How to Identify Antique Tables
Antique tables are very popular among those that enjoy collecting old pieces of furniture. If you do not know what to look for in a table, you may assume that entering an antique store automatically means that every table must be antique, but this is not true. Knowing what to look for will help you find true antique tables.
- Look at the table that you think
is an antique carefully. You should see definite signs of usage
since the table may have been used for many years. Even if the table
was cared for very well though the years, it should never look brand
new, if does, that is your first clue that it is not a real antique.
Scuffs and nicks or cracks in the wood add to the character of the
table. - Check the drawers. If the table
has drawers, remove them and then check the back corners of the
drawers carefully to see if they have the dovetail joints. If they
have nails or screws, it is not an antique. You can see the dovetail
joint easily as the wood on the corners will appear stacked with no
screws or nails. - Take the table to an antique
dealer that will have no interest in the sale of the table and
nothing to profit. This way you have an expert that can tell you
whether you have an antique or not. Get as much information about
the piece as you possibly can from the appraiser if is an antique,
such as when he or she thinks the piece may have been made and what
it is currently worth.