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