Since a house is far more than a home, it requires furniture that is far more than just functional. It requires furniture with soul. Nothing does this better than antique and vintage furniture which combine quality with a warmth and personality only time can bring. These were pieces that were good enough for our ancestors to buy and use and love. And if it was good enough for them, then they probably deserve to join our family too. Furthermore an antique cabinet or antique table will add character to even the most uninspiring room.
So how should you really shop for antique furniture? Well, the simple answer is to have fun with it. Free from the conformity of current fashions you can acquire pieces just because you like them and because they inspire you. Buy an elegant Art Deco chest of drawers because it adds unashamed glamour to the room, buy a deep buttoned Victorian armchair because secretly inside you pretend you are Sherlock Holmes every time you sink down into it. Or simply place a 17th Century coffer at the end of the bed so that every time you wake up you can admire the warmth and wear those 300 years of loving handling brings.
At LoveAntiques we have an amazing and ever-changing selection of vintage and antique furniture for sale online from hundreds of Antique Dealers, catering for all your needs.
Millers Antiques
Large Serving Table Whytock & Reid
£ 3,750
Antique Furniture Direct
Edwardian Mahogany Inlaid Bedside Cabinet
£ 240
artsncraftsfurniture
Arts & Crafts Carved Otterman
POA
£ 249.99
Sussex Antiques and Interiors
Large Bleached Oak Coffee Table with Drawer
£ 750
Marylebone Antiques
Antique French Marquetry Inlaid Marble Top Bombe Secretaire Chest
£ 1,500
Antique French Marquetry Inlaid Marble Top Bombe Secretaire Chest
£ 1,500
Marylebone Antiques
In a Nutshell Antiques & Interiors Ltd
Regency Mahogany Card Table
£ 595
Millers Antiques
19th Century Oak Writing Table
£ 475
£ 343.33
Marylebone Antiques
Antique Mahogany Occasional Revolving Bird Cage Table
£ 375
artsncraftsfurniture
Arts & Crafts Hallstand
£ 495
Sussex Antiques and Interiors
Quality Parisian Gilt Round Coffee Table
£ 750
Marylebone Antiques
1950s Vintage Danish Cocktail ‘Banana’ Sofa
£ 1,850
Marylebone Antiques
Vintage Leather Top Desk by Beresford & Hicks
£ 1,850
Erfmann Vintage
Mid Century 1960s Chest of Drawers Tallboy for Stag Oak
£ 425
Mersham Manor Antiques
Early Victorian Rosewood & Walnut Tea / Side Table
£ 895
Penderyn Antiques
Large Antique Pine Pew
£ 495
Town House Traders Ltd
Antique Rosewood Upholstered Nursing Chair
£ 180
Marylebone Antiques
Georgian Style Inlaid Mahogany Console Table
£ 1,250
Old Painted Furniture
Mid 18th Century Painted Walnut Country Chest of Drawers
£ 395
Old Painted Furniture
Edwardian Painted Satinwood Nine Drawer Desk
£ 395
Erfmann Vintage
Mid Century Writing Desk Teak Black Vinyl Writing Pad
£ 550
Penderyn Antiques
Antique Georgian Cherry Wood Bureau
£ 695
Hingstons Antiques
Victorian Buttoned Leather Ottoman
£ 1,275
Town House Traders Ltd
Antique Cast Iron & Elm Factory Machinists Stool
£ 140
Town House Traders Ltd
Antique Mahogany Ladies Writing Desk Table
£ 260
Town House Traders Ltd
Antique Golden Oak Tambour Front Filing Cabinet
£ 350
Antique & Modern Living
Attractive Small Georgian Chest of Drawers
£ 950
Erfmann Vintage
Mid Century Large / Long Sideboard Credenza Teak Open Sides
£ 1,650
London City Antiques
Antique George III Quality Figured Mahogany Secretaire Cabinet
£ 2,250
Georgian Antiques
Late George III Shaped Side Table
£ 900
Hawkins Antiques
Stunning Antique French Vernis Martin Vitrine Cabinet
£ 3,250
The Old Yard
Georgian Painted Pine Housekeepers Cupboard
£ 2,950
London City Antiques
Exhibition Quality Antique Louis XV French Kingwood Floral Marquetry Ormolu Mounted Side Cabinet
£ 24,500
Exhibition Quality Antique Louis XV French Kingwood Floral Marquetry Ormolu Mounted Side Cabinet
£ 24,500
London City Antiques
Alain Michel Antiques
Pair of Marquetry Bedside Tables - 18th Century France
€ 2,700
London City Antiques
Outstanding Quality Antique Victorian Figured Walnut Floral Marquetry Inlaid Marble Top Washstand
£ 2,250
Outstanding Quality Antique Victorian Figured Walnut Floral Marquetry Inlaid Marble Top Washstand
£ 2,250
London City Antiques
B Southgate
French Oak Notaire's Cabinet
£ 2,250
Millers Antiques
Queen Anne Style Walnut Stool - 1920s
£ 295
London City Antiques
Outstanding Quality Antique Victorian Burr Walnut Kneehole Desk by Maple & Co
£ 3,795
Outstanding Quality Antique Victorian Burr Walnut Kneehole Desk by Maple & Co
£ 3,795
London City Antiques
Philip Hunt Antiques
Regency Mahogany Davenport
£ 1,395
How do I identify antique furniture?
Although most antique furniture is found without labels or dates, genuine antique pieces can usually be identified from a combination of the materials used, the style of the piece as well as the natural wear on the finish or Patina. Patina is something that can only occur naturally over time and is very hard to fake via man-made effects such as staining, sanding and painting. The skill is looking at lots of tiny details which convince you the item is a genuine antique. Much of this skill and knowledge can be built up over time just by observing real pieces and learning from those around you. It is also a good reason to buy from reputable antique dealers such as those on LoveAntiques who can give you the piece of mind that the item is what you say it is as well as offer valuable advice.
How to value antique furniture?
Like any collectable field antique furniture can range in value between nearly worthless to virtually priceless. In the past price guide reference books were a good starting point for valuing different items, but today such books have become nearly obsolete with the power of the internet at our fingertips. In most cases the internet will be the first place to research your item but don’t forget that the values you find can vary dramatically depending on the condition, who is selling them, where the item is located and more. While there are certain furniture items which are less or more fashionable today than in the past, desirability and value really comes down to individual taste and the room it is going into. You can ask your local auction house or antique dealer for a valuation but in both cases the value they give should be considered an estimate only. There are specialist online valuation services which will provide valuations for a fee but again check their location as values can vary dramatically between countries and continents.
Is Mahogany furniture valuable?
The simple answer is Mahogany furniture can be very valuable. It has always been a scarce and prized timber so is usually a sign that the antique item was expensive and well made at the time, sometimes by the very best makers and designers. Mahogany was first imported from the West Indies at the start of the 18th Century and continued to be popular up to the beginning of the 20th Century. It not only has an appealing red tone and grain but is strong and crisp to carve. However, Mahogany has also always been scarce, so almost from the start was also being used as a veneer as well as solid timber. Today antique mahogany is slightly less fashionable overall compared to other timbers (such as Oak) so can be purchased for less than in the past making them great value. In truth if you like the item or it suits the room, then that item is valuable to you either way.
What date is Georgian and Victorian Furniture?
The Georgian era in England (1714-1837) began with King George I in 1714 and ended with the death of George IV in 1830. However, for simplicity most people also include the subsequent reign of William IV from 1830-37 into the Georgian period. The Victorian era (1837-1901) began when Queen Victoria took to the throne in 1837 and until her death in 1901. When describing antique furniture people sometimes use the terms Georgian and Victorian somewhat loosely to also describe items created in the styles popular during those times.
What is vintage Furniture?
The phrase ‘Vintage Furniture’ is commonly used to describe a whole group of furniture that is not yet old enough to be antique. Many people and sales platforms deem that vintage items must be a minimum of 20 years old to be called Vintage and that they finally become Antique when they are at least 100 years old. In principle this is a pretty clear definition, but it is important to recognise that these are only guide-lines and some will use ‘Vintage’ to refer to even newer items in an older style.