is a common mistake made by many honest and die-hard antique enthusiasts. Veneers were first developed during the Italian Renaissance as a means of developing complex inlay patterns and also as a way to preserve stores of rare and exotic woods like imported mahogany. Since then, veneers have grown increasingly complex and varied, and have always been a marker of high quality. When you do come across veneer, whether on antique or reproduction furniture, take note of what the underlying material is—MDF, solid wood, blockboard, particle board, etc.—how thick it is, what finish it has, if it has inlays, and whether it has crackling.
In any case, the most consistently reliable way to discern the quality of an antique is to simply ask the seller, which leads us to our next point.
4. Ask the right questions.
When you've set your sites on an antique, you will need to know which questions to ask. Again, start with the most basic, like, "How old is this piece?" Also ask what wood(s) the piece is made of—inside and out—what kind of finish it has—i.e. lacquer or wax—what style it is in, whether it is an antique or reproduction, whether it is handmade, where it was made, whether it has been restored, whether it has a history of damage, and where the seller bought the piece. Some dealers may not know all the answers to these questions, and some may not like answering them, but asking them will usually improve your experience and may even lower the asking price a bit—and this brings us to haggling
5. Haggle!
Most antique dealers are flexible with their prices, but many people are accustomed to the standard retail experience you might get at a mainstream corporate store (think Swedish dorm-room disposables). But in our experience, antiques almost never sell for their asking price—in fact, the price usually goes down once or even twice. This is especially true for shows, where dealers are in tight competition with one another and that enormous solid oak bookcase starts to look very heavy when it's just about time to haul it away.
