The Antique Refinishing Myth
We have a tendency to've all heard the stories: An elderly couple finds a very nice highboy at a garage sale, however it has a unhealthy finish. They take the highboy to a refinisher who strips and refinishes it in a lovely mahogany. Once the refinishing, the couple finds that what they have could be a 200 year recent Philadelphia Highboy that would have been price $230,000 if they had just left it alone and not refinished it. As a result of it absolutely was refinished, the value is only $twenty three,000.
Hogwash. I don't believe a word of it. This situation could happen occasionally, but it's extremely rare, as a result of such furniture is extraordinarily rare. Stories like this one have gone viral on the internet to the purpose that everybody believes that "don't refinish antiques" is that the truth. After all, Antiques Roadshow has perpetuated the myth. Or have they? I regularly hear from clients that they "heard on Antiques Roadshow that refinishing antique furniture hurts its' value". Did they very? In an exceedingly letter to Professional Refinishing Magazine in June 2002, Peter Cook, Govt Producer of Antiques Roadshow, said this: "Well-conceived and well executed refinishing and restoration typically enhances the price of simply regarding any piece of previous furniture. Exceptions are those rare (usually museum-quality) items that have somehow survived in great original condition".
As a customer once said to me: "I don't care about its' value. I wish to use it now. Broken and ugly is still broken and ugly, and if it does not look nice I won't have it in my home". With Mr. Cook's tips in mind, there are 3 queries we have a tendency to will ask to help us decide whether or not or not to refinish our antique furniture.
Let's start with query number one: is it really an antique? Nowadays, words like antique, vintage, and heirloom are used interchangeably and usually not terribly accurately. Within the US, an antique is technically an item that is over one hundred years old and at least eighty% original. If you suspect that an item might be a rare, museum-quality piece, have it inspected by an expert. If the item isn't a rare, museum-quality piece, then it's a candidate for complete refinishing.
Question number two: is it valuable? Just as a result of one thing is previous, does not mean it's valuable. Additionally to being old, antiques will have each intrinsic (of the item) and extrinsic (outside the item) value. Intrinsic worth components embrace condition, authenticity, quality, vogue and material. Extrinsic value could be a matter of rarity (offer) and demand for the item. If an item is recent however terribly common, it's doubtless not value very much. If an item is rare but created of low-cost materials and in poor condition, it is seemingly not price terribly much. If an antique is rare, authentic, in good condition, and well created, it could be a valuable item. Old, funky wanting furniture does not have terribly abundant market appeal, so refinishing could really create an item more valuable. As Mr. Cook said, "refinishing enhances the price of simply concerning any piece of old furniture".
Our final question is: who's going to do the refinishing? Refer again to Mr. Cook's statement: "well conceived and well executed refinishing". Refinishing and restoring antique furniture is a skilled trade, not a do-it-yourself project. The do-it-yourself provides and materials accessible down at the Home Depot are fully inappropriate for restoring antiques. The "instant refinishers" and polyurethane finishes, even when applied per the directions, make the furniture look cheap and covered in plastic. Positive, if you refinish the piece, the furniture could look better than it did. But, a skilled refinisher is aware of techniques to bring out the wonder of the wood during a method that an amateur never could. Remember, you're looking for a refinishing job that is well conceived and well executed.
Should you refinish your antique furniture? Unless the antique in query may be a rare, museum-quality piece, you'll be snug that refinishing will enhance its' value, not destroy its' value.
Author Resource:-
Jerry Powell has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in Antiques, you can also check out latest website about
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