Buying and Maintaining Antique Furniture
Are you considering collecting Antique furniture as a hobby or perhaps you have inherited antique furniture from relatives? Perhaps you are considering buying and selling antique furniture and making a profit.
If so be advised that antique furniture collecting can be an expensive hobby particularly if you unaware of the risks involved with buying and maintaining what are often fragile and delicate antiques.
Maintaining Antique Furniture
One factor that will significantly influence the price is the condition that the furniture is in when valued and sold at auction. While you can usually only minimize and camouflage damage that may have been caused by the previous owners by using the correct polish and cleaners you should also insure that the furniture is kept in a dry environment away from humidity and sunlight which can corrode and bleach the furniture. Do not store the furniture in a shed or garage where it can easily be knocked and damaged. Also don’t forget that termites can cause damage to furniture if left untreated.
Make sure to dust and wax your wooden surfaces on a periodic basis. Use clean piece of cloth to clean fabrics. Avoid cleaning wooden surfaces with water and use the proper cleaning products.
When moving your furniture from one place to another make sure not to pick the furniture up from the arms or top and also never drag it on the floor. It is important to avoid any separation of nails or joined wood. If accidentally damaged occurs, get it repaired at a professional furniture or wood expert.
Buying Antique Furniture
A few weeks before an auction it should be possible to obtain a catalogue in the order in which they are sold. This will usually give a fairly detailed description of each piece of furniture, the date it was made, the type of wood and a conditional guarantee of authenticity. Many will also contain estimated prices.
Make sure when you arrive an auction you make an effort to view the auction beforehand. Insure that you analyse the furniture from all angles and look for signs of alteration, damage or defects. Look closely at the various pieces of wood used in the furniture particularly the edges and feet. Differences between the pieces would indicate that pats of the furniture have been replaced or repaired.
Beware of smooth edges from a power saw in contrast to the ragged edges made by a handsaw. Also open the drawers and doors and look for screw holes that indicate that the original handles and hinges are now missing.
If you are about to bid on an antique item you will usually have to register with an auctions accounts department first and give your personal details, even your bank details. They should then issue you with what is called a paddle number.
Bids rise incrementally and you must be quick and make sure you can be seen when the bid reaches your desired selling price. Once the piece is sold you will provide your paddle number and this will be written in the auctioneer’s books.
Make sure you have done your research before bidding on any item. You don’t want to discover later that you have purchased an overpriced antique.
If you know what to bid for, how to restore and maintain the furniture you should be able to make a profit should you choose to resell.
To learn more please visit the authors Antique furniture blog
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