Identifying Antique Furniture

• You can often date a piece by studying nails and screws.



Nails



1.  Furniture predating 1790 will include "rose-head nails," that were hand-forged by blacksmiths. These nails can be identified by their irregular, rose-shaped heads.
2. "Square-head nails," employed from 1790 to 1830, were machine cut and finished off by a blacksmith who squared the heads. 
3. From 1830 to 1890 cabinetmakers used headless "machine-cut nails, that are tapered and rectilinear in shape. 
4. Modern "brad" and "penny" nails were introduced around 1890. 
5. Screws were occasionally used in furniture pre-dating the beginning of the machine era (Circa 1830).  Blacksmith forged examples can be identified by inspecting for thin and slightly off-centered slots and off-round heads.
    

• The "circular saw" invented in the 18th century, did not come into wide usage until after 1830.  Thus, boards displaying "circular saw marks" will not be found on furniture pre-dating the "Empire Period" (1830-1850). Unfinished pre-1830 boards cut from vertical motion "ripsaws" will often display small, somewhat parallel, saw lines.
   
• Before the introduction of power driven woodworking machinery in the mid 19th century, lumber was worked by hand. After hand-sawing, cabinet makers dressed their boards with a jack plane and draw knives. On authentic furnishings pre-dating the "Victorian Period," (1850-1910) unfinished non-visible "secondary" surfaces like backboards and drawer bottoms will show evidence of "hand-planing" by feeling for subtle undulating rows in the wood.
   
• Small wooden pins known as dowels can be helpful in authenticating age.  Machine era pins will be perfectly circular and flush to the surface.  Antique dowels are non-round and will protrude slightly from the surface because of shrinkage in the wood they are securing. 

Dowels

 

• Wood shrinks in a direction opposite the grain.  The degree is determined by softness of the lumber, age, and environment.  Therefore, authentic antique furniture can be discerned by inspecting for evidence of: gapping between boards, shrinkage cracking, buckling veneer, protruding pegs and breadboard ends, and legs extending slightly beyond the frame or "skirt." Early circular tabletops will measure somewhat oval, 1/8" to 1/2" longer in the direction of the grain.
   
• Outline and thickness on early hand-wrought iron and brass hinges will be non-uniform.
   
• The top rail on early 19th century chairs will be joined with non-round tenons that can be viewed by slightly pulling the yoke from the stile. Circular dowels are evidence of  "non-period" chairs.
   
• Visible surface planks (primary wood) on genuine antique furniture will be wide, varying in thickness, and relatively free of blemishes.  Knotty pine was not employed by olden day cabinetmakers.
   
• Although it has been stripped and refinished back to the original wood, much old-time non-mahogany furniture was originally painted.  Analysis of wood pores and fissures with a jeweler's loop will often show several layers of paint residue. This "paint history" can help authentic a piece and determine whether individual components-the feet, the top, etc.-are original or undesirable replacements.

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Busy Little Silk Worms - Silk Quality and Facts

Finnished Silk

High quality silk can be distinguished from lower quality silk textiles by its superior smoothness, lustre and thickness. This is easy when you have a comparison of the two and is really the best way to really learn the difference in quality. However, there are some general pointers and key things to look out for to help you determine the quality of the silk.

• Ensure the chosen silk is 100% mulberry silk (this may also be referred to as cultivated silk or bombyx silk). Longthread mulberry silk is incredibly durable.
• Look for a momme count of no less than 10 (this is pronounced “mummy” and indicated by the symbol “mm”). Momme is the standard weight measurement for silk fabric and indicates the heft of the fabric.

Artificial silk should be avoided. Synthetic textiles are produced in such a way that they provide an inferior lustre and shine in in comparison to genuine, natural silk. These fabrics cannot begin to imitate the durability and the superior thermal properties of high quality mulberry silk.

Raw silk

Three amazing facts about Silk:

Silk is the most durable natural fiber known to man.

If one took the same amount of steel and silk they would hold the same weight and stress.

The silkworm can spin filaments of silk which are up to nine hundred meters long!

The annual world production represents 70 billion miles of silk filament, a distance equal to well over 300 round trips to the sun.

The silkworm species Bombyx mori no longer occurs in the wild.

After 5000 years of domestication for silk production, this species is now entirely dependent on humans for its reproduction and can no longer survive in the wild. Its nearest wild relative is Bombyx mandarina with which it is able to hybridize.

The silk worm

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Elizabethan Clothing Laws

Queen Elizabeth Dress -All gold dresses could only be worn by Royalty

Fashion plays a great role in the lives of people today; it displays our values and projects who we want to be and where we are going.  Many would think this is a relatively new phenomenon, where in fact it is quite the opposite today we are relatively relaxed about fashion and the meaning behind our attire. If you go back to Elizabethan times  things were quite different – Clothes said everything about you from you class, rank and positioning in the social hierarchy.



Clothing worn by Nobility



“Sumputuary law” derived from the Latin 'Sumptuariae leges' governing the laws brought into force in order to systematise the people’s habits around clothing, food, trade or business. The Sumputuary laws were passed in 1571 during Queen Elizabeth I rule. An example of this is that everyone aged 6 and above has to wear a woolen cap on Sundays and holidays.


Elizabethan clothing law was very strict for women. There were restrictions on the type of fabrics, materials, colours and cuts that could be used for making the clothes. Along with the restriction mentioned above, the ladies of the upper classes were spending was capped at 100 pounds a year on their clothing.

These laws made hierarchy ridged and on show; only the Duchesses, Marquises and the Countesses could wear any cloth made of silk, fur or tissue. The luxury fabrics like silk, satin, mixed or embroidered clothes having gold, silver or even pearl on them was strictly reserved for the Aristocracy.
Fabrics such as  velvet, furs, leopard fur, or any silk embroidery, enameled chains, buttons , agelets, and laces on the dresses made of gold or silver thread were only for the Ladies of Aristocracy  (not wealth), or the wives of Knights of the Garter and the Privy Council, Privy Chamber and Maids of Honour.

Usage of Silk Grosgrain, Camlet or Kirtles of Stain were permitted for women who were wives of the sons of the Knight's heirs, and their daughters or even those who could afford to spent 40 pounds year on their fashion.

The use of Velvet, Satin, Gold or Silver in the petticoats was only permissible for women who were wives of Barons, Knights, or were Maids of Honour, and Damask or other materials made from silk were to be worn in the petticoats by the daughters of the Knights.

It can thus be seen that the Sumptuary laws forced the Elizabethan people to abide by it. As a result of the enforcement of this law, there was only a certain type of fabric and material used by the different sections of the society which in turn helped in the easy identification of the person's social ranking.

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Louis XVI Furniture - The Style Guide.

The Louis the XVI era brought about a great change in appearance and style - ushering in the more delicate and dainty characteristics typical of that time. Here is a quick list of the changes from the previous styles.

Louis XVI Style   

• The structure of Louis XVI furniture evolved into a more linear and rectangular style giving up the ostentatious curves and bows of the previous Louis styles.
• The legs were mostly straight, either being reeded, turned and fluted or turned and spiral.
• Classicism returned, although it was more naïve than that of the Brothers Adam and often appears dainty and somewhat playful.
• Generally speaking, all the elements were fine and dainty, perhaps appearing more so following the Louis XIV and Louis XV eras.
• Ornament changed dramatically from the two previous periods. It became far more subtle. The depictions were of cherubs, nymphs, birds and pastoral scenes.
• Flat surfaces on cabinets were often framed by straight borders or parallel borders rather than ornament.
• Bisymmetric balance returned.
• The colors tended toward the pastels with lots of neutrals, again a departure from the previous eras.
• Furniture was often painted. In fact, more furniture was painted during this era than any other period.
• The overall style is definitely feminine, being dainty and in many cases the pieces were smaller.
• Mahogany was the wood of preference although all woods were used.
• Upholstery fabrics were mostly brocades, as in the two previous eras, but with smaller and quieter designs.

Brocade

a class of richly decorative shuttle woven fabric, often made in colored silks 

The earlier Louis XV Style.

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Chaise Longue - The Variations

Chaise Longue is a classic and icon piece of furniture synonymous with high French style and courting romance of ages gone by. 

There are three main Styles of a Chaise Longue:

Duchesse brisée  

 The Duchesse Brisee or Broken duchess in French this refers to the Style of chaise longue which has been divided into section usually two or three, this then taken apart can supply a chair or two and a foot stool of kept as the classic Chaise Longue. The origin of the name is unknown.

Récamier 

A récamier is in one piece but has two raised ends, and nothing on the long sides. It is sometimes associated with French Empire (neo-classical) style. The name derives from the French society hostess Madame Récamier (1777–1849), who used to posed with great elegance and style on a Chaise Longue such as this. She had her portrait painted in 1800. The shape of the récamier is similar to a traditional lit bateau (boat bed) but made for the drawing room.

 

Méridienne  

The méridienne has a high head-rest, and a lower foot-rest, connected with a sloping back. Whether or not they have anything at the foot end, méridiennes are asymmetrical day-beds. They were popular in the grand houses of France in the early 19th century. Its name is from its typical use: rest in the middle of the day, when the sun is near the meridian.

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Sell Your Unwanted Items.

Just Pip it are always on the look out for new clients - so if you have any unwanted high-end designer clothes, old silverware, unwanted figurines and Antique furniture the contact Just Pip it who will sell those items for you - Hassle fee. 

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