Antique furniture is a big investment and, well, a big thing to cart home. Before you put time and money into one of these purchases, check out our tips for buying antique furniture – then enjoy the hunt for something unique!
1). Research, research, research
There’s so much to learn about antique furniture! Before you start browsing and seriously making purchases, read as much as you can about antique furniture – especially if there is a certain time period or style that you really like. The more educated you are about the furniture, the easier it will be to spot reproductions and overpriced items.
2). Look for the mark from the manufacturer or maker
Most antique furniture has some kind of mark from the person or place that was responsible for building it – often in places that people wouldn’t see, like the inside of a dresser drawer or the backside of a piece.
3). Look for signs of age
Since the trend now is to make furniture look antique, you might come across a piece that someone has modified to look older than it is. But, there are some telltale signs – first, look for imperfections. If something was handmade, then there will be variations in the woodwork – if everything looks exactly uniform, then there’s reason to be suspicious.