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Key Clues to Antiques
Clues on silver
* Patina (due to oxidation and handling)
should be overall with no obvious inperfections
* Over-cleaning makes the piece look too white.
* Marks should follow the shape of the piece:
in a circle if the bottom is round and in a line
if the bottom is square.
Clues on furniture
* Is the wood used right for the period? There
are general time spans for the 3 main woods.
Oak period up to c1670
Walnut period c1670-1735
Early mahogany period c1735-1770
Late mahogany period C1770-1810
* Is evidence of ware on arms, strechers, legs,
and handles convincing?
* There should be patches of discoloration around
the heads screws, nails, handles,escutcheons
(keyhole plates), and in corners.
* Is the carving original? Early carving stands proud of the surrounding area.
Clues on ceramics
* Many marks are workmans or gilders' marks.
* Early marks were applied by hand, so no two
were alike.
* Pattern numbers on a piece tend to be after 1905 but are usually much later.
* Limited or Ltd is unlikely before 1860 and is
much more common after 1885.
* An impressed Trade Mark is after 1862.
* The word Royal is late 19th century.
* If the name of a country: for example
"France", on the bottom of a piece, it was
probably made after 1891. If "Made in France"
it is probably after 1921--but could be much
later than that.
Clues on glass
* The foot of an 18th century wine glass should
be wider than the rim.
* Up to c1860, colored glass tended to be restricted to tumblers, decanters, and
bottles and was not that common.
* Old engraving shows gray when backed by white cardboard; new engraving is white
and has a powdery appearance.
* resource Antiques Investigator
