Robbie Boggess was just a little girl when her parents bought their first antiques. At the time, the two platform rocking chairs with wooden spool arms were simply attractive pieces of furniture.
“They bought them for $3 apiece,” Boggess said. “Now, they’re considered collector’s items.”
In the same way a fine wine tastes better with age, antiques become more valuable over time. But when you’re browsing through all those armoires, benches and desks at an antiques store, how can you tell if you’re buying a quality piece?
From finding the best deals to examining a piece’s authenticity, antiques experts like Boggess offer the best advice for collecting antiques.
“I think the most important thing is finding something you like,” Boggess said. “That automatically makes it special.”
Everyone has a definition of an antique.
Purists say it’s anything built before 1830, while others say it’s any piece more than 50 years old. But the majority of antiques dealers seem to agree that a true antique falls somewhere in the middle.
“Officially, it’s anything more than 100 years old,” said Allen Woodall, owner of River Market Antique Mall.
Woodall, who’s been in the antiques business for more than 15 years, said it’s sometimes difficult to identify a piece’s age unless you’re familiar with the different antiques categories.
To better familiarize yourself with what kinds of pieces were made during a certain time period, Woodall suggests going to the library and checking out books on antiques.
The Internet also is a good source of information.
“If you know the name and kind of piece you’re interested in, you can find hundreds of Web sites that’ll help you,” said Molly Norris, Woodall’s daughter.
One of the most helpful ways to learn about antiques is by browsing different shops.
“To see antiques in person helps you know your style,” Boggess said.
And the more you shop around, the more you learn about quality. Collector Gary Pound said it’s important to examine pieces closely.
“If it’s furniture, look at the back and see how it was made,” he said. A true antique will have dovetail joints, wooden pegs or straight nails. “You’ll never see a Phillips screw on an antique,” Woodall said.
You’ll also never see an antique made with pressboard or new hinges.
If you’re looking at dishware and pottery, turn the piece over and see if there’s a name or date on it.
But even after researching and inspecting pieces, it’s still hard to tell if something is an antique. When in doubt, ask.
Charles Thomas, owner of Charles & Di Antiques, said a good dealer will know his merchandise.
“Find a dealer you trust,” said Thomas, who’s been in business for 12 years. “Buy something small at first, and once you know a dealer’s personality, you’ll probably keep going back.”
And even if you like a place, continue to shop around. Chances are you’ll be able to price the better deals and even finagle your way into paying less.
Boggess said some of the better prices for antiques are at country stores and estate sales.
On the hunt?
– Shop around at various antique stores for good prices.
– Look at the backs to make sure furniture isn’t made with press board and new hardware.
– Ask dealers questions: “Is this a reproduction?” “What do you know about this piece?”
– Read books on antiques to familiarize yourself with different categories.
– Surf the Internet for good antique Web sites.
– Shop with an expert who can guide you to good deals.–KRT
———-
Edited by Cara DiPasquale (cdipasquale@tribune.com) and Kris Karnopp (kkarnopp@tribune.com)
