Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Educate Yourself
Know the difference between antique and reproduction furniture. A true antique must be at least 100 years old. A reproduction looks like the original piece but is newer and less expensive.
The key to telling the difference between an authentic antique and a reproduction is the construction. An antique will have been handcrafted and put together with mortises and tenons, dowels and dovetails. Square-headed nails would have been used. A reproduction's construction will show more modern methods like manufactured nails and screws, which are more uniform in appearance. The parts may have been glued together.
Decide what you are looking for and learn everything about it that you can. For example, if you are shopping for antique painted pine furniture, there are some tell-tale signs that will help you determine if it's the real deal or a reproduction. The antique piece would likely have been painted only on the surfaces that showed. If the insides of the drawers are painted, it's probably not an antique. The same goes for a pine cupboard where the undersides of the shelves are painted.
An antique will show signs of age and wear. An antique chair, for example, will be worn on the arms where hands would have rested. The pulls or handles on an antique dresser will not match perfectly and the knob on an antique cupboard will have the paint or stain worn down from use.
A true antique has a patina built up over the years by products like beeswax that were used to polish it. The piece will have a glow that can't be reproduced because it comes only with age.
Consult an expert. Antique furniture appraisers can be found at antique shows and shops as well as online. Other antique buyers can also steer you in the right direction. Be sure to find an expert whose specialty is antique pine furniture.