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Antiques - Caring for Your Wooden Pieces
By Michael Russell
Caring for your antique wood pieces is critical to keep their value. Even though the pieces are very old, don't neglect proper care for them. Wooden pieces such as antique chairs, tables, dressers, etc have different requirements than other types of antiques.
Every day care. If your antiques are part of your daily life (which great pieces are!), then make sure they are treated with care. The value of an antique goes down if the original finish is removed, so you want to avoid this type of restoration work. Always use coasters under cups and glasses, even just a cup of coffee. Wooden surfaces can be damaged by heat as well as moisture. If the piece is a dining room table, make sure that you have a trivet or other heat protective mat to place food on. Don't push anything across the surface of the piece. That means do not slide plates, decorative pieces or anything else over the top of the table or desk. Doing this can result in scratches on the surface. While you may be able to buff away very small surface scratches, anything deep will need to be repaired by a professional. Clean up spills right away. To protect the finish on your piece, clean up all liquid and solid spills immediately. If the liquid is some sort of solvent (such as polish remover), blot the liquid rather than wiping so you don't risk removing more finish by smearing the solvent over a wider area. Dust your wood antiques with a clean dry cloth. You don't need to be using a spray cleaner on your antiques.
Long term care. How you treat your antiques over the long run will determine how well they keep their value. Controlling the humidity is one important factor. Depending on where you live, you may have damp conditions all the time, or dry winters and moist summers. With wood antiques, you want the humidity to be as stable as possible. This means don't store your pieces in a damp basement, or in a stuffy attic. Seasonal changes will have the biggest impact on your pieces. Consider installing a humidifier on your furnace to raise the humidity levels in winter and run a dehumidifier during the summer months. Keep your pieces out of direct sunlight. While that end table may look great in front of the south facing window, the sunlight that shines on the table can yellow the finish. And it will discolor unevenly. Wax your pieces three or four times a year. Using a paste wax, apply a small amount in a circular motion, then buff dry with a new cloth. This waxing will give you a depth of color and finish and will remove any tiny surface scratches. Do not use spray polish, as this can actually remove the finish from your piece. The only time you want to use a spray polish is when you have a waxy buildup that has dulled the finish on your antique.
Following these tips will give your wooden antiques a long life, keep their value and allow you to pass on heirloom pieces to your family.
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Antiques
More Info On antique gold jewelry
Is It Solid? Test the solidity of the piece. Sit on a chair, then push your weight forward and back; if the chair wobbles and moves with you, it�s loose and needs to be reglued. Check for wobbling on a table or bureau by placing your hand on a corner and shaking the piece.
Buy antique jewelry today!
The process of hand blowing glass is thought to have originated in the first century BC. It is attributed to the Romans, who blew a molten substance into molds and then shaped it into vessels. Centuries later, the Babylonians developed the technique of using a long metal tube to blow molten substances used in glass-making and create bottles or drinking glasses.
Buy sterling antique jewelry today!
Antiques is their primary business. As in any exchange, dealing with someone who plans to be in the business on a continuing basis is much better for the customer. The reason for this is that those who have an ongoing antique business live or die by reputation. If they treat someone badly or cheat them, word of mouth will kill their business rather quickly. Therefore, they are motivated, if they wish to make a living selling antiques, to be honest.
Buy antique furniture today!
antique gold jewelry News
Antiques Poll of the Week
If your answer is "Yes, I Own One!," please post a comment and tell us about it. Curious antiquers await!
...
Chinese Antiques - Calligraphy
Fri, 18 Jul 2008 23:22:44 -0600
Chinese Cabinets, Chests, Tables, Statues and Carvings - Ancient Chinese Vases, jewelry of Brass, Bronze and Wooden Art - and an Introduction to Calligraphy.
Antiques Poll of the Week
If your answer is "Yes, I Own One!," please post a comment and tell us about it. Curious antiquers await!
...
zenith antique radio
antique duncan fyfe furniture
Antiques - Caring for Your Wooden Pieces
By Michael Russell
Caring for your antique wood pieces is critical to keep their value. Even though the pieces are very old, don't neglect proper care for them. Wooden pieces such as antique chairs, tables, dressers, etc have different requirements than other types of antiques.
Every day care. If your antiques are part of your daily life (which great pieces are!), then make sure they are treated with care. The value of an antique goes down if the original finish is removed, so you want to avoid this type of restoration work. Always use coasters under cups and glasses, even just a cup of coffee. Wooden surfaces can be damaged by heat as well as moisture. If the piece is a dining room table, make sure that you have a trivet or other heat protective mat to place food on. Don't push anything across the surface of the piece. That means do not slide plates, decorative pieces or anything else over the top of the table or desk. Doing this can result in scratches on the surface. While you may be able to buff away very small surface scratches, anything deep will need to be repaired by a professional. Clean up spills right away. To protect the finish on your piece, clean up all liquid and solid spills immediately. If the liquid is some sort of solvent (such as polish remover), blot the liquid rather than wiping so you don't risk removing more finish by smearing the solvent over a wider area. Dust your wood antiques with a clean dry cloth. You don't need to be using a spray cleaner on your antiques.
Long term care. How you treat your antiques over the long run will determine how well they keep their value. Controlling the humidity is one important factor. Depending on where you live, you may have damp conditions all the time, or dry winters and moist summers. With wood antiques, you want the humidity to be as stable as possible. This means don't store your pieces in a damp basement, or in a stuffy attic. Seasonal changes will have the biggest impact on your pieces. Consider installing a humidifier on your furnace to raise the humidity levels in winter and run a dehumidifier during the summer months. Keep your pieces out of direct sunlight. While that end table may look great in front of the south facing window, the sunlight that shines on the table can yellow the finish. And it will discolor unevenly. Wax your pieces three or four times a year. Using a paste wax, apply a small amount in a circular motion, then buff dry with a new cloth. This waxing will give you a depth of color and finish and will remove any tiny surface scratches. Do not use spray polish, as this can actually remove the finish from your piece. The only time you want to use a spray polish is when you have a waxy buildup that has dulled the finish on your antique.
Following these tips will give your wooden antiques a long life, keep their value and allow you to pass on heirloom pieces to your family.
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Antiques
More Info On antique gold jewelry
Is It Solid? Test the solidity of the piece. Sit on a chair, then push your weight forward and back; if the chair wobbles and moves with you, it�s loose and needs to be reglued. Check for wobbling on a table or bureau by placing your hand on a corner and shaking the piece.
Buy antique jewelry today!
The process of hand blowing glass is thought to have originated in the first century BC. It is attributed to the Romans, who blew a molten substance into molds and then shaped it into vessels. Centuries later, the Babylonians developed the technique of using a long metal tube to blow molten substances used in glass-making and create bottles or drinking glasses.
Buy sterling antique jewelry today!
Antiques is their primary business. As in any exchange, dealing with someone who plans to be in the business on a continuing basis is much better for the customer. The reason for this is that those who have an ongoing antique business live or die by reputation. If they treat someone badly or cheat them, word of mouth will kill their business rather quickly. Therefore, they are motivated, if they wish to make a living selling antiques, to be honest.
Buy antique furniture today!
antique gold jewelry News
Antiques Poll of the Week
If your answer is "Yes, I Own One!," please post a comment and tell us about it. Curious antiquers await!
...
Chinese Antiques - Calligraphy
Fri, 18 Jul 2008 23:22:44 -0600
Chinese Cabinets, Chests, Tables, Statues and Carvings - Ancient Chinese Vases, jewelry of Brass, Bronze and Wooden Art - and an Introduction to Calligraphy.
Antiques Poll of the Week
If your answer is "Yes, I Own One!," please post a comment and tell us about it. Curious antiquers await!
...
zenith antique radio
antique duncan fyfe furniture
Labels: antique coin jewelry | antique silver jewelry | antique flatware jewelry | antique indian jewelry
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