Speaking of Antiquing – May 2019

The glory of antique furniture, be it a piece from the Federalist period, the Victorian era, mid-century Modern, English or American, it’s all about the wood. You identify wood by its grain. Wood can be stained any color, so it’s important to know what you’re looking at.

Mahogany is from South America and the West Indies. It is a close-grained hardwood of varying color from dark brown to reddish. Mahogany furniture became popular in the mid-18th Century, from Georgian through Victorian to contemporary. Durable and lovely, Mahogany pieces are heirloom quality if cared for with a good polishing.

Oak is a heavy hardwood that has a very distinctive grain. Furniture from this wood can be found from the Elizabethan period forward. Oak has been used in making drawers to tabletops. White or red oak can be stained any color for a striking golden effect. American furniture from the Arts and Crafts movement of the Victorian era gave us the Stickley and Mission Oak styles.

Teak is a heavy, strait grain hardwood, yellow to dark brown. Used for outdoor furniture due to its durability, and also as veneer. Largely used in Scandinavian and Oriental furniture, it’s heavy, yet easy to carve.

Walnut is a hard, close strait-grained wood with color from dark chocolate brown to light grey. Preferred for furniture, and not quite as heavy as Oak.

Maple is a very hard light-colored wood with fine texture and even grain and has been used as a veneer from the Regency period, Victorian era, and American Colonial. The veneer called Bird’s-Eye is speckled with a distinctive effect that polishes beautifully. Maple was preferred by Ethan Allen for its rich hue and durability and is grown in the eastern United States.

Cherry is another close-grain hardwood, light brown to red. It makes lovely table tops, as it is resistant to warping. It is used as thick veneer as it is easy to carve. Colonial and French Provincial furniture have cherry as a secondary wood for the embellishments.

Elm is a durable wood with an attractive grain. Used generally for chairs and small tables, as well as secondary wood for drawers. Other popular secondary wood is Ash, Beech, Pine and Sycamore.

Ebony is a dark black, dense wood from Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and India. The wood is smooth and easily worked to create stunning ornamentation. You will find Oriental Antique furniture made from ebony.

Cedar is an aromatic wood from the southern US, Central and South America. It’s knotty softwood is reddish brown and repels moths naturally so it was used for blanket chests, drawers, trunk lining, and boxes.

Pine from the Northern Hemisphere has a strait grain and is softwood of white or yellowish color. It is useful for primary and secondary use and absorbs paint well and is lightweight. It’s great for chairs and cabinets.

You never know what style will show up at Pickety Place, so don’t be afraid to ask for something specific.