Cabinet...

[jacon4]

Another point about old furniture, I wouldnt get hung up on the "age" of a piece. Lets face it, they made junk in the 18th century just like they do today. Age is just a number, the main thing is, does one connect emotionally with the piece or not, just because its old doesnt mean its valuable. The point i am trying to make here is, it doesnt really matter style wise whether it was built in 1840 or 1880.

[hosman321]

I suppose everyone has their personal beliefs and feelings about antiques. I feel differently, maybe because I'm a beginner and I don't know much. I'd rather have a beat up table with a leg broken off from the 1700's than a gorgeous hutch in beautiful condition from the 1880's. The older, the better in my opinion.  40-50 years makes a huge difference to me, maybe more so than the average person. I guess I'm kind of obsessive about knowing the true age of an antique. It makes a big difference to me if an item was in an American's home during the revolutionary war or if it was used on the battlefield in the civil war. To many, it's how the antique looks, it's condition and it's value. To me, it's the history attached to that item. I love primitives and I want them to be as old as possible.

[jacon4]

Well, thats fine, one can pick up an 18th century (1700s) tavern table for instance for a couple hundred dollars, on the other hand you can pay tens of thousands for the same style, same age type piece. There is a depression on in antique  "brown furniture" these days so no matter what style or age you seek, there are plenty of good buys around. You wont find them on ebay much though, register with the auction houses that sell this kind of stuff, pook & pook, garths, etc. and look through their catalogs, both past & present online. You can get a sense of what sold and for how much and whats about to sell with estimates on what the house thinks its worth. Read MAD ( maine antique digest) its the bible of early american furniture buyers, sellers, auction houses, they have online subcriptions.
 
http://www.maineantiquedigest.com/index.html

[jacon4]

I would add, folks collect old furniture for all sorts of reasons, history is a big one so no need to be shy about why you collect. I collect because i have always been fascinated with the construction details of early american furniture. I can spend hours with the piece turned upside down, drawers set aside and 1000 watts of light on the matter at hand, wonderful way to spend the day actually. Still, the pieces i collect i have an emotional connection too, when one first looks at the piece, it's either there or it isnt, if it isnt, i move on to one that does. HAPPY HUNTING!

[sapphire]

I would add, folks collect old furniture for all sorts of reasons, history is a big one so no need to be shy about why you collect. I collect because i have always been fascinated with the construction details of early american furniture. I can spend hours with the piece turned upside down, drawers set aside and 1000 watts of light on the matter at hand, wonderful way to spend the day actually. Still, the pieces i collect i have an emotional connection too, when one first looks at the piece, it's either there or it isnt, if it isnt, i move on to one that does. HAPPY HUNTING!

Where were you when I was laying on my back with a gooseneck floor lamp trying to look for marks under my sideboard

I so agree about collecting for all sorts of reasons.  I just have an emotional attachment to the 'older' stuff, mainly because I was surrounded by it in my relatives homes. For some reason I have a special affinity for late 1800's/early 1900's pieces.....likely familiarity. And as most everyone here knows I'm a sucker for sad cases.

[jacon4]

Where were you when I was laying on my back with a gooseneck floor lamp trying to look for marks under my sideboard

LOL, well, heres the deal on early american furniture, it is hardly ever marked or signed, always has condition issues and original surface is mostly a fantasy, early american collectors must accept these things. Indeed, the worlds record for a piece of american furniture ($12.1 million) is attributed, it's a desk/bookcase built by goddard/townsend (we dont know which one) and we dont know exactly when either, lol.

[jacon4]

okey dokey, i am trying to load a pic (my first ever here) so lets pretend this works out. Below is a tavern table built in connecticut around 1750, it has a single board pinned pine top, the base is cherry with vase & ring turned legs and box stretcher. 

[hosman321]

Wow, I can't even imagine owning a piece of furniture that old, so many images pour into my head of the people who could have owned it. For some reason, I'm very attached to the Revolutionary War era and colonial America. Is that yours? If so, lucky!!

[jacon4]

Yep, its mine, at least temporarily, as all antiques are, lol. I have another TT in the den about the same age, same form, same function that i paid $375 for, the conn TT in pic on the other hand was $5000. Why the big difference in price? Well, for one thing, condition almost always plays a big role, the den TT has a replaced top, ditto the button feet. But there are subtle differences that also affect price as well. For instance, the conn TT is cherry, den TT has a maple base, conn TT has turned box stretchers, the den one has box stretchers but are flat, not turned. See what i mean? The point i am trying to make is, you dont have to spend alot of money to get the period, style and look that you are after. On the other hand, if you want an outstanding example (period, style dont matter) be prepared to get out your check book.

[hosman321]

Wow, lucky you! Glad you are here to give us all some insight. What part of the country are you in? Anything made before 1850 is rare in my area and costs a fortune when you do find it. You pretty much have to buy things that old online or in an auction. Washington is a very young state and we don't have nearly as many primitive antiques as the east coast. I thought it was amazing when I found my kitchen table a few weeks ago, and it was made in in 1869+.

[jacon4]

Looking for a pic of den TT, cant seem to find one on this puter, still, its a very nice table & was very reasonable priced at $375. If i find pic later, i'll post it

[hosman321]

I'd love to see it when you get a chance, or any other pre civil war furniture you might have! Trust me, we love pictures around here and showing off everything.

[jacon4]

Yeah, good point, you are on the west coast, thats not the greatest location for period colonial stuff but still, with auctions/bidding online now, one can be anywhere and still get good buys.

[jacon4]

ok, I'll post a few recent pieces what i have here on this puter, here we go, boston william & mary dining table i got last winter at an online auction during HUGE snowstorm on east coast, about 1740.

[jacon4]

another, same table