To avoid being scammed, it is critical to understand whether you buy or sell antique furniture. Genuine antique furniture is more valuable than reproduction furniture. If you are an antique collector or simply want to know how to tell antique furniture from replicas, read on.

Here are a few signs to help you determine whether an antique is genuine or a reproduction.

Antiques Aren’t Always Precisely Symmetrical

Furniture with flawless symmetry, such as symmetrical dovetail joints, is a dead giveaway that a machine made it. On the other hand, handmade furniture is not built uniformly; even tiny differences in size and shape reveal this. Machine-cut pieces were not introduced until the mid-nineteenth century. Work done by hand can easily be noticed by carving furniture details. Irregularity is the best sign for genuine antiques.

Antiques Frequently Use Multiple Wood Types

Another factor to consider is the sort of wood that was used. Frequently, antiques are crafted from a variety of timbers. Carpenters historically preferred wood and mahogany.

Vintage furniture makers used a variety of woods since many building materials were expensive and scarce. Examine the furniture’s hidden components, such as:

The bottoms of rear drawers on furniture
The interior of the drawer
Joints

The less expensive and more prevalent wood species present in these areas, such as maple and pine, are less costly and more prevalent. Due to the variety of materials used, the product may degrade and degrade in different regions.

Fine reproductions now have access to high-quality timbers continuingly. These reproductions with a more excellent resolution should be more durable.

Antiques Have Raw Wood and without Stains

Patina is a thin coating that develops on the surface of furniture due to exposure to the elements.

While patina is difficult to produce and even more difficult to mimic, furniture makers may create a convincing imitation. They employ dark stains to give the furniture an aged appearance. This imparts a distinctive vintage look to reproductions while also keeping them clean!

Antiques Will Show Signs of Wear from Years of Use

It’s understandable to expect signs of wear and tear while looking at antiques. The finishes on recent pieces will be smoother and shinier. If an object shows constant signs of wear, it is almost probably fake; authentic antiques, on the other hand, will show varying degrees of wear over time. Over time, cabinets and shelves, for example, should show marks of frequent opening.

Black markings also indicate age from water exposure, nicks on edges, and even a few wormholes. Examine the items extensively to ensure that age signs are genuine and not fake, like drill holes.

Final Thoughts: Be an Expert Antique Collector Now!

Both antique and reproduction furniture can be used in any room of the house. While antique furniture is ageless and traditional, reproduction furniture is far less expensive but looks just as beautiful, if not better. However, differentiating antiques from reproductions can sometimes be difficult, and collectors are regularly tricked into acquiring one when they intend to get the other.

Learning to recognise the difference between a reproduction and an authentic antique, as the experts do, is not a simple feat, but it is not impossible. By educating yourself, using what you’ve learned from the recommendations above, and putting your newly acquired knowledge into practice, you’ll be able to discern the difference between real antiques and collectibles as quickly as the alphabet.

Cavalier Antiques and Restorations is one of the best antique furniture shops in Adelaide. They have a wide variety of antique clocks, vintage furniture, and other collectibles. Check out our collection right now!