| ody"> | | | | furniture would tend to be signed by a craftsman. A |
| Want to know if your furniture is as old as you might | | | | signature helps to date an item, determine value and |
| think? Here are some tips to help you identify an | | | | provide provenance. |
| antique. | | | | 5. Mortise-and-tenon Construction |
| 1. Patina | | | | Watch for construction methods, mortise-and-tenon |
| An old table will have a rich, beautiful finish. Decades | | | | is a method where two pieces of wood are cut like |
| of polishing and exposure to the elements create | | | | a jigsaw puzzle to fit together without nails or glue. |
| patina. Check underneath a table. On an older table, | | | | This technique is used to compile the overall structure |
| the appearance of the wood will be much different | | | | of a piece. It denotes excellent craftsmanship and |
| underneath than on the top. The underside will be | | | | helps to identify an antique. |
| lighter because it has not been polished or had use. | | | | 6. Locks |
| This is a clue to advanced age. | | | | Look for locks fitted with brass keys on drawers, |
| 2. Handmade | | | | desks etc. Often the lock maker's name is clear. This |
| Look for handmade furniture. Antique furniture was | | | | name is a good reference point to determine age |
| hand made by craftsmen. Watch for uneven carving; | | | | and value. |
| it indicates hand made workmanship. Machine made | | | | 7. Dovetail Joints |
| furniture has identical, perfect carving. A set of chairs | | | | Dovetailing is a method of construction used to put |
| is great to check for it. If all the carving and detail on | | | | together drawers, blanket boxes etc. It is also |
| all the chairs is absolutely identical, it was machine | | | | method where two pieces of wood are cut like a |
| made, and not so old. | | | | jigsaw puzzle to fit together without nails or glue |
| 3. Veneer | | | | Handmade 18th century dovetails are large and |
| Look for thick veneers on wood. Veneer has been | | | | uneven. Machine-made dovetails are thin and even. |
| used for hundreds of years and is not necessarily a | | | | 8. Nails |
| bad thing. However, older veneer is thicker than | | | | Look for square pegs and hand forged nails. Furniture |
| modern veneer and it was glued onto wood. Newer | | | | made during 17th and 18th century used square pegs. |
| veneers are very thin. Modern manufacturing | | | | Hand forged nails also indicate an antique. You can tell |
| methods allow for thinner cuts. Modern veneers are | | | | hand forged nails because they are very irregular in |
| often glued onto particleboard or base woods. | | | | size and shape. Seeing construction with a Phillips |
| 4. Signature | | | | screw should make you think that an item is not so |
| Look for a maker's signature. Newer, mass-produced | | | | old. |