How do I identify my furniture maker?

How do I identify my furniture maker?

A telltale sign of the furniture’s maker is a manufacturing tag, label or stamp bearing the name of the creator. Such a marking or label may have been placed inside a drawer on an old dresser, on the back of a chest of drawers, or on the underside of a chair or sofa seat.

What do the numbers stamped on the back of furniture mean?

Serial numbers will often reveal the manufacturer, model number, or date that the furniture was made. Finding the serial number might require some hunting.

How do I find out what year my furniture was made?

Make sure to search for labels, stamps, or manufacturing tags that can tell when and where a piece was made. Furniture companies and makers often listed their names, locations, and year of production This information can be found on the inside of drawers, the backs of bureaus, and on the lower edges of pieces.

How do you read a furniture tag?

What do those tags on your furniture mean?

1. THE INSIDE. Tags may have phrases like “100%” new polyurethane foam”, or “spun polyester”.
2. FABRIC COVERINGS. The outside is of more concern as this is where stains show.
3. CLEANING RECOMMENDATIONS. Most upholstered furniture will have a tag marked “Cleaning Recommendations”.

Where is the Makers Mark on antique furniture?

Locating Antique Furniture Makers’ Marks

1. The inside – or underside – of drawers. This is a popular location for burned-in marks and labels.
2. The back of the furniture. Some manufacturers often used cheaper wood on the back of their furniture.
3. The lower edges of the antique furniture. Check on the back and side edges.

What year is French provincial furniture?

Furniture in the French Provinces French provincial furniture is the term generally used to describe the furniture produced in French smaller cities and the countryside, mostly during the 18th century. It often applies to the pieces from provinces like Provence, Normandy, Bordeaux, and other French regions.

What is Louis XVI furniture style?

During King Louis XVI’s reign, tastes changed from the Rococo style, known for curved lines and heavy ornamentation, to clean, straight lines. Interiors and furniture during this period became refined and symmetrical and featured classical ornamentation and motifs.

What does number on bottom of furniture mean?

A number could indicate the style, the maker, or even a patent granted to the company. The furniture back. Some manufacturers used less expensive wood on the back of a bureau, and they placed the label there, where it wouldn’t damage the finish.

How do I find out how much my furniture is worth?

Contact a major auction house, such as Sotheby’s or Christie’s, for value lookups on extremely rare or valuable antique furniture. Check websites such as Antique Trader where information of events offering free antique appraisal information is posted.

How do I know if my furniture is antique?

Technically, an antique is a piece of furniture with special value because of its age, particularly those pieces embellished with fine artistry. The age factor is subjective: general antique stores label objects 50 years or older as antiques. Fine antique dealers consider objects 150 years and older to be antique.

How do I identify an antique?

By definition, an antique is an item that is more than 100 years old. To make sure the item you have is a valuable antique, you first have to identify its age, and then you need to look for a market for the piece. There are many types of antiques, and each one has a different value based on the current market.

How do you identify a maker’s mark?

The maker’s mark will always be unique. It should have the initials within a shield. The maker’s mark will never be “recycled” even if it falls out of use. The maker’s mark bears the initials of the maker in a shield approved and registered at the assay office.

What is the difference between French Country and French provincial?

According to this article, “French Country” is a catch-all term, but it can split into even more specific categories, with French Provincial being the more elegant style and Country french being more rustic.

What wood is French provincial furniture?

Provincial furniture was usually made of locally-available woods, which were much more affordable than imported materials. Oak, walnut, beech and cherry were the common choices and other fruitwoods like pear, peach and apple were sometimes used as well.

How do I identify Louis XIV furniture?

Louis XIV Chairs

1. Thick and sturdy wooden frames.
2. Seats and chair backs are rectangular.
3. Arm rests extend to the front edge of the seat.
4. Chair backs are rigid and upright; often upholstered.
5. Legs are straight and connected by H- or X-shaped stretchers.

How can you tell Louis XVI furniture?

How to spot a Louis XVI chair:

1. Seat backs are oval or shield-shaped.
2. Chair frames are geometric, neat and angular.
3. Carvings are more restrained, and reflect regularized, classical motifs, like the Vitruvian scroll.
4. Arm rests meet the front of the seat, often in scroll arm terminals.
5. Chair legs are typically straight.

What is considered vintage furniture?

Vintage furniture is anything that’s at least 20 years old. If a piece of furniture is at least 20 years old, but has been restored, it’s still considered vintage. Within the vintage category, newer pieces, especially those dating from the 1950s to1980, are generally considered retro.