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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September 18th, 2009 — Antique, Antique Chairs, Antiquities, Collectible, Furnishings, Furniture, Victorian Furniture
Though its peak popularity was during the late 19th century in America, Victorian furniture still holds quite an appeal for many people today. This style of furniture is distinguishable by the time period in which it was created and the methods that were used. The name is given to furniture made during Queen Victoria’s reign from 1836 to 1901, though that time period actually gave way to different styles of furniture that all fell under the umbrella of “Victorian.”
Early Victorian furniture pieces were done in the Rococo style, which copied this period in France. This style is recognizable by the many intricate carvings in the wood. Extensive scrollwork, flowers and animals decorated the furniture—sometimes every inch of it. Scroll feet were very popular in these Rococo revival pieces, as were cabriole legs, which were legs shaped almost like an ‘S.’ Rococo pieces were ornate in a way not commonly seen in American furniture, but these pieces became very popular in American homes.
The newly created mechanical tools that allowed these ornate scrolls and carvings were responsible for much of the intricacy of early Victorian furniture, as was craftsmen’s new ability to used laminated wood. During lamination, one-inch thick stripes of rosewood were glued together to make wood that was 6 to 18 layers thick. Solid wood wasn’t the best medium for detailed engravings and carvings, but the lamination procedure lent itself well to the rococo style.
This Victorian furniture also marked the first time furniture was sold in America in sets, with matching pieces, and the first time furniture was mass produced. Though rococo style is probably the most recognizable style of furniture from this era, gothic style was popular too, with its more medieval look. Most gothic revival Victorian pieces were produced from about 1840 to 1865. Renaissance revival style reigned from about 1860 to 1875, with highly polished and parquet patterned furniture, often featuring brass findings and ornaments to give it a distinctive style.
Victorian furniture was popular in every room of the home, from the bedroom to the dining room, and still enjoys popularity today with antique lovers and interior decorators. Antique pieces can range in price from the reasonable to the expensive, depending on the rarity of the style and the condition of the furniture. If you find an antique piece for sale, be sure to ask whether or not is has been refinished or reupholstered as you’ll want to purchase furniture as close to its original condition as possible to make a good investment.
If it’s the beauty of Victorian furniture you’re after more than the value, then these things matter less. You might even want to look into reproductions. Either way, be sure that the joints are sturdy and the item is in overall decent condition. A refinished and reupholstered piece of this furniture can look gorgeous in your home, so if you don’t mind doing that yourself or having it done, a piece in less than perfect condition might be a great purchase for you.
Originally posted 2008-12-06 14:00:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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September 10th, 2009 — Antique, Antiquities, Collectible, Furnishings, Furniture, Sideboard
A sideboard is a piece of furniture used to display China or to set food out while dining. The sideboards we’re familiar with first appeared in the 1700s, but became more popular in the 1800s when more people had dining rooms to eat in, and fewer people ate in their kitchens. Today, sideboards are often referred to as servers, buffets and credenzas.
Commonly made of oak or pine, a sideboard can be just a column for food to be placed on top of with some drawers for things like silverware, or it can be taller with shelves, sometimes glassed-in rather like a hutch. Home’s today will usually have a China cabinet or a hutch, but sideboards seem to have gone out of vogue in modern dining rooms. Some people still have vintage furniture that was used as sideboards back when more people ate from good dishes or China in a dining room, rather than using everyday dishes for most meals like is common today.
A sideboard can vary in price and value depending on the type of wood used, the style, the time period and the condition. Some Arts & Crafts period sideboards can cost well over $1000, and some Victorian period pieces can go well above that price, while some smaller and more modern sideboards can be had for only a few hundred dollars. Estate auctions are great places to find a sideboard. You can probably find one cheaper at an estate auction than you’ll ever find in an antique store.
Online auctions offer a huge variety of furniture, more than you will probably ever find in one estate auction or antique shop, but the size of the items can make shipping costs prohibitive. Still, if it’s worth it to you to pay fairly exorbitant shipping costs for such a large and usually heavy item, then you might enjoy browsing the dozens and sometimes hundreds of different sideboards available at places like eBay.
An oak sideboard from the early 19th century will most like be more valuable than anything produced in the 20th century, but it’s possible to find a situation where that isn’t true. Spending some time learning about the different furniture styles and manufacturers can only help you in your search for a valuable vintage sideboard.
If you can talk to an antique dealer or a seller and sound knowledgeable about revival styles like Arts & Crafts, Mission, Victorian, Gothic, Spanish and Renaissance style, you’ll be much less likely to end up paying far too much for a piece because the seller will guess that you know about what a piece might be worth. And knowing these furniture periods will help you estimate the value of a piece. Not only will you know if a seller is charging far too much for a sideboard, but you’ll also know when they’re charging far too less. Always ask about damage, whether it has replacement hardware, and whether the piece has been refinished, all things that can drop the value drastically
Originally posted 2008-12-08 05:00:57. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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September 8th, 2009 — Antique, Antiquities, Barrister Bookcase, Furniture
Patented in 1892, a barrister bookcase is a special type of bookcase that’s enclosed with clear glass covering the front, differentiating it from a typical open-shelf bookcase. These bookcases got their start in the UK, but became popular worldwide because of their unique stackable design. Dust within is minimized by the glass front, protecting the books and items inside. Special tempered glass can even be used to block most light, making these bookcases ideal for antique books as they can minimize the slow damage that comes with age like fading and cracking.
Antique barrister bookcases range in price a great deal, depending on the manufacturer, the age of the case itself, the glass and hardware used, and the wood. The first bookcases of this type were created by the Globe Wernicke Co. so these are some of the most valuable pieces, and if they were cared for properly, they can still be displayed and used today.
Barrister bookcases were made in a wide variety of styles, so it shouldn’t be difficult to find one or several that suit your tastes. You can find antique barrister bookcases in antique shops, maybe even flea markets and variety shops, or you can search online for dealers and for sales on auction sites like eBay. You’ll want to ask whether or not the piece has been refinished, and where the piece came from. Unlike with most antiques, a refinished barrister bookcase doesn’t necessarily drop in value. It’s always best to find one that’s been refinished and is in good condition, than one that’s in bad shape.
To make sure the barrister bookcase you’re looking at is an authentic original case, check for the manufacturer’s label on the back of each section. Each section will have metal side bands—they should be there, and you should ask if they’re the original metal pieces or whether they’ve been replaced. Again, replacement is not bad necessarily, as long as the piece is in good shape.
Also, ask about glass replacement. Antique barrister bookcases used a glass with a distinctive look. Stand next to the piece and look at the glass. If it doesn’t have a slightly wavy or rippled appearance, it’s either not the original glass, or the case itself isn’t really an antique. If you can’t see the piece, such as with an online purchase, ask the seller these questions so that if you get the piece and its not what you’re looking for you have to reasons to cite for the return.
While antique barrister bookcases can be pricey, you can get the same look with modern reproductions, if the history of the piece itself isn’t important to you. Many companies manufacturer barrister bookcases today, in styles that look antique, and those that look pulled right out of a modern home. Choosing new or antique is up to your preferences, but keep in mind that the antique barrister bookcases benefit from quality construction and craftsmanship that’s already allowed them to last up to 100 years.
Originally posted 2008-11-12 14:00:44. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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