January 21st, 2012 — 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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January 19th, 2012 — Antique, Louis C. Tiffany, Tiffany Lamp
Tiffany lamps offer collectors a chance not only to find something valuable but also a collector’s piece that is functional and beautiful. If you are looking for a piece that will enhance your home as well as your bottom line, then this is definitely a collectible to consider. However, there are a few things that you need to know before you purchase a Tiffany lamp.
1. Don’t be Fooled by Fakes
Reproductions are incredibly common. The term Tiffany lamp refers to two very different things. The first means that it was a design made by the actual Louis C. Tiffany. The second refers to the general style of these lamps, in that they have stained glass shades and sturdy bases. The first is incredibly valuable, the second may be expensive, but is not an actual collector’s item.
2. Look for the Mark
A genuine Tiffany lamp that was designed by Louis C. Tiffany will contain his mark, which was LCT. Look for this on the lamp’s base, or possibly on the shade, depending on which year it was made. Some authentic Tiffany lamps will actually have a small paper label, while others will contain his full name and a reference number. These are the most desirable. However, this is usually not enough to tell if a Tiffany lamp is genuine.
3. Solder Matters
Pay attention to the solder on the shade of a Tiffany lamp. A brand new reproduction will often have solder that is either incredibly perfect, or poorly done, depending on the origin of the piece. A real Tiffany lamp will usually have solder that has a few mistakes, making it a bit imperfect. That is actually part of its charm, and part of Louis C. Tiffany’s philosophy, where the look of the glass mattered more to him than the technical part of putting it together.
4. Look for surface decorations
Many of Louis C. Tiffany’s lamps were devoid of surface decorations, again because he preferred to let the beauty of the glass speak for the lamp. The bases for these Tiffany lamps may not be as intricate as today’s models, and were generally more functional.
5. Buyer Beware
Thanks to today’s technology it is very easy to produce a fake Tiffany lamp. Above all, collectors should remember that if a price appears to be too good to be true, it usually is. In fact, some of the best designs that were made by Tiffany were never actually marked and were intended to be gifts for his friends and employees. While you can use the above criteria to assist you, it should not be the final word on whether or not a lamp is authentic.
The best solution is to shop for a Tiffany lamp from a reputable dealer that has built up a solid reputation of providing original Tiffany lamps. Avoid overly low prices and remember, that sometimes, it’s all about the beauty of the glass – just like Tiffany believed. If you like a lamp and find that it is beautiful, not being able to authenticate it shouldn’t keep you from enjoying it, just as long as you understand that it may not have value beyond it’s actual beauty.
Photo Credits: Beesnest McClain
Originally posted 2008-08-15 05:00:31. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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October 20th, 2011 — Antique, Collectible
If you’re looking for something unique to adorn the rooms of your home, then a hobby that you may want to delve into is buying and selling antiques. There are a couple of different things that you are going to need to consider when it comes to buying and selling antiques in order to get the most out of the experience. Before you go out and buy those rare items that you have been hunting down, consider the following guide.
Antiques can be described as absolutely collectible item that has 100 years under its belt and some level of aesthetic value to the beholder. Examples of antiques that you can buy and sell include grandfather clocks, jewelry items, pianos, vintage fashion items, silverware, Ivory items, Faberge eggs and the list goes on. When it comes to buying and selling antiques, people tend to have their own unique preferences for different items, and it is up to you to decide what types of items you are personally interested in.
The first thing that you are going to want to consider with buying and selling antiques is the history and the originality of whatever antique you are set on buying. Rare antiques tend to come at higher prices than those that are not as original, and you want to make sure that you are buying the real deal rather than a fake or a replica. Many people that are buying and selling antiques out there are putting retouched items up on the auction block, but you are actually going to want an antique that has not been refurbished or repaired in order to get the best possible experience.
Before you go about buying and selling antiques of any kind, you are going to want to do a proper level of research on the item in question. A great place for you to conduct this research is online, which is where you can find some truly valuable information about any antiques that you are planning in dealing in. Learn how to spot reproductions and refurbished items. Learn how to tell whether or not the antique in question is actually authentic. The more that you prepare for buying and selling antiques, the more successful you will end up being in the grand scheme of things. Once you have done a proper amount of research, you will have the necessary confidence to go out there and buy and sell with the best of them.
You can get into buying and selling antiques in your local area or online, depending on your comfort zone. You can buy from reputable auction houses in your local vicinity and this will help you guarantee the authenticity of anything that you buy. You can also buy online from many sources, but buying and selling antiques online is a little trickier because proving authenticity takes more work and more trust.
Photo Credits: StephenMitchell
Originally posted 2009-10-24 03:42:50. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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