Dealers who specialize in country and primitive furniture have depended on the above methods plus the study of nails for dating their antiques. Most antique furniture tends to be purchased by ordinary everyday people, rather than dedicated antique furniture collectors. The screw above was handmade.
The circular saw although introduced in the mid 1850s could not be made big enough and powerful enough to cut lumber of the size used in furniture construction until 1880. A real antique is very rarely perfectly cut; a reproduction with the same components will be because a machine will have cut it. December 8, 2013 at 9:
Original Hardware for Antique Furniture
The three saws on the right are two-man powered pit saws used to handsaw logs into boards. Consider practical matters Carefully: American furniture styles have seen a significant number of style periods since the early Colonial era, with each period being to some degree influenced by the pieces being built in Europe generally England and France.
After 1700, its major use was as a large jigsaw to shape knees, ribbing, and planking for ships. Handmade dovetails almost always indicate a piece made before 1860. The Mercer library contains materials on both machine made screws and methods of cutting screws by hand.
If a joint was dovetailed by hand, it has only a few dovetails, and they are not exactly even; if it has closely spaced, precisely cut dovetails, it was machine-cut. Dealers who specialize in country and primitive furniture have depended on the above methods plus the study of nails for dating their antiques. Until Victorian times, shellac was the only clear surface finish; lacquer and varnish were not developed until the mid-1800s. Always check the size and weight of any piece of antique furniture that interests you.
Log in Remember me. On handmade furniture, rungs, slats, spindles, rockers, and other small-diameter components are not uniform. Lawsuits over patent rights prevented its use until 1880. Machine plane marks are of some use in dating cupboards made as early as 1860, but machine plane marks usually suggest a construction date of 1880 or later.
The screw on the right was machine made. Shipping furniture can be a costly proposition. Many dealers feel that the technological system is superior to the stylistic system. If a joint was dovetailed by hand, it has only a few dovetails, and they are not exactly even; if it has closely spaced, precisely cut dovetails, it was machine-cut. The three saws on the right are two-man powered pit saws used to handsaw logs into boards. Mercer, contains photographs, drawings, and patent information on nails, hinges, screws, hardware, planing machines, etc.
Antique Furniture Identification
For the purpose of scale and size, my garage is eight feet — six inches tall. The Shakers are well known for their simple but elegant furniture. A lacquer or varnish finish is a sure sign of later manufacture.
- Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. After 1700, its major use was as a large jigsaw to shape knees, ribbing, and planking for ships. You must be logged in to post a comment.
- Most antique furniture tends to be purchased by ordinary everyday people, rather than dedicated antique furniture collectors. Look carefully at the bottom, sides, and back of the drawer; if the wood shows nicks or cuts, it was probably cut with a plane, a spokeshave, or a drawknife. The finish on the wood can also date the piece. The first machine made screw dates to 1846.
I have been perplexed by this for years. Since it is impossible for any item to be older than the technology that made it possible, a chronological system of the advancement of cabinetmaking technology can be used to establish construction dates to within a few years. Because the new machine made screw was inexpensive, it was readily accepted by cabinetmakers. Many vintage furniture buyers opt for quality reproductions that are more affordable, and either option is fine providing that you research your subject well when identifying antique furniture. The saw changed, molding styles changed, mortising changed.
Leave a Reply Cancel reply You must be logged in to post a comment. Each change is documented, most are patented. The style of nails changed a dozen times, the hinge changed four times, the screw changed three times, and so did latches and pulls. The circular saw was limited to cutting thin pieces of wood such as shingles, clapboards, and laths until the early 1900s. The screw on the right was machine made.
Seldom was the cut placed exactly in the center. Learn how your comment data is processed. During the Industrial Revolution, the method of making nails, screws, hinges, latches, and of milling lumber changed often. There are many differences between a handmade and a machine-made screw. Have you ever tried to pinpoint the construction date of a country cupboard?