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Recognizing Age and Construction in Antique Furniture

by Wayne Mattox


Ever play guitar with a broom? Or aim a flashlight as if it was a Star Wars blaster? It can be fun, even productive, to break out of our everyday routine and assume other roles. Golfing we become Tiger Woods. Driving 84, some people play the part of Rusty Wallace. Faced with a situation that calls for a cool head we can turn ourselves into James Bond or Grace Kelly. On your next antique expedition, you might try assuming the role of Sherlock Holmes.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created a sleuth who succeeded where others failed by employing systematic powers of observation and inference. Additionally, Holmes was a student of trivial facts pertinent to his work. Here's a few furniture tips that may prove useful to you.

You can often date a piece by studying nails and screws. Furniture predating 1790 will include "rose-head nails," that were hand-forged by blacksmiths. These nails can be identified by their irregular, rose-shaped heads. "Square-head nails," employed from 1790 to 1830, were machine cut and finished off by a blacksmith who squared the heads. From 1830 to 1890 cabinetmakers used headless "machine-cut nails, that are tapered and rectilinear in shape. Modern "brad" and "penny" nails were introduced around 1890. Screws were occasionally used in furniture pre-dating the beginning of the machine era (Circa 1830). Blacksmith forged examples can be identified by inspecting for thin and slightly off-centered slots and off-round heads.

The "circular saw" invented in the 18th century, did not come into wide usage until after 1830. Thus, boards displaying "circular saw marks" will not be found on furniture pre-dating the "Empire Period" (1830-1850). Unfinished pre-1830 boards cut from vertical motion "ripsaws" will often display small, somewhat parallel, saw lines.

Before the introduction of power driven woodworking machinery in the mid 19th century, lumber was worked by hand. After hand-sawing, cabinet makers dressed their boards with a jack plane and draw knives. On authentic furnishings pre-dating the "Victorian Period," (1850-1910) unfinished non-visible "secondary" surfaces like backboards and drawer bottoms will show evidence of "hand-planing" by feeling for subtle undulating rows in the wood.

Small wooden pins known as dowels can be helpful in authenticating age. Machine era pins will be perfectly circular and flush to the surface. Antique dowels are non-round and will protrude slightly from the surface because of shrinkage in the wood they are securing.

Wood shrinks in a direction opposite the grain. The degree is determined by softness of the lumber, age, and environment. Therefore, authentic antique furniture can be discerned by inspecting for evidence of: gapping between boards, shrinkage cracking, buckling veneer, protruding pegs and breadboard ends, and legs extending slightly beyond the frame or "skirt." Early circular tabletops will measure somewhat oval, 1/8" to 1/2" longer in the direction of the grain.

Outline and thickness on early hand-wrought iron and brass hinges will be non-uniform.

The top rail on early 19th century chairs will be joined with non-round tenons that can be viewed by slightly pulling the yoke from the stile. Circular dowels are evidence of "non-period" chairs.

Visible surface planks (primary wood) on genuine antique furniture will be wide, varying in thickness, and relatively free of blemishes. Knotty pine was not employed by olden day cabinetmakers.

Although it has been stripped and refinished back to the original wood, much old-time non-mahogany furniture was originally painted. Analysis of wood pores and fissures with a jeweler's loop will often show several layers of paint residue. This "paint history" can help authentic a piece and determine whether individual components-the feet, the top, etc.-are original or undesirable replacements.
Role-playing, especially with a creative friend, can be fun and profitable. I look forward to exchanging greetings you into you and your "Dr. Watson" at some future antique affair.

antiques chairs

Mirrors Antiques

Description
Mirror in Kilim frame hand-decorated by an old hippie with bone, teeth, heishi beads and tassels. The kilim was originally a rug in poor condition so the best pieces were used for mirrors, seat coverings and other miscellaneous furniture. This mirror is about 25 years old.

Description
Mirror with frame made from an antique Kilim rug. This mirror is extremely heavy and has a hidden light (see image below).

Description
Mirror with frame made from an antique Kilim rug. This mirror is extremely heavy and has a hidden light (see image below).

Description
Antique French ornate gilt mirror in fantastic original condition. France circa 1890

Description
Breathtaking antique French faux-bois mirror with all the original glass and decorated with bird, leaves, and grapes, all in untouched original condition. The hand-carved details are extremely realistic, you have to touch it to beieve it. Mirrors such as this are few and far between. France circa 1850

Description
Hand-carved antique French mirror in gilded gesso over wood frame with wonderful patina throughout. The soot marks still remain from the many years it most certainly stood over a coal burning fireplace and we chose to leave it this way. The condition is excellent; there has been some minor restoration and there is a leaf missing from the pediment. France circa 1920

Decorative Arts Antiques , Confit Pots , Glass

Description
Antique French confit pots with vibrant honey, green and rich brown colors, the patina of which can only evolve from the passage of time, the hot provencial sun and Mother Nature; this look cannot be duplicated by man. These Confit Pots were originally used as utilitarian pieces in country homes and on farms, burying them in the ground for the storage of duck confit and other foods, keeping them cool and fresh throughout the summer. Today, they are treasured accent pieces, displayed to add the charm and character of times gone by. These pots can instantly transform any space creating the ambiance of sun drenched Provence. All these pots are in original condition and vary in price from $350.00 to $850.00. We will be happy to send photos of the pots that meet your size and budget requirements. France circa 1870-1900

Description
Antique French Baccarat lady's perfume set, in fantastic original condition. These bottles are absolutely stunning in person, its a shame they aren't more photogenic.

Description
Fabulous collection of vintage green glazed pottery from France (mostly Biot) and the USA. Comprising mainly signed pieces in all sorts of shapes and sizes, this collection definitely makes a statement. Bold green colored pottery has a charm all its own, whether you are decorating a home kitchen, or even a restaurant, this collection is spectacular.

Description
Antique Parian ware "Portland" jug attributed to the S. Alcock Company. The design is based on the Portland vase in the British Museum

Tapestries antiques

Description
This wool and silk tapestry was woven in France in the 1600s and is documented. It has its original floral border and beautiful verdure and classical motifs. Completely handmade and all authentic. Needs minor restoration.

Description
Beautiful antique French hand-made needlepoint tapestry that has been cleaned, blocked and restored where necessary. The colors are still vibrant with very little fading. France circa 1850

Description
Beautiful vintage Belgian tapestry depicting life in a much earlier time. This tapestry is thickly woven and is backed with a wonderful fabric that self-frames the piece. Belgium circa 1920

Description
Beautiful antique hand made tapestry with wonderful colors depicting forestry scene. France, circa 1850

Description
Exquisite set of two hand made Aubusson tapestry panels in near mint condition. Dimensions above are for one panel, two pairs available. Price shown is for ONE pair. They have been professionally cleaned. France circa 1820

Description
Authentic handmade French Aubusson tapestry in unbelievable original condition, and judging by the brightness of the colors, it must never have seen the light of day. There are no moth holes or repairs. France circa 1840

Rugs Antiques

Description
Vintage koton rug from Samarkand, Uzbekistan in original condition with no repairs, circa 1915

Description
Malayer is located in the northwestern Iranian province of Hamadan. Malayer rugs tend to be mainly geometric in design, making a wonderful addition to any decorating style. This beautiful rug, which dates back to the early 19th century, has a cotton foundation and wool pile and is in excellent condition.

Description
Art Deco rug in excellent condition with a stunning plain navy blue background. This rug is hand-knotted wool on cotton backing, China, circa 1920.

Description
Vintage American horsehair blanket in mint condtion. American circa 1910

Description
Car blanket depicting dogs with glass eyes, fair condition. American circa 1900

Chinese Antique Living Room

Decorating With Chinese Antique Living Room Furniture

A pair of red and green Chinese wedding cabinets found in Belgium fit perfectly into Lina Kanafani's living room alcoves. ¡°Their colours are a source of warmth and add playfulness to the general ambience of the room,¡± she explains. In practical terms, they are used to store the music system, speakers, CDs, books and magazines. For Kanafani, aesthetics is more important than value: ¡°They may not be ¡®important' pieces as far as Chinese furniture is concerned, but they have perfectly achieved the effect I was after

In a corner of the living room is a Japanese screen which dates from the late 16 th century and depicts the Imperial horse stables. The carpet is late 17 th century Chinese and the pair of Huanghuali horseshoe back chairs are part of a set of four 17 th century pieces.

Clean lines, lack of ornamentation and a subtle colour scheme characterize Kai-Yin Lo's living room, where Chinese art is hung on the walls with architectural precsion. A pair of window panels features the persimmon in a four-petal design. ¡°One of the earliest plant motifs used in China, the persimmon dates more than 1,800 years to the Han dynasty,¡± she says. On a Ming side table at the back of the room is a pot filled with 200-year-old fungus called Lingzhi found in Anhui province.

Looking through the living room into the Dining room , flanking the door is a pair of mountain landscapes by Fu Bao Shih, 1940. The large figure on the left is 12 th century Japanese, the Chinese carpet is late 17 th century / early 18 th century. The barrel stool in the foreground is made of Laohuali, a style of rosewood. Such stools were originally made of bamboo, hence their shape. The top is marble ¨C ¡°Very good as it doesn't leave stains when people pry their drinks down on them¡±, notes the owner.

A pair of sofas dressed in pale textured fabrics stand in the center of Kai-Yin Lo's living room, defining the seating area in the flowing, open plan space. Recessed and spot lighting illuminate her extensive collection of Chinese art and furniture. A low platform functions as a coffee table; it was originally one of the earliest types of raised seating in China. This rare piece dates from the 18 th century and is made of nan mu (a variety of cedarwood). It is constructed of three modular sections which can function as a single platform (pictured here), or used separately as smaller seats, stands or low tables. On top is a miniature Ming display table featuring a collection of Buddhist knots of destiny. A silk padded screen, featuring artworks in ink and colour, shields the dining room from the living area. A 3 rd -century Gandhara Buddha from the Indus Valley stands serenely in the entrance hall.

Rocks are treasured by Chinese collectors as objects of art,¡± explains Wu. ¡°They symbolize nature and can be brought inside so one can contemplate nature indoors.¡± This malachite stone from Shilu Mountain is an impressive example.

A classic 16th-century Ming lute table stands against the far wall; it would have been an important part of the scholar's accoutrements of the time. Calligraphy is regarded as the highest form of art in China and Wu Bruce has a spectacular collection. Hanging behind the lute table is a 16 th -17 th -century scroll by Zheng Da Qian which depicts the lone scholar in the mountains. The pair of calligraphy couplets are by early 20 th -century calligrapher Lin San Zhi; they refer to furniture. In the foreground, a dash of contemporary style is added with colourful Iranian rugs. The extremely heavy yellow wax ¡®Lashi' stone symbolizes nature being brought inside.

Floor-to-ceiling glass panels overlooking a central stairway help open up the interior of this four-storey London house. In the living room, things are kept architecturally minimal with white walls, a pale wood floor and spot lighting. The clean-lined approach is maintained with select pieces of pared-down antique furniture. A Ming luohan chuang (couch bed)-which would have originally been used for relaxation, meditation or conversation, often moved onto a terrace or into a garden to enjoy nature from-stands against the rear wall; to the left is a carved candlestand.

In the library, a 19th-century Anatolian kilim hangs on the wall; to the rear is a 17th-century Huanghuali painting table and a 16th-17th-century southern official's armchair. In the foreground, and Elmwood and red lacquer 19th-century ladder rests against the bookcases. The occupants prize the form of the furniture over the media used to create it as the most important feature in their collection.

Living with Ming: in a corner of the master bedroom, a Huanghuali Ming table and a southern official's armchair function as a desk area; above the desk hangs a textile from the Kaitag region of Daghestan, dated to the 18th-century or earlier. Neolithic pots, Japanese 19th-century baskets and a modern pot by Jeff Shapiro fill shelving units on either side. The landscape painting on silk is by Fu Shan (1607-1684 )

Carol Lu elegantly installed classic, clean-lined Ming furniture within a quasi-industrial palette in her light and airy Hong Kong apartment. In the entranceway, the concrete floor is tactile, durable and childproof. A sliding oak door seals off the space that features a burgundy back wall, a spindleback chair and a huge atmospheric canvas by Paris-based artist Zao Wuki.

White walls, a striped cream sofa and beige carpeting form the backdrop to a collection of Chinese antiques in the living room. With a nod to practicality, Chang added a glass top to an old wooden trunk engraved with country scenes. Against the wall stands a pair of Qing dynasty wod and brass doors from Shanxi province; near the sliding doors to the dining room is a 1930s cabinet which demonstrates the mix of Western and Chinese elements characteristic of the time. The glass in the bottom section is original.

A mix of custom-made Western-furniture, Chinese antiques and vibrant contemporary Chinese artworks produce Shanghai chic with an international edge. Shanghai's art scene is still in its infancy and Chua has selected work by prominent Chinese artists that, at present, are making more of an impact on the global scene than at home in China. In the entrance hall hangs a dramatic work by Shen Fan, untitled, 1995.

In the living room of Brad Davis and Janis Provisor's apartment, a seepskin throw is draped over a pistachio green sofa; a 1940s chair is covered with leopard-skin print fabric and an Isamu Noguchi lamp stands in the corner. Hanging above the brick fireplaceis a watercolour by Janis Provisor; on the mantelpiece is a collection of Italian glassware from the 1950s alongside antique Chinese jars and vases. On the wall hangs a pair of calligraphy scrolls.

Against the dining room walls stands a pair of mahogany Chippendale chairs. Between them is a slim 18th-century Elmwood sidetable from Shanxi province; on top is a pair of baluster vases, decorated in underglaze blue with polychrome enamels in the Chinese Imari style of the 17th century. The portait is of Viscount Wenman, painted in 1680 by Mary Beale, one of the few female artists of the period.

In the living room, a rare 18th-century child's horseshoe backed armchair made entirely of bamboo stands next to a 16 th -centruy Ming Kang table covered in woven bamboo and lacquered in red over black. In the foreground is a low table displaying 18th - and 19th-century Tibetan silver bowls. The Tang horse is a fine example in apple green glaze, with its original unglazed saddle.