Antique Furniture

Antique collecting can be hard especially if you do not know the industry. In fact, you can lose a lot of money from dubious transactions and fraudulent bargains. This is why it is important that you first know what you are getting into before you go right in and buy antiques. Knowledge is power and in this case, knowledge may mean your financial health.

Below are some of the ways to prevent getting tricked. Read on and make sure that you follow each advice to ensure that you are getting your moneys worth.

1. Research.
You'll never know how much help a little researching can do until you do it. You will find a lot of helpful information when you take time to ask and do a little snooping. This applies to both the people that you deal with and the item that you are purchasing. Ask around and familiarize yourself with the item. Read everything you can about the material and about the era when the antique was supposedly made.

2. Be suspicious.
There is nothing wrong with being a little cautious with your purchases and transactions. In fact, in antique collecting, it pays to be a little paranoid and suspicious of people. Remember that they are selling things that are really old and in some cases, things that you have not even heard of because of its age. It's a little hard to prove its authenticity so you are entitled to doubts and suspicions.

3. Follow your instincts
If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Remember that bit of information! If your instincts are telling you that something is wrong, drop the transaction. If you are not sure, investigate. Frauds can be caught if you just make the effort.

4. Talk with experts
There is nothing in this world that can sharpen your nose for antiques than talking and dealing with people who are experts in the field. Join trade fairs and organizations of antique collectors. Log on to websites that deal with antique collecting and join their forums. There are books out there authored by people who know what they are talking about.

Remember, it may be sheer bad luck to get involved in a fraudulent transaction but it is always your choice. Antique collecting is not some easy forgettable thing that you can just breeze through. It takes research and practice to be good at it.

If you are deciding to become an antique dealer keep in mind that you will be meeting many different types of people, each of these people you meet have a different role in antique dealings.

Many people are now finding antiques as a great way of making their rooms look that little bit more special. When it comes to antiques many people have their own agenda, many people prefer clocks, porcelain, furniture or jewelry.

Next look to make sure that you can afford to purchase items in your chosen item, you may be fascinated say by rare art, but unfortunately it may be unaffordable.

Purchasing antiques usually involves money; lots of money, gathering the proper information can help with the purchase process and avoid being fooled or making mistakes. Knowing the how to speak "antique" or knowing the proper terminology and doing the proper research will help in determining what to look for and what to buy, it will also help in knowing how much the items are worth so you don't overpay for the item.

In today's world antiques have become big business for many people, finding that piece that was created many years ago and selling it for 3 to 4 times its value is a great way to make money. If you compare the same items today with those that
were created years ago it is amazing how the older items are made incredibly well plus they fetch more money on the market.

To find old pieces of furniture you need to look in the following places, outhouses, attics or cellars, many people stored their valuable items in these places. Furniture began to bear designs such as pagodas and birds, originally only seen on
items of porcelain. Antique furniture that has been covered with a finish that is long lasting will look better plus fetch a higher price. But, over time and with polishing, oak darkens into a rich brown color. Until the middle of the 17th Century,
furniture was fairly simple, made of oak with peg joints.

Place your collection on display or will then be kept in a safe place. For some who have inherited a lovely collection of heirlooms, yet do not have any idea of how to look after them or even keeping up with the collection they already have as
well as they should.

It's the fluctuations in relative humidity caused by central heating that results in real damage. Consider installing a humidifier on your furnace to raise the humidity levels in winter and run a dehumidifier during the summer months. With wood antiques, you want the humidity to be as stable as possible. To take care of the antique furniture you will need to wax the pieces with bees wax, do not store the furniture in damp, bright rooms, and make sure the furniture is not in a place that the temperatures fluctuate because this may damage the wood.

There are many benefits when selling on an online Antique mall. You want to sell your antiques or collectibles online be careful and research the proper way to do this. One of the most popular places where people from all over the country display and have their antiques appraised is at the Antiques Roadshow.

About The Author: David Marc Fishman is the owner of http://www.tipsquad.com. Ask an expert via video. Try out the new online auction site at http://www.priceriot.com

The word "rococo" comes from the French "roc" and "coquille", which could be literally translated into English as "rock cockle" and be quite accurate.

The term arose from the passion that existed during a portion of the Louis Quinze period for using rocks and shells along with wisps of nondescript foliage carved with bewildering scrolls in every conceivable variety of shape, as the prevailing details of ornamentation.


The broken shell, the twisted acanthus, the curled endive, and the flowing scroll formed a part of interior woodwork. The cornice, the wainscot, the mantel, the moldings of windows and doors, the frames of pictures, embodied one and the same idea.

To harmonize with this setting furniture was, of necessity, constructed on similar lines. Plain surfaces were abhored. Everything was ornamented to such a degree that its real purpose became a secondary consideration.

I like the look of wood grain. And like so many people buying antiques, often my first thought when looking at a painted piece is what it would look like stripped of its paint.

But for older pieces that were original painted furnishings, removing the paint lessens their value, and makes it harder to determine when they were made and by whom.

An article in the Herald-Dispatch by Jean McClelland explains the appeal of painted furniture:

The paint itself can often help tell the history of the table, chair or wardrobe. The pigments might have been imported from England or they might have been the result of home-grown vegetable coloring. Our ancestors painted furniture for many of the same reasons we decorate our surroundings. Not only was the paint an economical way of preserving the furniture, but it added beauty to the home. Painted furniture could be the result of a professional's hand or an amateur homemaker.