How to know if your antique furniture is really an antique

Faux antiques sure might look pretty, but finding out that your newest acquisition was actually made last year by Bob down the road isn’t as romantic as having the real thing. So, here’s how to know if your antique furniture is really an antique.

1. Age

First and foremost, before we go anywhere else, let’s discuss age. This is obvious, but it can easily be overlooked as too obvious. While you don’t want your antique acquisition to look like it’s about to fall apart, you want to make sure it actually looks as old as it is. If you’re looking at a pristine chair from the 1950s and the seat fabric looks shiny and new, then this may be a sign that it’s not an antique. Of course, it also may be a sign that it was recently renovated so this is always good to check with the seller first.

2. Wood work details: Dovetails

Dovetails are a joinery technique most commonly used in woodworking. When you’re looking at a piece of furniture that excites you, take a look at the dovetail markings to determine whether they are hand cut or machine cut.

Hand cut dovetails are easy to spot—while they are neat, they are not perfect and you can sometimes see stress lines from where the woodworker used different tools on the wood. When it comes to machine cut dovetails they are perfect—so perfect that you can’t miss it. The symmetry is instantly noticeable and there probably won’t be any scuff marks. If the piece of furniture you’re looking at was supposedly made pre-machines, but the dovetails look too perfect then you can definitely rule out the ideas that it’s an antique.

And it’s good to note that while finding hand cut dovetails is great, it does not 100% guarantee that it’s an antique. However, it certainly is a great place to start.

3. Solid wood back

Most antiques will not have one solid wooden back and the outside of the back will be unfiished/and unstained. If the back is just one piece of wood, like plywood, it may not be an antique. Of course, someone may have replaced the real back during a renovation period, so that may be something to check with the seller if they know the history of the piece.

4. Dowels

Dowels are wooden rods often cut into short lengths and are used for structural reinforcements in cabinet making and other kinds of furniture. Dowels are usually seen in more modern furniture. If you can see them anywhere in the construction then it probably is not an antique.

5. Saw Marks

For your final inspection, take the time to look inside the piece of furniture, or underneath it (or anywhere that you may find the best spots of work that is not “finished” and presented for display. In these areas look for saw marks, or any other scuffs that look like they could have been made by carpentry tools. If there are none, then it’s likely that this piece is not an antique.

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