Antique furniture hunting.

Most people think of antiquing as some sort of elderly middle class waiting for god type activity, and in certain respects they’re right, but it can also be a great day out for couples and families. It all depends how you go about it. You don’t have cucumber sandwich and pot of tea it, instead turn it into a bit of a jolly. It’s a game of wit really between yourself and the vendor. Bargaining has become a dying art as most of the time you buy something you pay sticker price; it’s all about determination and the desire to win!

The first step to antiquing is to choose your location. There are several cities and towns throughout the UK that offer a wide range of antiquing shops, fairs and auctions. Once you’ve decided on you destination you might want to decide on what sort of item you’re looking, whether it might be some nice china, some silverware or a good piece of antique furniture. Of course this all depends on your budget; it also depends upon any unique pieces that might catch your eye as you hunt through musty smelling auction houses.

Top furniture antiquing tips

Whether you’re after a table, a chest of drawers, an antique chair or even some old beds, the first thing you need to do is to try and assess the age of the piece. Take as much time as you need when viewing the piece; do not allow yourself to be rushed by a vendor.

Cast your eye over the piece and look for any defects, scratches, oddities or variations, these can often tell you a lot about a piece. Antique furniture is often uneven and exact symmetry is a sure sign that the piece was machine-made.

Look carefully at any joins, rungs, slats or drawers, again most antique furniture will has slight inconsistencies, especially around the joinery. If it looks too symmetrical then it is most likely to be machine-made and not an antique.

After you’ve assessed the piece then it’s time to get down to bargaining. Before you start this leave the shop and sort out a reasonable price that you’re prepared to pay. Once you’ve worked out your price take it down a notch, always start with a much lower price. Make sure you have the exact money, give some of it too your partner or family too make it look like you only have a certain amount. Once you’ve done this enter the shop and let the bargaining begin. Always be polite, try and engage with the vendor and don’t be ashamed to lie outrageously. There is always a mark up on pieces and as long as the vendor is not ‘cutting-his-own-throat’ then there is always room to bargain.

Happy hunting folks.

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