Antiques Shopping? Let Love Guide Your Search

Buying antiques is, for me, first and foremost a love affair. And as with any love affair, it isn’t approached with an analytical or clinical detachment, but with emotion … even passion.

The patina created on an 18th-century Georgian chest lovingly waxed over 200 years — the endearing imperfections that reveal the bumps and bruises of life — can stir the heart. Just the right proportion and depth of color on a Gaudy Welch teapot are enough to quicken the pulse, cause beads of sweat to appear on the brow and even cause a tear to be shed.

I’m not kidding you: These are the emotions I experience in the presence of certain antiques. I never know which ones will evoke this reaction, but when it happens, my wife can tell from my faraway gaze that I have fallen in love yet again. Room will have to be made in our little bungalow. Budgets will have to be readjusted. But this is love, after all.

Love trumps all. Love is the cardinal guideline for buying antiques, and should trump all others. A piece may be of great quality, have an envious pedigree (“This bowl belonged to Marie Antoinette’s pastry chef!”), look beautiful, fit perfectly in the spot you have in mind and be a great bargain to boot. But if you’re buying it for your home and you don’t love it, what’s the point?


Instinct. Love is also the magical ingredient for making things work together. I love this painted chest, and so can rest assured that it will look great with the finishes in my living room or bedroom because, after all, it’s my eye that has to be pleased, not my sister-in-law’s.

So if you love a thing enough to buy it, don’t worry too much about how it will go with what you already have. Trust your instincts. It will work …


… as in this awesome mix of elegant and rustic. You can tell that love gave the go-ahead on many purchasing and design decisions made for this room. The primitive chinked log walls provide a wonderfully unpolished background for the formal draperies and genteel mix of leather, chintz, blue and white Chinese porcelain, and antique English chest and mirror.

The Beatles must have been right: “All you need is love.”


Color outside the lines. In case you need further convincing, take a look at this interesting mix of a voluptuous carved gilt mirror, a rather straight-laced dresser and a painted Louis chair. Different styles, periods, finishes. All they have in common is the patina of age and good quality — not a whole lot else, except the love of their owner. And the look works!

I hope this gives you the freedom to color outside the lines when you’re buying antiques.


Quality. Although love is the main thing, it’s not the only thing. When you’re buying an antique, make sure you’re getting something that is of good quality, since age doesn’t guarantee quality. Some things were shoddily made centuries ago, just as they can be today.

Even if the piece was high quality when built, age can take its toll. So if you’re in love with a dresser like this one, check that the drawers slide smoothly and see if they are made with dovetail joints.


A dovetail joint is the strongest kind of joint for a drawer, and it will last for centuries. This is important on a drawer, because of all the movement and wear over time. The absence of dovetails shouldn’t necessarily be a deal breaker, as long as the rest of the piece is sturdy and the drawers slide well. But their presence is a good sign of quality.


Sitting on Jell-O. If you’re thinking of buying a chair because you love it, by all means sit in it and check it for comfort and for wobble. If it jiggles too much and you feel like you’re sitting on a bowl of Jell-O, you should probably move on, unless you’re good at gluing and clamping.


Common sense. There are other important clues for determining quality. Is the finish consistent? Is the piece appropriately “dirty” for its age? Does it have its original hardware? And so on.

But unless you’re a serious collector, care about provenance and are interested in investment value, the main thing is common sense. If it’s a functional piece, does it work well? Is it sturdy? That kind of thing.

If you love it, just don’t let your emotions blind you to the practical considerations.


Price. Speaking of practical considerations, what about price? It may seem a crass consideration in the context of a love affair. But when it comes to spending money, we all want the most bang for our buck.

Buying antiques can get you off on the right foot because — unlike brand-new furniture and accessories — they tend to hold more of their value. But you still need some kind of reference point to be confident you’re not paying too much. You may love this primitive bench, for instance, but is it worth $200 or $2,000?


Compare. Or what about this really beautiful 18th-century blue and white Spanish faience over the fireplace? How do we know what it’s worth?

There are at least three techniques that are helpful. First, compare. When I fall in love with something, I look around for similar things in stores, flea markets and antiques fairs, and get to know the market. Pretty soon I have a good feeling for whether the price is right, because I’ve seen enough examples to know what the piece usually sells for.


Research. Second, do your research. There are a ton of price guides for antiques in bookstores and online, and many antiques stores and malls sell them too. There are many sources online as well. (Simply search for “antique price guide.") Some are free; some are not. One of my favorites is WorthPoint.

Another thing I do online is to simply search using a phrase like “price for antique English Regency chair” (like the one pictured here). That will yield a lot of helpful information.


Ask. Once you get to know what an antique is generally worth in today’s market, you should always ask for a better price. Most antiques dealers expect a buyer to ask if there is any “room” in the price.

My wife, Becky, is really great at this. I am terrible. To me there is nothing more cringeworthy than bargaining over the price of something. But Becky has helped me to have a thicker skin. If I am really in love with a piece, I can now bring myself to ask a dealer something like, “Is that your best price?” They will almost always give me at least 10 percent off. So if you’re shy like me, be brave … you can do it!


Value. Finally, I may love a piece, and the price may be right (as I’ve determined through research), but the bottom line for some of us is, “Is it really a good value, or should I buy something new instead?”

Value is one of the reasons I love antiques. Because of construction techniques and labor costs, an antique will usually be of better quality than something new for the same price. And if I can find an antique piece that will function well to meet a specific need (like this imposing bookcase used for kitchen storage), there is great added value, because it brings a unique look and unexpected beauty and grace to what could be a very utilitarian function.

Isn’t it great to have something you love justify itself on practical grounds?


All of the above. So you might love an antique for its look, function, value, nostalgia, history and provenance, or “just because.” I think my blood pressure went up a tick at the sight of this spectacular antique secretary, and probably for a combination of all of the above reasons. After all, who can really make total sense of a love affair? But if you’re buying an antique for your home, be careful … you might be on the verge of a new romance.

More: Smart Shopper: How to Judge Antique Furniture Quality

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