Identification of art pieces, antique figurines, antique furniture, reproductions, antiques and collectibles

Collectors of fine art prints, antique figurines, antique furniture, rugs, chinaware, and antique furniture reproductions take their collections seriously and enjoy seeking out new additions. There are usually a few hurdles along the way including forgeries, reprints and other scams.

If you are planning on becoming a collector of antiques, it is useful to remember the following points:

• Knowledge is power: the more you read about and research the items you are interested in the better you are equipped to deal with the seller.
• Do not assume that if something is expensive it is genuine.
• Get second opinions and expert advice on fine art prints, antique figurines, antique furniture, rugs, chinaware and antique furniture reproductions.
• Start small by buying inexpensive items, this gives you a feel for copies and reproductions before you start paying more for fine art prints, antique figurines, antique furniture, rugs, chinaware, and antique furniture reproductions.
• Acquaint yourself with a few antique sellers and get to know them. They will be happy to share their knowledge about genuine antiques and their authenticity guarantee and return policy of fine art prints, antique figurines, antique furniture, rugs, chinaware, and antique furniture reproductions.
• Go online for sellers with good reputations and plenty of information on fine art prints, antique figurines, antique furniture, rugs, chinaware, and antique furniture reproductions.
• Pay attention to the color, physical nature, style, visible stamps and provenance of fine art prints, antique figurines, antique furniture, rugs, chinaware, and antique furniture reproductions.

Black light is a useful tool in judging the identity and age of fine art prints, antique figurines, antique furniture, rugs, chinaware, and antique furniture reproductions. Black light is a form of ultraviolet light invisible to human eyes. UV light is useful because

• Glass of different types and ages fluoresces differently in black light
• Black light creates different colors of fluorescence which can be used in identification of the age of fine art prints, antique figurines, antique furniture, rugs, chinaware, and antique furniture reproductions.

Identifying modern reprints and forgeries of antique documents and other paper ephemera with black light

Black light can identify many fine art prints, antique figurines, antique furniture, rugs, chinaware, and antique furniture reproductions and other paper items that contain optical brighteners. In a dark room and under black light, optical brighteners will usually fluoresce a very bright light blue or bright white.

Starting in the late 1940s, manufacturers of many products began adding optical brighteners and other new chemicals to their products. Optical brighteners are invisible dyes that fluoresce brightly under ultraviolet light. They were used to make products appear brighter in normal daylight.

Optical brighteners were added to

• Laundry detergent and clothes to help remove stains and to toys to make them more colorful.
• Almost all white papers stocks.

Historical documents

White paper is treated with fluorescent compounds to help it appear brighter and whiter. Sometimes forgery of historical documents can be detected by placing them under a black light to detect the presence of brighteners which were added to paper after 1950. Older paper does not contain these brighteners.

Black light is helpful in identifying many types of restoration and alterations to fine art prints, antique figurines, antique furniture, rugs, chinaware, and antique furniture reproduction

• Fine art prints, antique figurines, antique furniture, rugs, chinaware, and antique furniture reproductions altered by the addition of paper, glue, paint, varnish and/or other material that fluoresces differently and can therefore be identified as having been altered, repaired or forged.
• To identify alterations to fine art prints, antique figurines, antique furniture, rugs, chinaware, and antique furniture reproductions one should also look for differences in texture, gloss, and opacity. When an art print is held at an angle nearing 180 degrees to a light, the added paint, ink or paper will often have a different texture and gloss from the rest of the card surface. The added material may also be physically raised from the rest of the surface which can be felt with the finger tip.

OldPlank.com offers incredible collection of Antique French Furniture, Vintage French Furniture, Country French Furniture Reproductions, Antiques and Collectibles imported from France and England. Antiques on Old Plank Road, 331 East Ogden Avenue, Westmont, IL 60559.

Beautiful furniture adds elegance and style to your home and sometimes in unexpected ways. There are numerous decorating styles to choose from but now it is acceptable to mix styles assuming it is done tastefully. Pick up any interior design magazine and you will see contemporary pieces juxtaposed with antique pieces.

The most important thing when buying antique furniture is to buy the best quality you can afford and make sure it is appropriate for the overall look you are going for.  Always buy from a reputable source and choose something you like that will fit in with other favorite pieces you already have.  Antiques on Old Plank Road is the best source for antiques in the Chicago area and their comprehensive web site www.oldplank.com enables customers to shop from any location in the USA.  Antiques on Old Plank Road has a full restoration shop on site which enables them to guarantee all their restoration work.

Reproductions are a viable alternative to genuine antiques and are usually less expensive. Some reproductions are almost indistinguishable from the real thing so it is important to have something in writing stating the aproximate age of an antique.

When choosing antique furniture, look for the wood type. Walnut, oak and cherry were very popular woods used to make furniture in Europe prior to the 1940s. The craftsmanship was outstanding, especially compared to today, which is why antique and vintage furniture stands up so well over the years. Wooden peg construction was often used which allows the joints to expand and contract without loosening. Antique furniture of superior quality was usually made of more exotic woods like mahogany, rosewood, satinwood etc.

Antique furniture has a timeless charm and will increase in value over the years if it is taken care of, so choose carefully and use only a reputable dealer or antique store. If you are interested in buying antiques over the internet, try Antiques on Old Plank Road at wwww.oldplank.com .

“Preservation should be, if at all, reversible” – With just a little care you can safeguard antique furniture from environmental changes and careless handling. The finish on antique furniture pieces can be damaged over the years making restoration necessary so the antique can be enjoyed by future generations.

Below are listed some environmental factors affecting wood such as light, humidity and insects.

• Since wood is a bad conductor of heat, avoid placing furniture in direct sunlight or near heating vents and fireplaces. Heat and light cause fading, darkening, cracking and drying.

• Wood shrinks and swells with changes in humidity resulting in the loosening of glued joints, veneers, inlays and marquetry. Lack of humidity also causes gaps to appear where two pieces of wood come together such as table tops made from several boards. This is easily remedied by filling the gap with soft, warm beeswax which solidifies in the gap and contracts and expands with the boards. Furniture constructed with wooden pegs fares very well as the pegs expand and contract along with the rest of the table.

• Insect infestations are another problem for antique furniture . Wood worms burrow into the wood, slowly destroying it and causing worm holes. This problem is solved by injecting the holes with worm killer.

• Water spills, if not cleaned up immediately, cause cloudy white patches on wood finishes.

It is always better to maintain the original finish of a piece of antique furniture rather than refinishing it. However, if the surface is badly damaged, it might not be aesthetically pleasing to keep the original finish.

Some tips for moving antique furniture:

• When moving antique furniture, always check for damage or loose joints. Make sure the piece is empty and remove drawers and shelves. Secure doors and if the top is marble, remove it and transport it in a vertical position.
• Lift the furniture rather than dragging it as this could damage or break the legs.
• Pick up furniture at its strongest point at the legs rather than lifting it at the top.
• To transport antique furniture in a vehicle, cushion everything with blankets and secure it so it won’t move around in transit.

Below are some tips for taking care of antique furniture:

• Dust regularly with a dry, soft cloth.
• For weekly cleaning use an aerosol beeswax and spray the cloth rather than the wood directly.
• To cover up minor blemishes, use a solid beeswax applied very sparingly with the grain. Tinted waxes help to cover minor scratches.
• For more severe blemishes and wood that has become dry looking, rub with 0000 steel wool and apply beeswax.