September 24th, 2009 — Antiquities, French Antiques
Although the first thing that springs to mind in many people when the term French antiques is mentioned is Louis XVI furniture, there are numerous antiquities from this region that are incredibly valuable. France was the site of some of the first Paleolithic peoples and they left behind many different antiquities and interesting artifacts that are highly collectible.
The location of France made it the prime place for these early peoples to live. It was close to water, the terrain was not terribly difficult to cross and the area was quite lush. During this time period many monoliths were constructed, but few know their exact origins. This is a time of mystery for many people, but scientists can use French antiques from this time period to learn more about these people.
Whether it’s a piece of pottery, a drawing on a cliff side or the leavings of an entire village, French antiques from this time period open up the doors and let in light on this unique time in history. Without these antiquities, much of what we now know about the ancient world would have never been discovered. Although other French antiques are certainly valuable, beautiful and interesting, for many it is the antiquities that tell the whole story.
Many of these priceless French antiques are stored at the Louvre, or in other museums across the world. However, there are many private collectors that are quietly building up massive collections of these priceless items. If you are interested in history, or you are just looking for a unique collectible that is unlike any other, you may want to think about investing in one of these antiquities.
French antiques from this time period are not easy to find however, and it may take some time to build up your collection. The best place to start is by looking at high end auction houses to see if they are going to include any of these items in an upcoming auction. These are the places that the high end collectors will go when they need to sell off an item, or reduce the size of their collection.
In many cases, shopping at one of these auctions will give you access to world class French antiques that cannot be purchased anywhere else. The next time you see one of these auctions advertised, take the time to look through the catalog. You never know what incredible finds you may come across.
There is always controversy over private collectors having access to French antiques from this time period, but without their efforts, many of these items would have been lost to natural disasters or wars. No matter what side of the issue you belong on, everyone can agree that there is a market for antiquities from this time period. You can decide to loan yours out to a museum after finding it, or keep it for yourself, but you will get the rare change to own a real piece of ancient history and hold it right in your hand.
Originally posted 2008-09-22 05:00:53. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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September 22nd, 2009 — Antique, Antiquities, Collectible, Furnishings, Furniture, Secretary Desk
When you’re shopping for antique desks, a secretary desk is just one of the many different styles of furniture you’ll find. There are standard desks, of course, elaborate (and now amazingly expensive) Wooten desks, old rolltop desks and variations on all of those. How do you tell the difference between these types of desks and secretary desks?
A secretary desk is distinctive from all these, even though it does have similarities to them all, because of the way the writing area is disguised when the desk is not in use. When the area is covered and the desk is closed, it’s closed off by a piece of flat wood that usually sit an angle when it’s closed. Sometimes this angle is as much as 45 degrees. The rolltop desk has the cover that actually rolls up into the desk, and the Wooten desk very rarely has a flat front, the front is usually curved, carved and very elaborate.
The size of a secretary desk can vary a great deal. The more modern reproductions or even less antique secretary desks tend to be smaller than the ones a hundred years old or more. Many of these desk are quite tall and very heavy. Newer ones might even be built in such a way that they can easily be taken apart, but antique desks were built solidly as a single piece of furniture meant to stay together for hundreds of years.
The hinged panel that hides the open area within the desk actually creates the actual writing surface. There are typically wide drawers on a secretary desk, and sometimes small drawers and small cubbies on the piece of furniture as well, to allow storage for a variety of different items. Older secretary desks might have a tall bookcase above the writing area or even a glassed-in bookcase or set of shelves. The top of these desks often look more like a china cabinet or a curio cabinet than anything belonging on a desk, and when the desk area is closed, it does often look like nothing more than a piece of display furniture.
Unlike a rolltop desk or other type of desk where the panel slides into the desk, everything must be removed from the writing area in order to close the desk, which makes the needs for the drawers and cubbies apparent. While a Wooten desk is similar to a secretary desk, a secretary desk has a more plain appearance. It will look more like a nice curio cabinet, china cabinet or even armoire or dresser on top, with drawers and the hidden work surface below.
Wooten desks are similar to these desks but they simply have a more fancy appearance—and typically sell for thousands of dollars. Secretary desks are the most prevalent type of antique desk available today, a type of desk once so popular it was commonly referred to as simply “a secretary.” You can find an antique secretary desk in antique shops, at flea markets and in online auctions like eBay.
Originally posted 2008-11-15 05:00:05. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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