Buying Antique Tables: What To Look For

Antique tables are always in great demand, and like any other form of antique furniture, there are fakes and reproductions, which often require the eyes of an expert to tell the difference. If you are looking to add an antique table or desk to your collection, here are a few things to look for.

• Search For Signs - Antique and some vintage furniture were crafted before the stamp was invented, so if you see a stamp, it might be newer than it is said to be. Careful examination of timber joints is always a good way to ascertain an item’s age, particularly dovetail joints, which should be handcrafted in an antique item.
• Buy From A Respected Antique Dealer - A quick Google search will help you source a vintage writing desk for sale online by an established antique dealer, and by forging an alliance with a UK-based online dealer, you can be sure that you are buying genuine items. That way, you can reap the rewards of their wealth of information regarding antique and vintage pieces, and can be certain that anything they sell, is, in fact, a genuine piece.
• Look For Unusually Large Numbers Of Similar Items - This is a sure sign that the dealer is trying to sell reproductions. If, for example, a dealer had a few dozen antique writing desks, all very similar, this would be unusual and would warrant further investigation. It makes sense to do a little research on any antique dealer you plan to do business with, and if a particular antique dealer seems to have a good name within the industry, you can buy with a fair degree of confidence.
• Do Some Online Research - There are many ways that unscrupulous dealers can make a new object look very old, and by learning about these techniques, you can go a long way towards protecting yourself. For more information on how to tell the difference between genuine items and fakes, there are articles you can find online which every novice collector should read. Buy yourself a magnifying glass, which will help you take a close-up view of any section of an item.
• Be Patient - There are many tables and writing desks for sale, so you should resist the temptation to buy something that almost fits the bill, as there will be something that is perfect that will eventually surface. Patience is indeed a virtue, and with an established antique dealer on the lookout for what you want, it won’t take long for him to source the right item at the right price.

It is imperative that you have at least a basic understanding of antique furniture, and with so many websites that offer free resources, you can quickly establish whether or not the item in question is what it is said to be. Using an established dealer will minimise the risk of buying a fake item. You may want to approach an online dealer, as they would have an extensive connection with other UK dealers, making an acquisition much easier.

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