Collecting antique wooden furniture

When it comes to antique collecting, one of the most preferred items are wooden pieces of furniture.

If you are into acquiring wooden furniture for your antique collection, familiarize yourself first with the basic information that you need to know. This includes the basic terminologies of antique trades, types of woods used for antiques, identifying the age of the wooden piece, and the proper way of cleaning it to maintain its value.

In your search for antique wooden furniture, visit the family's storeroom first before shopping for antique pieces online. Family storerooms (the garage, basement, or attic) can reveal hidden treasures that you can include in your antique collection. Aside from family storerooms, you can also visit your neighbor's garage sales, other household stores, and nearby household auctions to look for pieces that will satisfy your desire for wooden antique furniture.

If you really want valuable and authentic pieces of antique furniture, you can visit various antique stores. But, you better prepare yourself to pay a higher sum of money because most of these are authenticated by an organization that specializes in antiques. Although antique stores are reputable places where you can find antique furniture pieces, you should be very careful because many of these stores also offer replicas and reproduced items. If you are well-versed in antique furniture, it is best to ask the help of an expert to guide you in buying the real ones.

Tips in choosing antique wooden furniture

There are many types and styles of antique wooden furniture available on the market. Each piece has its distinct features depending on the era it in which was made. The most common selections of antique wooden furniture are those inspired from American and English styles since they are more functional compared to others.

If you are just starting with your antique wooden collection, here are some tips that can help you choose the pieces that are truly worth your time and your money:

1. Determine the age. The age of the wooden furniture is very important in determining its authenticity. Make sure that the wooden furniture is at least 50 years old or more to ensure it's an antique piece.

2. Check the furniture's joinery. This is one of the easiest ways to know if the piece is an antique or not.

3. Look for dovetails. Collecting antique wooden furniture is a meticulous task. To make identifying what's real or not easier, look for the dovetails. Experts say that dovetails that aren't even are those joined using bare hands while dovetails that are exact and even are cut using a machine. If the dovetails are handmade, rest assured that the piece is an antique because these dovetails were made years before the machine used for cutting was invented.