Hobbies And Interests
Instructions
Look for a maker's mark or a back stamp- The mark will sometimes differ depending on the era and can help in establishing the date the item was created. It will also identify the maker, which will be imperative in assessing the object's value and authenticity as art rather than a mass-produced commercial item. The maker's mark is typically either stamped, pressed or painted on the underside of items such as chinaware, silver, sculptures and furniture. Paintings will often have a signature in the far right or left corner and sometimes on the back of the painting. The maker's mark, especially on pottery, will usually come with the manufacturer's name or symbol with the approximate date it was made.
Look for wear and tear by signs of crazing, oxidation, shrinkage or patina. For hand-crafted antiques such as furniture or sculptures, look for tool marks, crystallized glue residue, and the actual tools used to make the antique--such as handmade nails, which will have square heads and disparate appearance rather than the uniform look of mass-produced nails. These signs of deterioration can be an accurate indicator of the age of the art.
Determine the genre of the antique art. This is determined by the materials used to make the art, the style and period it was made in. For furniture and porcelain antique art, the styles would be categorized under Georgian, Victorian, Queen Anne, Federal American, and other hisotric periods, whereas paintings have movements including Art Nouveau, Arts &Crafts, Art Deco and Modernist. The period and style classification will aid in age assessment, which is crucial in categorizing art as antique since it has be at least 100 years old, with the exception of rugs, which must be at least 65 years old. Research the different periods and styles to help you determine age or period the item was created.
Check for any imperfections in the art. These flaws are testament that the art is handmade, which gives it more credibility as a rarity, produced uniquely.