The thing to remember, karen says, is that the finish in a piece of wood either adds to its value. If you really need a documented estimate of a books value for probate or insurance purposes then visit your local rare bookshop and pay for a formal appraisal. Send pictures, or you may want to send the book itself. This process destroys significant portions of antique value in furniture and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. It may be that the old finish itself contributes to the value of the furniture. Ultimately, according to an article in professional refinishing magazine by peter cook, a senior producer for antiques roadshow, the distinction is less about the type of object and more about its inherent value. Easy to read and understand by someone who has experience in furniture repair, etc.
See more ideas about antique restoration, restoration and antiques. Physical structural replacement or reinforcement of parts of the original piece. Linda edelstein and pat morse have been involved in the antique business for over thirty years. Homeadvisors furniture refinishing or painting price guide lists average prices of furniture restoration, including the cost to refinish a table, dining room set. Antique furniture comes in all different styles and pieces. These, too, can be refinished or restored relatively guiltfree. Restore old furniture and get those antique pieces back in vogue. Condition is very important and will greatly influence value. A practical illustrated guide for the buyer and restorer of antique furniture 2nd revised edition by bennett, michael isbn. Exceptions are those rare often museumquality pieces that have somehow survived in. How to recognize and refinish antiques for pleasure and profit. Free online antique price guides and resources with images. How can owners of antique furniture preserve their finishesand the value of their antiques. Their bylined column is the longestrunning syndicated weekly column in the country, distributed to more than 150 newspapers.
Never paint or refinish furniture with real or sentimental value. Most hard cover books published since the early 20th century were sold with a dust jacket. It is also called a letter press or a letter copy press. One update to this guide in comparison to kovels antiques and collectibles price list volumes published many years ago is that it does have color photos.
I have cleaned the dirt and surface rust off the device and want to apply a finish that stabilizes the surface but still leaves a. You can compare several copies of the same book in different conditions to most closely match your own book to it. Follow these 6 steps to restoring old furniture, and your family heirlooms will stay in tact for years to come. Before you begin, always read the labels and understand the instructions on. Kovels antiques, collectibles information identifying. Wellconceived and wellexecuted refinishing and restoration usually enhances the value of just about any piece of old furniture.
And its one antiques appraiser tom basset gets asked a lot. Free online antique price guides and resources lovetoknow. How restoration affects value of antiques lovetoknow. This kind of firearm has a projectile or propellant charge that is loaded from the muzzle the open end of the barrel of the gun. Tips on how to buy and sell antique and vintage furniture. Youve heard that refinishing old furniture can diminish the value. Keep in mind that im a professional refinisher, so my views are suspect too, but i do know all sides of this question and where it comes from. Figure out when its okay to clean, repair and refinish an antique piece. Refinishing old or antique wooden furniture is a popular hobby and has been growing in interest over the past several years. Evaluate the original finish restore antique furniture. Understanding how to assess the quality of antique furniture and how to care for it can make a difference when selecting a piece. When is okay to repair and refinish antique furniture.
Awhile ago, we at antiques roadshow received a letter from professional refinishing editor bob flexner, pointing out that our apparent obsession my word, not his with original finish has had the effect of misleading the public about what repairing and refinishing actually do to the value of furniture. Do any work that would detract from the value of a book. This is a great book for any person trying to save money repairing furniture finishes, recovering a damaged antique or trying to prevent a rip off by an unsavory seller, who manufactured an antique to sell. If your interest is in restoring antique or valuable old furniture, look first at products designed to clean and restore antique furniture without refinishing. Sooner or later, every woodworker is faced with the prospect of refinishing an old piece of furniture. Presents a guide to repairing antique wooden furniture, and information on the. There are plenty of antiques out there that arent worth much. Removing a finish and applying a new finish in its place. Learn to identify antique furniture for refinishing. Your local library andor bookstore is a good place to start your research. In this video i restore this antique book press qualityd to full functioning order. Its a creative and rewarding diy project that can provide you with eclectic and highquality pieces for your home or office space.
Had to remove about 600 nails, then put them back again. For metal furniture, there are two main steps required. Unless the piece is an american masterpiece of antique furniture or finished with a handpainted technique some finishes are actually lesser woods painted to look like a tiger oak or birds eye maple, for example, and those techniques add value when they stay in place over time, cleaning andor restoring the piece may actually do you more good than harm when it comes to value. Always get a receipt especially from auctioneers or antique dealers. A beatenup old book that is falling apart will have little value. Almost every seller prefers cash, so use every trick in the book. Homeadvisor s furniture refinishing or painting price guide lists average prices of furniture restoration, including the cost to refinish a table, dining room set, wood chair, pool table and more. How to start an antique restoration business with pictures. About the book, how to recognize and refinish antiques for pleasure and profit by bob brooke, antiques writer and collector. Whether its a treasured find at a flea market or auction, or a favor for a relative or friend, etc.
How to refinish andor restore wood furniture, antiques, cabinets, and architectural woodwork. Rare books and manuscripts section rbms of the association of college and research libraries has provided a guide that addresses some frequently asked questions about rare and older books and their values. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. That retaining the original finish on your furniture helps retain the furnitures character and value. Find prices to restore custom, antique furniture and more. The cost of the restoration is typically quite high, but it also. Find the market value of your old books by checking several places online abe books is an online database that allows you to search for antique and vintage books. You can find more detail about these types or presses. They have previously published the book antique trunks, a time line of trunks, an identification and price guide on antique. The dust jacket is both the most decorative part of a book, and the most delicate. Nice trunks when theyre in good condition, but sometimes a complete makeover is in order. Furniture reupholstery, fabric stores, refinishing services. Antique firearms are usually divided into two basic types. Once you have your card or check book ready, ask if there is an extra discount for paying with cash.
The value of antique furniture can vary widely, even when dealing with very old pieces. Use smooth, evenpressure sanding to avoid butcherblock valleys or a wavy surface. Both modern and antique arms are popular with collectors. Collectors do not purchase muzzleloaders to fire them. Always test such products in an inconspicuous area before use.
Do anything that would alter the specific markings of a rare book to increase or decrease its value. Antiques often require the fabrication of missing or damaged pieces, then need refinishing to match the surrounding finish. In 2002, peter cook, the executive producer of antiques roadshow wrote a letter to professional refinishing magazine stating wellconceived and wellexecuted refinishing and restoration usually enhances the value of just about any piece of old furniture. Cost to refinish furniture estimates and prices at fixr. May involve addition of new materials altered to appear aged. Another case where you should not refinish wood furniture is if the piece is a valuable antique or a unique designer piece that, although not an antique, nevertheless has a lot of value. Antique restoration how to restore antiques extra mile. Exceptions are those rare often museumquality pieces that. To an untrained eye, the gun may have looked ok, but it earned a poor rating due to the shoddy refinishing. As the basis for this position, people would and still do cite the experts on the television show antiques roadshow on pbs.
The invaluable guide to antique and collector firearms. Many people prefer to maintain the existing worn finish, so matching that finish can be challenging, but we can usually create a very convincing match. Make sure it states the age, style, wood type, value, and if there was any damage or restoration. I am an antique collector and i recently acquired a 19th century cast iron book press for my wife who is an artist and art book maker. Those are limited to 2,500 in this volume, so a fraction of the items valued in the book are actually depicted. And the were not just in the business on furniture repair, were in the business of preserving your familys history.
Can you restore a rare book that would be valuable if it were in better condition. For example, a wooden chair from the 1960s with a cushioned seat may increase in value significantly when you reupholster it. Im going to be completely honest and blunt about this question. They have written a number of articles on antique trunks, antique fountain pens, and other subjects. A book that has significant damage is likely not worth much. Tincovered trunk we removed all of the dull tin, the refinished the wood beneath. Antiquerare book restoration leonards book restoration. Check nearby public libraries for collectibles price guides, for example, kovels antiques and collectibles price list and warmans.
The refinish nothing position mirrored the publics widespread belief that refinishing any older piece would greatly reduce its monetary value and should be avoided. Sand the top, beginning with 80grit paper and proceeding to finer grades. But theres a lot to know when it comes to taking on a diy furniture refinishing project. We do restoration work on books worth several thousand dollars, but. Many antique dealers and restorers have areas of specialization that theyre known for.
Apply a light coat of mineral oil, or butcher block oil to what will become the underside of the butcher block. If you suspect you own a highvalue or museumquality piece, have it. At astonish restoration, we hope to amaze, astound, floor and perhaps even bowl you over. Confirm that you are not removing the patina from an expensive antique. When it comes to refinishing antique furniture, these tips will help you retain a pieces value. Before you refinish antique furniture, its important to evaluate whether its worthy of saving. The size of the metal furniture is the main cost influence. Hailed as the duke and duchess of the antiques world, they have written more than 100 books and special reports about collecting. Antique furniture valueshould you refinish, or not. Let the record show that antiques roadshow generally agrees with this notion.
582 1327 366 1298 1462 737 1326 745 917 563 1275 566 1191 1286 1241 1564 1353 540 1116 1290 20 1261 460 1481 1362 854 751 223 1289 789 85 20 1008 1087 1482 655