TIPS ON BUYING ANTIQUE FURNITURE:
USE THE CHECKLIST BELOW TO GET WHAT YOU ARE
PAYING FOR. REMEMBER, THE MORE CHECKS YOU HAVE
THE GREATER VALUE OF THE ANTIQUE
AT FIRST GLANCE
O The item is reasonably clean inside, outside and backside.
O All of the hardware is there, either original or appropriately replaced.
(knobs, pulls, escutcheons, hinges, locks, leaf supports, casters etc.)
O It is all there--doors, mirrors, back splash, towel bar, crown, etc.
O All the parts are original or authentically replaced.
O The finish, either original or refinished, is attractive and sound. It shows
the beauty of the wood and protects it.
THE PIECE HAS DRAWERS
O The drawers are sound, the joints tight, the bottom doesn't shift around.
O The drawer stops are still there or have been replaced. They are tight, not too thick, not nailed
in, therefore not risking wearing or tearing the drawer bottom.
O The drawer bottom is not severely warped or dragging or worn through from dragging on
poor stops.
O If the bottom has been replaced, the replacement is not of an inappropriate modern material
such as fir plywood.
O The drawer runners are not so worn as to contribute to dragging or poor drawer closure.
O The drawer ends are not worn in an arch or the wear has been properly repaired preventing
poor drawer front alignment.
O The dovetail joints have not been tightened by nailing to the front or back of the drawer.
(Thus preventing a loose nail from tearing a groove in the case front.)
O There are no torn grooves nor wear paths in the case front.
O The case is tight and does not sway from side to side when moved around.
O Very importantly, the drawers open and close easily, neither dragging nor sticking.
THE PIECE HAS A MIRROR
O The mirror is in good condition, either clear original or re-silvered
(Replacements are to be expected. A good “view” adds to the piece. )
O The frame and rack are in good condition and brackets or hangers are tight.
THE PIECE IS A TABLE
O The joints are tight. It doesn’t wobble. (Jiggly parlor tables cause treasures to fall and break.)
O If veneered, veneer is in good condition. (Loose veneer cannot serve its purpose.)
O Glue joints in the top, stump, legs, etc have not separated.
O Extension tracks are clean and function smoothly.
O If it holds more than 3 leaves, it has a fifth leg, split pedestal, or other method of supporting
the length.
O The table holds and has the desired number of leaves or your dealer can supply you with
matching leaves that fit well.
O Fasteners to hold top or stump together tight, if it had them, are complete and functioning.
O The casters roll easily, neither dragging nor lumping along.
O Drop leaves line up level with the top and the support keeps it level.
THE PIECE IS A CABINET
O Finials and /or crown are still there. (To see if piece had them, look or feel on the top for holes
that would have accepted a pin similar to a table leaf pin.)
O Locks, fasteners, hinges, etc. are appropriate and secured with flat slot screws. (Phillips heads
etc. are not correct on antiques.)
O Doors, drawers, hardware etc. meet applicable standards above.
O Shelving is all there and right for the piece.
O Curved glass is in good condition, not a plastic replacement.
(Curved glass is available but costly.)
O Doors close nicely because they are not warped or sagging.
THE PIECE IS A CHAIR
O When you turn the chair upside down and hold the feet and try to spread them apart, the
joints remain tight.
O Backs and arms are tight also.
O The spindles and rungs appear to be original or turned to match the original turnings.
O If the chair has a plank seat, it is intact and is not crudely repaired with boards nailed to the
bottom or wires holding it together.
O Caned, rushed, or splint seats are in good condition. Replacing these is not cheap. If the holes
for weaving have torn out, or the seat has split at the spline groove, much repair will need to
done before seat material can be replaced.
O Rockers on rocking pieces match & are not worn flat in middle thus the chair rocks smoothly.
O Working parts on Morris chairs, multiple use high chairs, patent recliner/rockers, library
chairs, swivel chairs, fold outs or fold downs really are “working” parts.
O Overstuffed seating is priced according to condition.
(Expect most of this furniture to need a complete restoration.)
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
Imperfect antique furniture is what we see the most. After all antiques are over 100 years old. Buy them if the price is right, if you don’t mind fighting with drawers, if you are very good at restoration, or know a good restorer and are not in a hurry to have use of the piece.
All the above assumes that you know about how old the piece is, what the wood is, that the piece is not a married one, whether it is attributable to a certain maker, that the provenance can be proven, etc.. The bottom line is KNOW YOUR ANTIQUES, KNOW YOUR DEALER, KNOW WHAT YOU WANT OR NEED, KNOW WHAT YOU ARE PAYING FOR, THEN BUY IT WHEN YOU SEE IT!
YOU ARE WARMLY INVITED TO VISIT US
THURSDAYS, FRIDAYS OR SATURDAYS
FROM 10am TO 5:30pm
USE THE CHECKLIST BELOW TO GET WHAT YOU ARE
PAYING FOR. REMEMBER, THE MORE CHECKS YOU HAVE
THE GREATER VALUE OF THE ANTIQUE
AT FIRST GLANCE
O The item is reasonably clean inside, outside and backside.
O All of the hardware is there, either original or appropriately replaced.
(knobs, pulls, escutcheons, hinges, locks, leaf supports, casters etc.)
O It is all there--doors, mirrors, back splash, towel bar, crown, etc.
O All the parts are original or authentically replaced.
O The finish, either original or refinished, is attractive and sound. It shows
the beauty of the wood and protects it.
THE PIECE HAS DRAWERS
O The drawers are sound, the joints tight, the bottom doesn't shift around.
O The drawer stops are still there or have been replaced. They are tight, not too thick, not nailed
in, therefore not risking wearing or tearing the drawer bottom.
O The drawer bottom is not severely warped or dragging or worn through from dragging on
poor stops.
O If the bottom has been replaced, the replacement is not of an inappropriate modern material
such as fir plywood.
O The drawer runners are not so worn as to contribute to dragging or poor drawer closure.
O The drawer ends are not worn in an arch or the wear has been properly repaired preventing
poor drawer front alignment.
O The dovetail joints have not been tightened by nailing to the front or back of the drawer.
(Thus preventing a loose nail from tearing a groove in the case front.)
O There are no torn grooves nor wear paths in the case front.
O The case is tight and does not sway from side to side when moved around.
O Very importantly, the drawers open and close easily, neither dragging nor sticking.
THE PIECE HAS A MIRROR
O The mirror is in good condition, either clear original or re-silvered
(Replacements are to be expected. A good “view” adds to the piece. )
O The frame and rack are in good condition and brackets or hangers are tight.
THE PIECE IS A TABLE
O The joints are tight. It doesn’t wobble. (Jiggly parlor tables cause treasures to fall and break.)
O If veneered, veneer is in good condition. (Loose veneer cannot serve its purpose.)
O Glue joints in the top, stump, legs, etc have not separated.
O Extension tracks are clean and function smoothly.
O If it holds more than 3 leaves, it has a fifth leg, split pedestal, or other method of supporting
the length.
O The table holds and has the desired number of leaves or your dealer can supply you with
matching leaves that fit well.
O Fasteners to hold top or stump together tight, if it had them, are complete and functioning.
O The casters roll easily, neither dragging nor lumping along.
O Drop leaves line up level with the top and the support keeps it level.
THE PIECE IS A CABINET
O Finials and /or crown are still there. (To see if piece had them, look or feel on the top for holes
that would have accepted a pin similar to a table leaf pin.)
O Locks, fasteners, hinges, etc. are appropriate and secured with flat slot screws. (Phillips heads
etc. are not correct on antiques.)
O Doors, drawers, hardware etc. meet applicable standards above.
O Shelving is all there and right for the piece.
O Curved glass is in good condition, not a plastic replacement.
(Curved glass is available but costly.)
O Doors close nicely because they are not warped or sagging.
THE PIECE IS A CHAIR
O When you turn the chair upside down and hold the feet and try to spread them apart, the
joints remain tight.
O Backs and arms are tight also.
O The spindles and rungs appear to be original or turned to match the original turnings.
O If the chair has a plank seat, it is intact and is not crudely repaired with boards nailed to the
bottom or wires holding it together.
O Caned, rushed, or splint seats are in good condition. Replacing these is not cheap. If the holes
for weaving have torn out, or the seat has split at the spline groove, much repair will need to
done before seat material can be replaced.
O Rockers on rocking pieces match & are not worn flat in middle thus the chair rocks smoothly.
O Working parts on Morris chairs, multiple use high chairs, patent recliner/rockers, library
chairs, swivel chairs, fold outs or fold downs really are “working” parts.
O Overstuffed seating is priced according to condition.
(Expect most of this furniture to need a complete restoration.)
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
Imperfect antique furniture is what we see the most. After all antiques are over 100 years old. Buy them if the price is right, if you don’t mind fighting with drawers, if you are very good at restoration, or know a good restorer and are not in a hurry to have use of the piece.
All the above assumes that you know about how old the piece is, what the wood is, that the piece is not a married one, whether it is attributable to a certain maker, that the provenance can be proven, etc.. The bottom line is KNOW YOUR ANTIQUES, KNOW YOUR DEALER, KNOW WHAT YOU WANT OR NEED, KNOW WHAT YOU ARE PAYING FOR, THEN BUY IT WHEN YOU SEE IT!
YOU ARE WARMLY INVITED TO VISIT US
THURSDAYS, FRIDAYS OR SATURDAYS
FROM 10am TO 5:30pm
WHARF ROAD ANTIQUES
413 N. Main St, Newton, KS 67114
413 N. Main St, Newton, KS 67114