ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, June 9, 1996 TAG: 9606110006
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: D-2 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Antiques & Designs
SOURCE: KATHY SUE GRIGG
What is an antique? Something old, right? How old does it have to be to be considered an antique? There are lots of answers to that question.
First, I read that it has to be 25 years old or older. Then I read that purists maintain that only items made before 1830 are true antiques. However, the antiques that are 100 years old or older are allowed to come into this country duty free as antiques.
Now back to my first question. Is it age that makes a piece an antique? If I have a reproduction that's old, does it become a valuable antique because it's old? Well, once again the answers are varied. The reason the purists maintain items made before 1830 are real antiques is because after that time many items were produced in factories using machines, so that poses another question: Does it have to be old and handmade to be antique? Yes, yes, yes, for the purists, but not for me.
There are a couple of rules I follow when purchasing antiques. First, I have to like the piece. Second, I don't like restored antiques. By that, I mean anything I see with a glue mark is a no-no. (Glue wasn't in use before the mid-19th century.) Shiny new hardware and round wire nails are some definite giveaways of restored antiques. Check out the bottoms of any furniture drawers. Run your hand over them. If you can't find any irregularities in the wood, watch out. Only machine-made furniture has surfaces that are completely uniform. Marks made by a circular saw indicate a later piece. Look for signs of shrinkage in furniture. All antiques should have some signs of shrinkage, however slight.
Finally, learn the difference between reproduction and adaptation. The former term refers to exact copies of antique pieces. Adaptations follow the same general lines as the original pieces but are altered in some way.
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