Useful Tips for Buying Antique Furniture

Since Antiques are high in demand they also command a higher price.  But ... how do you tell a true Antique piece from a cheap fake?  A true antique item is at least 100 years old.  Take a good look at the furniture by taking it outside.  The first sign to observe in true antique furniture is the non-uniformity in its dimensions.  This is so due to the fact that wood shrinks as it ages by up to 1/8 inch per foot.  The finer aspects in wooden antique furniture may seem missing.  If every nook & corner, length, breadth and width of the furniture seems perfect, this is the first sign that something is not right.

If you are told that a particular piece is of Amish made furniture, make sure it is genuine.  Typically, Amish furniture is made of 3 pieces.  These are joined together by different techniques but the number of sub-pieces is always small.  If it is genuine Amish handcrafted furniture, it will show its class by the bulkier weight and fine craftsmanship.

Before buying the antique furniture, make sure that it has not lost its sturdiness in the years gone by.  If the furniture item is not too light and delicate, you can easily test it by sitting on it or shaking it lightly.  You can also check for cracks and cuts by running your hand smoothly all over the surface.

A typically old piece of furniture item will appear discoloured from certain places.  Some kinds of natural wear and tear at the corners will be evident by a close look at it.  This is due to the exposure, over the years, to environmental and other hazards.  But the damage should look natural. 

Any kind of hardware used on the antique furniture must be original.  The knobs, sliders, screws and bolts can be easily checked by careful assessment of the wood behind these attachments.  Any sign of plugged holes means that the hardware has been tampered with.

Also remember to ask for necessary warranties and guarantees.