Antique Coffee Table
If you want an added touch of elegance to your living room or den, an antique coffee table may be what you need. These coffee tables tend to be a centerpiece attraction, bringing with them a sense of age and dignity that can transform a standard room into something special. However, there is a lot you need to keep in mind if you want to buy an antique coffee table.
First, you must ensure that your antique coffee table is authentic. There are many retailers that specialize in making brand new furniture in older styles. This can sometimes make finding a truly antique piece of furniture difficult, as these styles are so similar to what was made in the past. Some antique stores will have certificates of authenticity. You should find out before you purchase if such a certificate is available.
If no certificate is available, you will need to examine photos or the actual antique coffee table to determine its authenticity. The major sign of a truly antique piece of furniture is the aging of the wood. Even well maintained and polished, the wood will age. Aged wood has a very distinctive appearance. While the appearance of aged wood can be imitated, many retailers will not do so. This makes it much easier to identify if your antique coffee table is authentic.
In addition to the appearance of age in the wood, an antique coffee table will lack in the modern workmanship often used by retailers. Glass is rarely used. Marble tops may be used, but in many cases, the stone will be well chipped and worn, as many years of use will wear down the material. The nails and screws used will be old fashioned, as many of the bonding tools used today did not exist when these pieces of furniture were crafted. Much of the wood working and tooling will look primitive compared to modern pieces of furniture. The wood working that is found on the legs and rims of an antique coffee table will rarely be perfectly symmetrical. It is these 'impurities' that will help you distinguish true antiques from imitations.
An antique coffee table can cost you less than a hundred dollars or up as high as thousands of dollars. There are many factors that will determine how much you pay for an antique coffee table. Among them is the condition of the table, as well as how old it is. The older the table, the more expensive it will be. The better the condition, the more expensive. If it is exceptionally old in good condition, you can expect to have to pay a great deal for the antique coffee table.