Tips for buying antique furniture

For those who love a hunt, buying antique furniture from auction sales and garage sales is a great deal of fun. There is the thrill of finding an ornate piece of antique oak furniture or a mirrored side panel.

Before setting out for antique furniture shopping, individuals should know something about the history of antique furniture and should be able to determine the true value of the pieces. It is only under such circumstances will an individual be able to determine if the piece of oak furniture is actually an antique piece or if it has been made to look vintage.

The first step while hunting for furniture is to get a good look at the different pieces of furniture. Even if this means that a piece of antique dining room furniture has to be moved from the side of the wall to the middle so that it can be examined properly.

One test for antique dining room furniture set is that it has got to be solid. An individual needs to sit down on the chair and move the chair backwards and forwards to see if the chair is able to take the individuals body weight or if it is very wobbly and may break soon.

Individuals who are out antique furniture shopping also need to examine the different pieces of furniture for signs of natural wear. Authentic pieces of antique furniture will have dirt in crevices or in places that are hard to clean, and wear around knobs and on drawers. A very clean drawer or piece of furniture that does not show any usual signs of wear indicates that the piece of furniture is not really an antique piece.

While buying antique oak furniture, all individuals need to accept some level of wear and tear. Without this, the piece of furniture will not really be an antique. However, on the flip side, individuals should not buy antique furniture that is in very bad condition or which has been patched up very sloppily.

The exterior of the piece of antique bedroom furniture should be of a uniform color, except for variations that would naturally occur due to exposure to the elements and use. Surface blemishes and scars are acceptable, but pieces of furniture with burn marks should be avoided as it is very difficult to take out and replace these parts of the furniture.

Individuals also need to examine the piece of solid wood furniture to see if any parts are missing or broken. Often times, the knobs of drawers will be broken or missing in antique furniture. Homeowners need to look out for this. If the furniture is made out of veneer they need to look out for any broken pieces of veneer.

Finally, individuals buying antique furniture also need to look inside the furniture to see if the drawers have a uniform color and finish. Sometimes, home owners may find that the drawers are really new pieces that have been made to look old.