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As demonstrated by the success of TV programs like PBS’s “Antiques Roadshow” and HGTV’s “Cash in the Attic,” many people find antiques in their own homes. If you want to start or add to your antiques collection, there are some reliable places to look for them. These pieces are generally professionally authenticated, in pristine condition and grouped by period or style. One of the best places to see and learn about antiques is in museums.
Pale, fine-grained and hard maple provided country craftsmen with wood for functional furnishings. Finally, humble pine was disguised or hidden in most antique furniture. Also keep in mind that manufacturers of pre-20th century furniture never used plywood or particle board. Mostly, it was used for the backs, undersides and interiors. The beauty of grain patterns in bird’s-eye and tiger-striped maple encouraged cabinetmakers to apply maple veneers to plain furniture made of other woods. If the entire article was constructed of pine, it would have been painted or stained to look like a more expensive wood.
The way furniture is put together is an important indicator of age. Rose Head nails were forged individually by blacksmiths in the 1700s. After shaping the nail, the blacksmith placed it in a heading tool and delivered several hammer blows to form the distinctive head. Cut nails were prominent from 1790 to 1890. Sharp-ended wire nails with flat, round heads began to be machine produced around 1880. Staples are hallmarks of 20th-century manufacture. Early craftsmen used hand-cut mortise-and-tenon joints, dovetail joints and wooden pegs. Hand cut dovetails are wider and cruder than dovetails made with machines starting in the mid-19th century. Different cutting and sanding tools leave distinctive marks on wood and give clues to the era during which a piece of furniture was made. Nails tell their own story.
How the wood ages over time could also help you spot not only whether it’s real, but also how old it is. Wooden pegs that jut out just a bit from the surface of a chair leg or cabinet side are also indicators of age-related shrinkage. A tabletop that was round when it was made becomes slightly oval with great age. Because wood shrinks across the grain but not along it, very old furniture may appear to be misshapen.
McKenzie, James W. Antiques on the Cheap: A Savvy Deal’s Tips: Buying, Restoring, Selling. Peake, Jacquelyn. How to Recognize and Refinish Antiques for Pleasure and Profit, Fourth Edition. Moonan, Wendy. “Antiques; Burnishing the Lamp of Americana.” The New York Times. Prisant, Carol. Antiques Roadshow Primer: The Introductory Guide to Antiques and Collectibles from the Most-Watched Series on PBS. Melchert, Ken. “The Humble Nail — A Key to Unlock the Past.” Antiques Articles. Undated. The Harp Gallery.
Antique books, manuscripts and sheet music must be protected from water, fire, excessive humidity, excessive heat, strong light, and paper-nibbling insects and rodents. Store them upright on shelves closely enough to support each other, but leave a little wiggle room so you don’t damage them when you take a book out to enjoy. Make sure that acidic papers, such as newspaper, aren’t pressed between the pages and always handle old books with care.
