Antiques Are Valuable Pieces of Art and History

An antique is an object which belongs to a past era valued for its artistry, craftsmanship, rarity and age. The term originates from the Latin word "antiquus" which means "old" or "ancient".
Antique experts and collectors have different factors in considering or defining antique, but a common denominator is the age of the items. An object has to be made from an earlier period than the present. Moreover, an object has to be at least 100 years old to qualify as antique.
Other antique experts and collectors regard a hundred year old object not antique enough compared to an item that is at least 300 years old. An antique item in one country may not be considered antique in another country at all. Thus, defining what antique also varies from person to person or from place to place.
Aside from the age of a piece, some antique experts would only describe an object as antique if it is made of the highest quality and features a striking ors one-of-a-kind design.
Antiquing Defined
Antiquing is the art of antique collection. It involves the process of shopping, identifying, negotiating, bargaining and buying so called antique items. Antiques may range from pieces of furniture such as a table, chair, desk, or dresser among others; a piece of jewellery; kitchen pieces such as tableware, dinner sets or pots; sculptures; paintings; maps; coins; stamps; books; other home pieces such as clocks; and carpets as well. Antique furniture is one of the most commonly collected items because of its practical uses.
Antiques can be made of varied materials such as fabric, wood, porcelain, ivory or glass. Antiques are sold in antique shops all over the world. The internet is also a rich source of information for antique collectors. Several websites pertain to antiques which are useful for antique collectors, both old and new.
Antique collection depends on the interests and preferences of antique collectors. Some antique collectors prefer to collect antiques of a specific period only. Mostly, devoted antique collectors spend considerable time and money to acquire a piece to add in the collection.
Antiquing is indeed an expensive hobby but other antique collectors purchase antiques for potential resale and antiquing also refers to the process of making an object appear antique.
Antiques and its Purpose
Antiques are significant artefacts of the past which help historians and archaeologists from understanding the earlier period of human history. All antiques are valuable because these objects represent the past. However, some are considered priceless because they are vital in the recognition and education of the history of a specific place in a specific time so these antiques are placed in museums. Other antiques can be bought in various antique shops for the satisfaction of antique collectors. Antiques are also considered heirlooms hence, also priceless.
Monetary Value of Antiques
The value of antique depends on the number of items available in the market, the condition of the item, and the amount that collectors would pay for it.
Antique appraisal, or the process of determining the value of antiques, is essential to every antique collector. Finding a qualified antique appraiser requires meticulous research. Antique appraisers have different specialization on antiques. An appraiser whose forte is on antique ceramics may not be able to provide valuable details on antique jewellery.
It is also important to note that some pieces of antiques are recommended for antique restoration while others are more valuable as they appear to be. A professional antique restorer provides expert help in determining what needs to undergo essential restoration to add more value to the antique and restore it to its original appearance and function.

Driscolls Antiques is a leading supplier of quality antiques and antique furniture. Benedict Yossarian is a freelance Internet Marketing Consultant that can help maximize your exposure online.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Benedict_Yossarian


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1393979

Antiques and Reproductions - Can You Tell the Difference?

Can you tell the difference between an antique and a reproduction? Does it really even matter?
There's nothing wrong with good quality reproductions. You just want to make sure that you know that's what you are getting. Here are some tips to help you tell them apart.
Wood. Antiques tend to not be made using one type of wood. Why? It simply didn't make economic sense to use expensive wood such as mahogany in areas where no one would ever see it. That's why the bottoms of drawers and joints of antiques might have lesser quality woods such as pine, maple. Reproductions tend to be made top-to-bottom from one wood and can be heavily stained to hide a poor quality wood. Check the underside, if the wood seems the same throughout the piece, it may be new.
Upholstery stuffing. Up until late early 20th century, horsehair and hay were used to stuff upholstered furniture. Synthetics such as foam were introduced around 1920s. Keep in mind that the horsehair or hay may have been replaced in an antique during an earlier reupholstering. It's not necessarily bad, it's just no longer in original condition.
Signs of wear. Do the signs of wear make sense? An antique chair will show increased signs of wear at the end of the arms where the hands would naturally rest more so than underneath the arm. If the wear is consistent through the piece, it's likely a reproduction that has been distressed to appear old.
Signs of age. Look for signs of cracks caused by shrinkage. They indicate that the wood has expanded and contracted over time. This is normal for an antique.
Antique marble. To find out if the marble is original to an antique, check the back of the piece. If the cut line at the back is jagged, the marble is likely original to the piece. In the 18th century, the tools to cut marble straight were not yet available. If the marble is smoothly cut, it's likely post 18th century.
Hand carving. Run your finger along the carving. Is it bumpy or smooth? Hand carving is uneven and asymmetrical. Machine carving is smooth and symmetrical.
Dovetailing. Handmade 18th century dovetails are large and uneven. Machine-made dovetails are thin and even.
Construction. Phillips screws, staples and fiberboard are all tip-offs to reproductions. On antiques with large surfaces (tables, trunks, armoires), furniture makers used wide boards with an uneven width. Reproductions use narrow boards with an even width.
Gluing. On older pieces, cabinetmakers would reinforce glued joints with dowels, mortise and tenon etc. to ensure that they were good and sturdy. Poor quality reproductions will often only be glued which down the road will lead to them falling apart. Slip a piece of paper between the joints to see if it is reinforced.
Hardware. Vintage hardware has patina. It doesn't have a lacquer finish to protect it from tarnishing and it isn't shiny and new looking.
Rebuilt/refurbished/reproductions. Rebuilt furniture has some new elements added to it such as new shelves, backs on an armoire. It's common in a lot of French country furniture around today. Refurbished furniture has been restored. Either the wood has been refinished or the upholstery, caning, rushing replaced. Reproductions have no old aspects. They are completely new. Whether something is rebuilt, refurbished or a reproduction is not necessarily a negative, just as long as you are know that you're not buying an antique in original condition.
Insert caning versus hand caning. Inset caning (post 1900) has a spine bordering the caning. Hand caning (pre-1900) doesn't have a border. Every now and then, hand-caned pieces were converted to inset caning when a hand-caner was not to be found. Check the underside of the piece to see if it's been converted. The underside will reveal a series of holes that were used for the hand caning.
Buying reproductions. Buying good quality reproductions eliminates the frustration of hunting for the right piece. Having something custom made ensures you get exactly what you want. For example, the narrow dimensions of antique armoires 15 to 17 inches don't suit today's electronic equipment. Some dealers, including myself, do offer custom reproductions to overcome this predicament.
Buying antiques. The good news about antiques is they can be less expensive than reproductions because you're not paying for materials and labor costs at today's prices. Plus, each antique has a history. The patina, nicks and bangs on antiques reveal a full life of use just as the wrinkles on the face of an elderly person reveal a life that has been fully lived.

Martin Swinton does antique appraisals and estate sales in Toronto, Canada. He has worked at an auction house, furniture restoration company and for ten years owned an antique shop. He does caning, cording and rushing repairs, teaches courses on antiques and appears at community events. He can be reached by visiting http://www.takeaboo.wordpress.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Swinton


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/620