Sell and Buy Vintage Antiques » Vintage Home Collectibles

The Collectible Antique Armchair

Mike — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 20:45:07 +0000

Adding an antique armchair to your living room can be just the finishing touch you need. It is amazing that something as simple as a chair can have such a fabulous history. In the long span of historical epochs, furniture pieces have evolved. From the simple and utilitarian, they have been adorned with the most intricate of details and enhanced by flamboyant silhouettes and rich, heavily patterned fabrics. The wooden klismos chair of ancient Egypt was adapted by the French Regency period into a dainty upholstered chair. Fast forward to the 21st century, the well-known klismos chair took on a contemporary form with fully upholstered seat and sleek bended wood backrest however, innovations didn’t stop there, an entire chair made of mirror polished stainless steel was designed. Modern designs should be adored for their creative adaptation of the classic styles of long ago. The original designs however, should be revered for their excellent representations of significant and unforgettable eras of the past.

It is marvelous to travel through time and experience what people before us have touched, tasted, smelled, heard and saw. The sight of a magnificent Victorian balloon armchair in front of the fireplace in your living room at night sparks nostalgic emotions and remembrance of the past that fascinated your interest. Furniture pieces that we consider antiques today have enjoyed a vivid presence at the time when they were first made. That is not to say that they haven’t been bequeathed similar adorations from people today, but they have a completely different appeal now. A new aura has enveloped their repeated emergence in our abodes and in our lives. We have welcomed antique armchairs into our contemporary living rooms and bedrooms as guests who have outstanding and highly noticeable appearances.

The most recognizable antique armchairs have found their way in collectors’ homes and even in ordinary people’s houses wherein the owners have the penchant for all things old and grandiose. Some of these armchairs are too difficult to come by especially if you have set your eyes on the rare ones. You can source through antique shops in your neighborhood or browse for them on furniture websites on the internet. Perhaps, the missing piece to your elegant living room is the presence of a classic fully-upholstered neoclassic armchair with regal architectural columnar legs or it could be one of the historical antique armchairs defined below.

Pr Vintage 1975 Charles Polluck Knoll Leather Swivel Armchair Office Chairs
US $5.50

Vintage Nursery Chairs Matching Pair Art Deco Childs Club Chairs SHABBY CHIC
US $16.59

1960s Colonial Gothic Upholstered Arm Chair Vintage
US $29.00

Antique Plank Seat Spindle Back Arm ChairPainted Decor
US $29.99

Rococo
The graceful bergeres of the Rococo period are great finds for a contemporary living room with a classic touch. They have feminine carved frame and legs with light colored upholstery fabric that have a posh and classy appearance. Rococo bergeres have close armrest while their fauteuil counterpart have open and exposed arms that are usually padded with the same upholstery fabric as the seat and back cushion. What makes Rococo armchairs successfully adapt with interiors of the present is their subtle floral and abstract patterned upholstery, sinuous feminine carvings and their accommodating seat shape that can embrace the body with utmost comfort and ease. Their refined appearance brings a romantic charisma to a simple and modern interior space.

Queen Anne
The distinguishing design of Queen Anne armchairs is the slat back style of the backrest. They can be horizontal slats but the most common ones have one vertical slat in the middle with a vase-shaped form. These armchairs can be used in the dining room as functional dining chairs or they can be placed in the living room as accents and corner armchairs. The famous Queen Anne wing chair with fully upholstered seats and cabriole legs that have ball-and-claw foot design is a comfortable and luxurious piece suitable for the living room or the library.

The appearance of Windsor chairs also happened during the Queen Anne period. These armchairs are made from wood and their seats are shaped like saddles. The legs have turning designs and they are positioned in such a way that they slant outwards for better stability. You cannot mistake them for any other furniture type because of their identifiable turned spindle designs that line their back up to their armrests. They are suitable for country style kitchens and dining areas.

Victorian
The characteristics of Victorian chairs are best depicted in their balloon-shaped backs and curvilinear legs. They have elaborate carvings and full and overstuffed upholstery that are comforting and sinfully luxurious to lounge in. Victorian armchairs are sought after for their soft velvet upholstery, strategically tufted cushions and regally feminine appearance. Their fabrics possess the most vibrant of colors with royal purple, deep red, and dark brown. They are beautiful accent pieces in living rooms and functional lounge chairs in private libraries and bedrooms.

Chippendale
The armchairs of the Chippendale period have Chinese, Rococo and Gothic elements combined. They have fretworks and Chinese motifs such as pagoda, scrolls, monkeys and dragons in their backs and legs. The Gothic influences were carved motifs such as rosettes, flowers and arches. The prominent designs for the backs are splat, ribbon patterns and tracery. The fabrics used in upholstery included leather, velvet and brocade. These Chippendale armchair designs being the result of cultural fusions will lend a unique appeal to any interior that will be their home.

Adam, Hepplewhite and Sheraton
The three types of furniture pieces were named after their respective designers. They were designed during the Late Georgian period following Chippendale. Adam armchairs tended to be based on Classical Italian designs with festoons, honeysuckle and fret adornments on the back of the chairs. The chair legs were slender and they had the famous spade design for the feet. The Hepplewhite armchairs were smaller versions of the Adam’s and they have shield, interlacing heart, camel and oval backs. For the Sheraton chairs, straight lines were enforced on the legs and back but they were made with intricate motifs such as swags, vases, and urns. The backs can be distinguished from Adam and Hepplewhite creations because they were straight and rectangular. The legs had fluted vertical lines with round turned feet. The fabric used in Sheraton armchairs was commonly striped damask in subdued colors.

The Antique Desk

Mike — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:15:35 +0000

What could an Antique Desk Tell Us?

When I see an antique desk, I wonder who sat at it and what they wrote. Did Royalty plan a ball at that Victorian antique desk? Was part of our constitution written here on this mahogany antique writing desk? Was it a treasured addition to the room when they brought home the walnut antique roll top desk? When it arrived at a new home, was it welcomed for the value it would bring? How many children learned their lessons at the antique school desks? Did any famous authors sit there at the antique school desks?

The antique secretary desk became popular in the Eighteenth Century. These were a chest of drawers. The top drawer was quite deep. It would pull out half way and the front would fold down to make a flat writing surface. Inside there was a wonderful assortment of small drawers, pigeon holes, and cupboards. This antique secretary desk was placed in a gentleman's room. This gave the gentleman a writing desk where he could store all the supplies and have privacy when he did his correspondence. Underneath the top drawer, he could store his personal belongings.

Vintage 1930s Valentine Card Germany Glossy Die Cut Teacher PIG Old School Desk
US $5.50

LARGE 5 CIVIL WAR TINTYPE PHOTO ROLL TOP DESK BOY MAN
US $7.50

Antique elementry school students row type desk seat bench Cast iron and wood
US $9.99

Antique elementry school student row type desk seat bench Cast iron and wood
US $9.99

The American style of antique desk featured different materials at different times. Oak was popular from 1540 to 1660. Then walnut became the wood of choice from 1660 until 1730. The years from 1730 to 1840 were the mahogany time. The Victorian era ran from 1830 to 1901. During this time, the antique desk chair matched the antique desk with both wood and style. Usually, the chair was made from solid wood. Occasionally, caning was used in the center of the back of the chair for accent.

In Europe there were many, many different styles of the antique desk during the last 400 years. The antique Chippendale desks were made of mahogany and featured the Chinese motifs, scrolls and claws. William and Mary antiques had a distinctive style with woodcarvings with high relief made from maple, walnut or pine. Their period was relatively short, only from 1700 to 1730.

Over the centuries the different antique desk could be very ornate and inlaid with other woods to create decorations. Some had beautiful hand carved wooden designs, delicate legs, and a variety of woods, including Burr walnut.

Antique desks for sale draw interest from around the world. These are very popular with collectors and interior decorators who are looking for that special antique to finish a room. Many antique buffs compete to find a special mahogany roll top desk to put in the library or an antique desk chair to complete the study.

Vintage Figurines

Mike — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 03:28:51 +0000

A very popular collectible that I see for sale a lot is filling up shelf space in almost every home I've ever visited. I'm talking about vintage figurines. You know, the old Precious Moments or Snowbabies ones that are often being sold at the front of bigger greeting card and collectibles stores.

Of course the ones you see on sale there are the current ones. What I look for when I go out hitting estate sales, and what many people are now focusing on collecting are the vintage statues. These are often retired by the companies that make them. Unlike so many other collectibles, these usually really do stay retired and often, they are retired before hundreds of millions of them are produced. For collectors who did not get their hands on them during the original run, this can mean paying some premium prices for the sake of completing a collection.

Decorative small porcelain china oriental eastern style colored ELEPHANT
US $.01

Decorative small eco pure wooden CAT with black eyes
US $.01

Collectible vintage cabinet brass lock and key fish figurine
US $.01

Erphila Figurine Of a Man Playing The Fiddle Made in Germany
US $.01

The good news for collectors of vintage figurines is that you can often get your hands on these for a fair price on eBay if you keep your eyes open and are diligent about checking every week or so. This can happen when there are not too many other interested buyers at the time you check.

Of course, not all figurines are created equal and not all of them are in demand. Right now, popular searches for vintage figurines include clowns and dogs made by Lladro, Pendelfin figures (include bunnies or rabbits in your search), Goebel figurines, Snowbabies, and a very wide variety of Willow Tree Collectibles.

Not all of these popular brands are actually old enough to be considered true vintage, but often, people list anything retired with that label attached. You never really know what someone selling one of these items will list it as if they are not an experienced seller. For that reason, it can be a good practice to run a couple of searches, including the term "retired figurine" in one of them.

If you are a person looking to buy these up in bulk at estate sales, educate yourself first. There are a couple of ways that these sales sometimes go. One is when sellers just want to get things moved along to clear an estate or prepare for a move. These folks will sometimes be happy to cut a deal to get everything moved out at once. The other side of the coin is people who are probably having second thoughts about selling the collection at all. They often will price things rather high to begin with and then not even be willing to strike a bargain for buying in quantity. It would probably be best to just walk away from that situation unless you know that there are some really valuable pieces included in the lot.

Some people really go all out with their collectible figurines. Here is a great video that shows how someone did more than just store their collectibles on a shelf. It's beautiful!

Antique Wall Clocks

Mike — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 02:55:53 +0000

Antique Wall Clock

The first time I realized how valuable and expensive an antique wall clock could be, was at an estate sale that I visited. I think the gentleman who owned the estate had been some type of top level executive in a major national corporation. The house was beautiful. It was filled with unbelievable hand carved wood everywhere. It looked as though he was a serious art collector as well. Rooms were just overflowing with what looked like museum pieces as they tried to show off every item to possible buyers. I could tell just by looking around that prices were going to be out of my league.

There were actually two antique wall clocks that hung in separate rooms. They were both beautiful, but they were noticeably different in style. One was much bigger than the other, both were made of wood and we're very well maintained. I asked the gentleman who seemed to be in charge to tell me about the large antique wall clock. He gave me many details, but to be honest most of them went right past me because I am not any kind of serious clock collector. I just liked the clock. He explained that it was an antique German wall clock and that it had been made sometime around 1890. He said it would most likely sell for at least $1500. Without my asking, he went on to tell me that the other clock I had seen was actually older. It was a Seth Thomas regulator made from walnut. I only remember that because I had heard of Seth Thomas clocks before and the "Regulator" name stuck in my head. The gentleman predicted that the Seth Thomas wall clock would sell for slightly less than the other one. I just nodded and grinned because I knew that I could not afford either one of them, but they sure were nice looking clocks.

Antique beautiful Dutch Sallander clock TEMPUS FUGIT Special and big 28
US $.99

Antique 19th C German Regulator Wall Clock Gustav Becker NO RESERVE
US $.99

Antique Wall Clock Regulator 1870Th Century
US $.99

Antique JEWEL regulator WALL CLOCK GIANT JUNGHANSc1920 1940vintage
US $1.00

As it turns out, antique wall clocks are pretty good sellers on eBay as well as at estate sales. And as I looked through the wall clocks for sale on eBay, I could not help but think that if I had actually had enough money to work with, I probably could have resold those clocks for a very quick profit. To be honest though, I would imagine that I probably would have had to pay for those clocks to be professionally packed to avoid any possible damage. That is a bit inconvenient, but I suppose for that kind of money, it would be worth paying for to ensure the clock's safety. I should also mention at this point that not all of the antique wall clocks offered up for sale on eBay are as expensive as the ones I mentioned. There are many that cost much less. The cost is related to the age, condition, and of course the maker of the clock. These are obviously things you should be able to learn from any decent auction listing.

Checking out the completed listings on eBay for these old clocks was really interesting. I found that there was a large regulator wall clock from Czechoslovakia that sold for $10,000 recently. That is one heck of a clock! I really only expected to see clocks made from wood when I started my search, but I found that there were also several antique French wall clocks made from bronze. They also seem to be quite popular.

If you are in the market to buy an antique wall clock, the prices were at least comparable to what I came across at the estate sale I mentioned. It would definitely be worth your time to take a look. My advice would be to contact the seller so that you can be certain about the shipping method that will be used and what precautions will be taken to make sure that the clock arrives at your home safely. You may want to note that eBay now has a policy, if I'm not mistaken, that puts the responsibility for insurance on the seller's shoulders. Be sure to ask about that.

If you are looking to sell an antique wall clock, do your research. Include as many details as possible about the clock and its history. If you know the year that it was produced, include that in your auction listing. People may be spending a lot of money on the clock you're selling and it is your responsibility to provide them with as many truthful details as possible. As I mentioned in the last paragraph, as the seller of such a valuable piece of merchandise, you will need to make sure that it arrives safely at its destination. Before I ever listed it for sale, I would talk to local clock makers as well as a professional packing service to find out what requirements would be necessary to keep the antique wall clock safe and sound on the trip to its new owner.

I found this video of an antique wall clock and thought I would include it here. It was shot specifically to show off an eBay listing. The clock is probably long since sold, but it brings up the fact that with digital video so readily available today, many sellers would be wise to include a short video with their auctions. Especially when moving parts are involved, it can be really make or break a deal. If you are a buyer, consider asking the seller to post a video if they haven't thought of it on their own.

Vintage Coffee Table

Mike — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:48:01 +0000

Personally, I haven't had a coffee table in a while. The reason is that we've had kids running around for a while. The kids are great, but when they are little, they just seem to be drawn to the corners of coffee tables like little magnets. That said, the vintage coffee table is a great seller on eBay. Before we had any children, we did have a very nice mirror coffee table. I did not know too much about eBay back then and we sold it locally for a lot less than we probably could have gotten if we had put it up for some bidding. Oh well, live and learn.

French country style vintage inlaid coffee table
US $35.00

VINTAGE MID CENTURY COFFEE TABLE HOLLYWOOD REGENCY
US $29.99

Vintage LANE Coffee Table GORGEOUS Pick Up only
US $200.00

Very Cool Empress VINTAGE Brandt Coffee End Side Table Needs TLC
US $39.99

Vintage and antique coffee tables are very popular pieces of furniture. For those folks in a position to think more about fine decor than I am right now, they can be a wonderful addition to a room. There are some very creatively designed vintage coffee tables out there.

People often look to eBay for second hand furniture for at least a couple of reasons. Some people are looking for cheap vintage furniture. They like the look and figure that it might come cheap because it isn't new. Others scour sites like eBay and Craigslist looking for one particular piece of furniture that would be just the right touch to finish off their home decor. These folks are often the people who are ready and willing to pay whatever it takes to get the look they desire. For some pieces of vintage furniture, prices can get quite high. This can be a real hit or miss item. Really, anything vintage is that way, but older furniture is something that people specifically search out. People will spend months, or even years looking for specific antique desks or china closets that they simply must have. After all of that searching, paying a price that is on the high side becomes a little bit more acceptable to them.

If you are looking to sell, well, you might be in luck. As I mentioned, often, people are looking for just the right coffee table to put into their homes. If you happen to own something that captures a lot of attention, you could find yourself rewarded handsomely. I don't know that I'd recommend sellers putting a starting price too low for a vintage coffee table. There is always a chance that no one will be all that interested and then you could end up having to deal with the hassle of shipping a 99 cent coffee table across the country. Keep your starting price reasonable and fair, but realize that many of these old coffee tables sell with just one bid in on them.

Sell and Buy Vintage Antiques » Vintage Home Collectibles

The Collectible Antique Armchair

Related Posts:

The Antique Desk

Related Posts:

Vintage Figurines

Related Posts:

Antique Wall Clocks

Related Posts:

Vintage Coffee Table

Related Posts: