The pages in this site will be
dedicated to information related to
European, English, American and Swedish antiques.
You will also find helpful information on the
care and repair of antiques, old furniture & porcelain.
Buying antique & old furniture is a good form of recycling & helps to save our depleted forests!
NOTE: This page is meant to be an information resource for antique & old enthusiasts and takes no responsibility for the information provided.
Broad European Chart
taken from an old antique reference book
(some years are approximated)
| Style | England | France | Germany | Nordic | Italy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roman | 1000 - 1200 | 1000 - 1150 | 1000 - 1250 | 1000 - 1250 | 1000 - 1250 |
| Gothic | 1200 - 1480 | 1150 - 1415 | 1250 - 1425 | 1250 - 1435 | 1250 - 1380 |
| Late Gothic | ---- | 1415 - 1500 | 1425 - 1525 | 1435 - 1525 | 1380 - 1425 |
| Tudor | 1480 - 1550 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
Young Renaissance |
---- | 1500 - 1535 | 1525 - 1575 | 1525 - 1575 | 1425 - 1515 |
High Renaissance |
---- | 1535 - 1625 | 1575 - 1635 | 1575 - 1635 | 1515 - 1575 |
| Elizabethan | 1550 - 1600 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| Stewart | 1600 - 1650 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| Baroque | ---- | 1625 1650 | 1635 - 1715 | 1660-1720 | 1575 - 1715 |
| Late Baroque | ---- | ---- | 1715 - 1730 | 1720 - 1750 | 1715 - 1730 |
| Louis XVI | ---- | 1650 - 1700 | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| Regency | ---- | 1700 - 1725 | ---- | ---- | ---- |
Cromwell
|
1640 - 1700 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| Queen Anne | 1702 - 1714 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| Rococo | ---- | ---- | 1730 - 1775 | 1750 . 1775 | 1730 - 1765 |
| Louis XV | ---- | 1715 - 1774 | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| Louis XVI | ---- | 17 | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| Directoire | ---- | 1785 - 1800 | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| Chippendale | 1730 - 1780 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
Hepplewhite Sheraton |
1760 - 1800 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| Gustaviansk | ---- | ---- | ---- | 1775 - 1810 | ---- |
| Empire | 1804 - 1815 | 1804 - 1815 | 1800 - 1810 | 1810 - 1830 | 1800 - 1825 |
| Biedermier | ---- | ---- | 1815 - 1825 | ---- | ---- |
| Kr. VII | ---- | ---- | ---- | 1810 - 1830 | ---- |
| Mixed Styles | 1820 - 1850 | 1820 - 1850 | 1830 - 1850 | 1830 - 1895 | 1825 - 1850 |
Chart stops at year 1850
The Golden Century
(1700's to early 1800's)
English, French, and American Furniture Styles / Makers
| Period: | Year: | Period: | Year: |
|
1668 - 1702 1702 - 1714 1730 - 1780 1725 - 1825 1758 - 1792 1760 -1776 1790 - 1806 1793 - 1820 |
|
1648 - 1715 1715 - 1774 1730- 1774 - 1793 1795 - 1804 1804 - 1815 1700- 1900's |
|---|
Old Treasures - Go to yard/garage sales and second hand stores. If it looks like junk it can be turned into a timeless treasure or heirloom with just a little restoration. Paint, wax and or stains can work wonders on old furniture just be sure to be respectful of the pieces history. Its a good idea to appraise an antique before re-doing, painting , or reupholstering it. And try to leave the original cloth on the piece of furniture unless the cloth is completely unrepairable or unsightly.
Tip #1- When reupholstering a piece of furniture remember that the "tighter" you pull the cloth over the filling the better and more professional the reupholstering job looks. But personally it should be up to what you think often stripes and checkered fabric is the hardest to line up so give it a little leeway. And keep the nails closer to the edge it will make it easier to take them out the next time you reupholster. If you are reupholstering with stripes and checkered patterned cloth be sure to line it up as closely as possible. If it is possible to reuse the old nails do so. If the cloth is old and unusable or unsightly then change it but its always better to have the original cloth on the chair if possible. Leaving the old cloth on if its in pretty good shape adds to the value and historical worthiness of the piece of furniture. Tip #2 - It's better to sew your trim instead of gluing it to your piece of furniture because after some years the glue will be likely to come off because of natural room humidity and daily wear and tear. Tip #3 - if you reupholster a piece of furniture try to use fabrics that fit with the piece and make sure the "trim covers the nails." Tip #4 - Use wood glue to put loose pieces of wood back together. Using wood decorations can help to cover unsightly damage, scratches or groves in antique furniture. Silver, Copper, & Metals Look for these marks on your silver!
To clean copper - Cut a fresh lemon half and dip in salt then rub onto the copper. |
Collecting porcelain is a timeless tradition. It is often given as a priceless heirloom to be kept and cherished through the years. Fine china is usually given at weddings, birthdays, or special occasions. Porcelain was invented in China 1000BC and in the 13th century brought to Europe. China kept the art of porcelain making a well kept secret so a German alchemist (Augustus II) re-invented it in 1709.
Did you break a piece of priceless porcelain? Here is a source to help you fix the problems. Tip #1 - Spur marks (bumps on porcelain) often means the dish was fired on a metal trivet and that's its 18-19th century in origin. Tip #2 - Always be sure to buy the right repair material. Ask professional restorers and a hardware store that specializes in providing materials for porcelain repair. Tip #3 - Use the correct types of glues to glue your piece back together. You should decide also if you intend to use the piece everyday or as a show piece. Use water resistant glues. Tip #4 - Often with old porcelain its better to keep the porcelain with the old repairs if its been repaired once its not good to repair it a second time. After 10 years or so most fillers show up again because its not actually part of the pottery. It all depends on what you want to use the piece for; decoration or use. Be careful with your old porcelain and remember that dishwashers, electric or microwave ovens didn't exist not so long ago in the past so the old porcelain you have now probably isn't made to take the rough treatment given to it by modern household conveniences. If you want your old porcelain to last a while hand wash it only with gentle soap. A way to clean Porcelain is to soak it in "Hydrogen Peroxide" (the kind hair dressers use) make sure there isn't any heat or flame around because HP is highly flammable. Leave the china to soak in the Hydrogen Peroxide for a few days. Mending cracked China/Porcelain - place cracked piece of porcelain in the oven on low heat and allow it to get warm but not hot. Take some epoxy resin and mix it with special porcelain paint (use a color that closely matches the porcelain) place masking tape across the crack to support the join and leave overnight to dry. Old Porcelain that is cracked, broken, or chipped shouldn't necessarily be thrown away! Often if something has seen many years whatever it might be its going to show some signs of its age so wear and tear can often add charm to a piece, So try to piece together your old broken porcelain or have it professionally repaired. If not then here are some ideas that you can use old porcelain for.
Budget ideas to pack porcelain and smaller antiques for shipping.
Thanks to Ashley and Kris on rec.antiques for these great ideas! Chintz Porcelain
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A good way to tell the difference between silk and cotton is take a small piece or burn a few strands of material - if it smells like burning vegetable its cotton if it smells like burning hair its silk.´ Antique Linen can add to the romantic atmosphere for a table setting with old porcelain and silverware.
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The worlds rich antique history.
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Scandinavia & Sweden has thousands of years of furniture related history of its own. Swedish style is simple but practical. Also take a look at my "Swedish Antique & Old" page..
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Tips & Ideas:
Cleaning old white marble: Use bleach and water
to clean marble.
Cleaning Linen & Lace: use stain removers or try to get the stains
out with soap or bleach, try lemon juice hand wash!
Reupholster furniture with antique embroidered linen: If furniture fits
the style of the embroidery use it!
To make furniture look old fashioned: Use antique
handles/knobs/painting effects like wax under an area before
you paint to get the distressed look. Use aging solutions or wood
decorations that can be found at hardware stores.
"Cleaning sick glass": Use concentrated bleach or white
vinegar, let set for a day or two
When people pass away or items have some occult background they could leave behind a remnant of themselves within an item or a piece of furniture. So when you purchase an item it might be a good idea to find out a bit of its background. And as this next story suggests, try not to let your imagination get the best of you! It's funny that you folks bring up haunted objects at this time because......... Six years ago I bought an old wooden box with a lid that came from a 19th century whaling ship and may have held 'blubber candles'. Well, for the past six years I've often heard the lid to this box banging up & down during the wee early morning hours and scaring me to death. I imagine that it's the ghost of a 19th century character with a peg leg or a HOOK for hand, with an eyepatch and a dagger between his teeth. SO, the other night when I heard that noise again, I took my .38 and fired 3 shots into the box....... OOPS ! Imagine my surprise when I opened the lid and only found the body of Midnight ,our beloved Cat. Here.. kitty, kitty. Now, I can't get this damned meowing out of my ears in the early morning hours.....it could happen, A special thanks to "SmorgassBored/ Doug W." for letting me use his story! Other Stories: |
Definition of "What is an Antique?" - There are two schools of thought in this category! On one side the purists define an antique as being anything made before "1830" or an item that's at least a "100 years old." So something that was produced in "1898" would be 100 years old right now. But since the 1980's people have come to define antiques as "anything made before the outbreak of the 2nd World War" and the cut off point is 1940. Definition of "What is Antiquities?" - things pertaining to Ancient Greece, Egyptian, (International) or Roman artifacts. These items tend to be rarer but can still be purchased in today's market. Things that are at least a thousand or more years old can probably be considered antiquities. Collecting Antiques - Collecting Antiques & Old furniture can be a good investment but its often pure speculation almost like betting on the stock market. Prices and fashions can change quickly so your investment should be something that primarily gives you the pleasure of having something old and beautiful in your home. |
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Biography: I'm a collector of antique & Old European, English, and Swedish furniture, porcelain, prints, silver, etc. I started to get interested in the subject of collecting antiques several years back when I was attending university at Arizona State. But my interest really started to flourish when I moved to Sweden from the USA. Since then I have taken classes on reupholstering and painting techniques. I frequently attend auctions and go to "Antique-ing & Junking" functions with a club I'm affiliated with in Stockholm. My favorite periods are the Baroque, Rococo, and Swedish Gustaviansk period. |
Furniture I have reupholstered and fixed up:
If you have any links or suggestions you might want to add to this page please email me at xymox@stacken.kth.se
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