| Here we will look into how to identify the | | | | genuineness of a piece. The use of some of |
| best ways to recognize the furniture whether | | | | the rarer woods implies that an article cost |
| they are good or bad and old or new. This can | | | | more for materials and probably also for |
| be done through the general appearances, the | | | | labor, and that it was probably made to a |
| coloring, construction, etc. All these could | | | | high standard throughout. The better-quality |
| help you to identify the best and the worst. | | | | eighteenth-century pieces were fitted with |
| | | | oak linings to the drawers, but in |
| General appearance | | | | exceptional instances this might be mahogany |
| | | | or cedar. Practice varied from workshop to |
| The general look of a piece of furniture | | | | workshop and from period to period, and a |
| tells the expert whether it is old or not, | | | | guide can give only clues not answers. |
| but this is a matter of experience. If you | | | | |
| are interested in old furniture see as many | | | | Books |
| genuine pieces as you can; go to museums | | | | |
| where you are certain of the authenticity of | | | | The comprehensive book on all aspects of old |
| the articles. Slowly the eye and mind can be | | | | English furniture is The Dictionary of |
| trained to recognize whether the appearance | | | | English Furniture, by Percy Macquoid and |
| of a piece is true or not. | | | | Ralph Edwards. It is in three large volumes, |
| | | | copiously illustrated, and was first issued |
| Coloring | | | | in 1927. A further edition, revised and |
| | | | enlarged by Ralph Edwards, was published in |
| The ageing of wood alters its colour | | | | 1954. |
| according to the timber from which it is | | | | |
| made, and according to the treatment it has | | | | An excellent guide to the period 1720-1820 is |
| received over the years. Even the hidden | | | | Georgian Furniture, issued by the Victoria |
| inside parts change with time; if a | | | | and Albert Museum, 1951. |
| drawer-lining is scraped it will show at once | | | | |
| how the surface has aged. Equally, the old | | | | A standard work on French furniture is Les |
| polished outside surfaces mellow, and | | | | Ebenistes du XVIW Siecle, by Comte Francois |
| repolishing changes the colour of the wood | | | | de Salverte, of which the fourth edition was |
| completely. | | | | published in Paris and Brussels in 1953. Also |
| | | | written in French, but less exhaustive and |
| Construction | | | | cheaper in price is Les Meubles Francois du |
| | | | XVIW Siecle, by Pierre Verlet. It is in two |
| It is worthwhile studying the methods of | | | | volumes: i), Menuiserie, ii), Ebenisterie, |
| making furniture, and how they have changed | | | | published in Paris in 1956. In English the |
| from time to time. How, for instance, the | | | | Wallace Collection, London, Catalogue of |
| crude dovetails on the heavy drawer sides of | | | | French Furniture, by F. J. B. Watson, issued |
| 1600 were modified and improved in the course | | | | in 1956, contain, a great deal of information |
| of the century. When examining a piece of | | | | and many illustrations. |
| furniture in a strong light, it is as well to | | | | |
| look for signs of alteration, and to try to | | | | Experts in furniture can identify the |
| reason what was done and why. | | | | furniture and tell you that whether the |
| | | | articles are new or old through the |
| New screws differ markedly from old; prior to | | | | appearances of the furniture. The coloring of |
| about 1850 they did not taper to a point, | | | | the woods altered by the aging and the |
| also, the slot in the head was hand-cut and | | | | treatments that it receives from time to time |
| seldom central; in modern machine-made screws | | | | determines its appearances. And the types of |
| it is invariably exactly across the middle of | | | | constructions give you a good idea about the |
| the head. Veneering has been mentioned on | | | | condition of the furniture. The screws the |
| earlier pages when it came into use with the | | | | nails and the way the woods are fitted, etc. |
| introduction of walnut. It may be added that | | | | gives shows what are the conditions. The |
| old veneers were cut with a saw by hand, and | | | | Dictionary of English Furniture, by Percy |
| are consequently quite thick; many of them | | | | Macquoid and Ralph Edwards is the |
| almost an eighth of an inch. Modern veneers, | | | | comprehensive book on all aspects of the |
| however, are cut with a machine-driven saw, | | | | English furniture. And Les Ebenistes du XVIW |
| and are much thinner. This, with other | | | | Siecle, by Comte Francois de Salverte is a |
| factors, is a useful indication of the | | | | standard work on French furniture. |