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CHAPTER 2

Identifying Antiques:

A Primer for Beginners

and Intermediates

When you're shopping for antique merchandise, it's important to know what to look for in any given item. Some pieces scream quality. Somehow, without knowing just what they are, you know they're valuable. But by and large you need to have an idea of exactly what it is you're seeking. We find that some of the most highly prized antiques appear plain and uninteresting.

The purpose of this book is to help you get into the business and make a go of it, not to acquaint you with all of the merchandise you're likely to encounter over the years. The longer you're in the business, the more familiar you'll become with the many types of items you'll find. And as we've said previously, unless you're a very unusual person, you'll never know everything. But that's the beauty of it—it's an ongoing learning experience.

In the beginning, you should stick to antiques that are easily identifiable—pieces that you can feel certain are what they appear to be. Toward that end, you may want to study the following list. It's comprised of items that you are likely to find in your search for merchandise and includes information to help you learn to recognize them. The dates we supply are as accurate as we were able to make them. Experts in the various specialties often differ about exactly when merchandise was produced.

Glass, Porcelain, and Pottery

ABC PLATES

Made of glass, metal, porcelain, or pottery, ABC Plates were in vogue in the 1700s and 1800s. Each plate displays the letters of the alphabet. They were used to help teach children their ABC's. Often you'll find modern versions at garage sales, but unless they're several decades old, they're of little value on the market. Even those dating back to the 1930s or 1940s are worth far less than the old ones.

AMERICAN ENCAUSTIC TILES

These decorative tiles were made by the American Encaustic Tiling Company from 1875 until 1935 when the factory closed. (It was reopened as Shawnee Pottery Company in 1937 and closed permanently in 1960.) Each tile is marked with a stylized A T and an O within a C.

AURENE GLASS

An iridescent blue or gold glass made into bottles, bowls, candlesticks, vases, etc., in the early 1900s by Frederick Carder, most pieces of Aurene glass are marked either Aurene or Steuben, often with a paper label. This glass is quite valuable, but on occasion a piece will surface at a garage sale held by someone who is ignorant of its worth.

BAVARIAN PORCELAIN

The word Bavaria appears in the backstamp of most Bavarian pieces. If the mark also says Germany, then the piece was probably made after 1871. Bavarian porcelain was sometimes decorated by hand, and sometimes by use of the transfer method. A good hand-painted decoration is the most valuable.

BEEHIVE MARK

Many people get excited when they see a mark that resembles a beehive on the back of a piece of porcelain. Sometimes that excitement is warranted, sometimes it isn't. The original beehive mark was used by the Royal Porcelain Manufactory of Vienna, beginning in the early 1700s. It was underglaze; most pieces were hand-decorated and are highly valued. However, the beehive mark has been copied on cheap, transfer-decorated items. And on most of these pieces, the beehive is over the glaze. Incidentally, even though the mark is called beehive by dealers, it actually was designed to depict a shield.

BENNINGTON WARE

During the 1800s, two factories in Bennington, Vermont, produced bottles, bowls, creamers, crocks, cuspidors, inkwells, jugs, pitchers, vases and many other pottery items. A mottled finish was common. Most pieces were marked Bennington and so are easily identifiable. They are highly valued.

BRIDES' BASKETS

Glass bowls that fitted into silver-plated holders with handles were popular wedding gifts from the late 1800s until around 1905. Most of these are one-of-a-kind designs produced by American and European glass makers. You may find them in cased glass, cut glass, hand-painted glass, ruffled-edged glass, etc. Many more silver-plated holders than glass baskets have survived. The holders alone are worth far less than the complete unit, but the glass bowl alone is still quite valuable.

CAMBRIDGE POTTERY

A brown-glazed pottery made in Cambridge, Ohio, from 1898 until 1909, Cambridge Pottery bears many marks, including the outline of an acorn or the words Oakwoody or Terrhea.

CASTOR SETS

American Victorian castor sets had silver-plated holders and glass bottles intended as containers for an assortment of condiments from oil and vinegar to mustard and sugar. They became popular in the 1700s and continued as a standard item on American tables until the early part of the 1900s. In the late 1800s, the bottles were often made of colored glass. Look for sets with bottles that match and stoppers that aren't broken or missing. While wear to the silver plate detracts from a set, it doesn't render it worthless. Castor sets have been reproduced, especially those with colored bottles. Beware of the set that looks too perfect.

CASTOR, PICKLE

Standing about five- to seven-inches high, ornate pickle jars fit into silver holders with arching handles similar in style to those found on brides' baskets. Each holder has a hook on which a pickle fork rests. Pickle castors were the rage for about ten years from the late 1800s until the early 1900s. Look for examples with the glass jar and the pickle fork still intact.

CLOISONNE

The type of cloisonne that you're most likely to find is made by applying enamel between wires that protruded out from a metal item. Most cloisonne was, and is, made in the Orient. Much newer cloisonne is marked China and will not command the price of older cloisonne. Any damage greatly reduces the price. We've found that interest in cloisonne, and, in fact, any Orientalia, is regional. New England and the West Coast are the two areas where we have found the most interest in Orientalia.

CORALENE GLASS

This usually quite expensive glass was made by firing glass beads to glass objects. The glass beading was applied in a variety of patterns, resulting in raised designs. The process, widely used in the late 1800s, has been reproduced.

COSMOS GLASS

Produced by the Consolidated Lamp and Glass Company from 1895 until about 1915, most pieces of Cosmos glass were made in milk glass, although a few items were produced in clear glass. The most popular pattern features an array of colored flowers in raised relief designs. The process was used on everything from lamp shades to salt and pepper shakers.

CROWN MILANO

This biscuit-colored glass with satin finish was made by Frederick Shirley in the late 1800s. Adorned with flowers, Crown Milano sometimes features gold decoration. Crown Milano is usually marked with a crown over a stylized M. You'll find examples in tumblers, vases, biscuit jars, etc.

CUT GLASS

Many novice dealers have trouble telling the difference between cut glass and pressed. Cut glass is sharp on the edges of the pattern, while pressed glass has a smoother feel to it. Near-cut glass is pressed glass of a little better quality than most and is slightly sharper on the edges. Made in many patterns, many of the better pieces of cut glass are signed by the manufacturer. Cracks and chips are often difficult to find and are more appare'nt to the touch than the eye. A crack will greatly detract from the piece, but the absence of a tooth on the edge reduces the value only minimally.

DAUM NANCY

The Daum Nancy glass works was started in Nancy, France, in the late 1800s by Jean Daum. This expensive, beautifully decorated, usually cameo or etched glass, has been marked in a variety of ways, but the mark usually includes both Daum and Nancy.

DAVENPORT

The word Davenport on a piece of pottery or porcelain means that it was made in Staffordshire, England, at the Davenport factory, which operated from the late 1700s to the late 1800s. Davenport creamwares, earthenwares, iron-stone, and porcelains were of high quality and are very desirable.

DE VEZ GLASS

This French cameo glass was made by the Cristallerie de Pantin in the late 1800s. Most pieces are signed De Fez, often in scroll.

DEDHAM POTTERY

First produced from 1891 to 1895 in Chelsea, Massachusetts, then in Dedham, Massachusetts, from 1895 until 1943 when the factory closed, Dedham Pottery dishes are easily identifiable, decorated with a crackleware finish and figures of animals and flowers. Most of the designs are done in dark blue and are backstamped Dedham Pottery with the picture of a rabbit—one of the manufacturers most popular subjects.

DEGUE GLASS

This French cameo or smooth glass made around the turn of the century bears the acid-etched signature, Degue. Vases are the most commonly found pieces.

DELFT

A tin-glazed pottery with blue and white or multi-colored decorations, Delft has been made in Holland since about 1564. Windmills and tulips are common designs. Many of the older pieces aren't marked, while pieces made after the late 1800s are usually marked Holland.

DOULTON

Pottery and porcelain wares made by Doulton and Company in Burslem, England, from the 1880s until 1903 were marked with the name Doulton in some form. Those marked Royal Doulton were made after 1903.

DURAND GLASS

This iridescent, American glass was produced at the Durand Art Glass Works, a division of Vineland Glass Works, in New Jersey from about 1924 until 1931. Much of it is signed Durand. Some pieces are numbered. Durand art glass is quite desirable.

ELFINWARE

Originally inexpensive porcelain pieces, Elfinware was made in Germany from about 1915 until the early 1940s. Raised flowers were a popular design. A variety of marks were used, including Elfinware, Germany, Made in Germany, and a crown with an M.

E.S. GERMANY AND E.S. PRUSSIA

From 1860 until 1925, the Erdmann Schlegelmilch factory in Suhl, Germany produced and sold both white ware and decorated porcelain. These pieces were marked E. S. Germany. At the same time, Erdmann Schlegelmilch's factory in Saxony, Prussia was making wares similar to those of its German counterpart. These were marked E. S. Prussia. Pieces marked R. S. Germany were produced by Erdmanns brother, Reinhold.

FLOW BLUE

Approximately ninety-five percent of all flow blue (also spelled flo blue) was made in the Staffordshire section of England. Flow Blue is characterized by a cobalt blue design that runs, or flows, into a white background. The more flowing or smudged the pattern, the more valuable the piece. Most pieces are backstamped with the name of the manufacturer, although these names are often difficult to read due to the effect of the flowing. Flow blue first enjoyed popularity in the 1820s. Oriental designs were often featured. Pieces decorated in gold are later than those without it.

FULPER

This pottery was in production in New Jersey from 1860 until 1930, when it became Stangl Pottery. The earlier pieces consisted of useful items such as stoneware bottles, jars, and churns; these are not readily found on today's market. You're more likely to spot some of Fulper's art pottery that they began making around 1910. Prized for the lovely glazes on these pieces, most are marked Fulper, RafcOy Prang, or Flemington.

GALLÉ, EMILE

Galle was a Frenchman who made furniture, glass, and pottery in the art nouveau style from 1874 until 1904 when he died. His factory continued operating, making glass and furniture until 1931 when it closed. You may have to hunt for the name Galle, as it was often incorporated into the design on a piece. Galle glass is highly treasured.

GRUEBY

From 1897 until 1920, the Grueby Faience Company produced tiles, art pottery, and garden statuary. The factory, in Boston, Massachusetts, perfected a green matte glaze that became Grueby's hallmark until it was copied by several other art potters. Grueby's high quality wares are marked Grueby Faience Co.; Grueby Pottery, USA; or Grueby, Boston, Mass., often in a circle with a flower inside.

HEISEY GLASS

From 1896 until 1957, in Newark, Ohio, A.H. Heisey and Company produced glass pieces in many designs and patterns. Beginning in 1901, Heisey marked items either with an H in a diamond, or with a paper label. The mark is often on the stem of a glass, near the spout of a pitcher, or hidden in some other manner. In 1960, three years after Heisey closed its doors, the Imperial Glass Corporation obtained the rights to some of the Heisey molds. From that time until 1968, Imperial Glass Corporation used the familiar H in a diamond mark.

INDIAN TREE

Used on china since the late 1800s, this pattern depicts a scene with flowers and the branch of a crooked tree. It's very colorful, incorporating an array of hues from orange through blue. China with older Indian Tree decorations are desirable, but the newer pieces are'nt worth very much. Look for signs of wear.

KOCH PLATES

In the early 1900s, plates decorated with birds, animals, vegetables, and/or fruits were produced in Germany. The name Koch is signed on the front of these plates, making them easy to identify.

LALIQUE GLASS

In 1909 the talented designer Rene Lalique opened a glassworks in France. Produced of high quality, his lead-based glass objects were acclaimed throughout the world by 1930. Most of the perfume bottles, vases, plates, paperweights, statues, etc., are acid-etched. Lalique glass is still made today, but the pieces that are most highly prized are marked R. Lalique, or R. Lalique, France and were made before his death in 1945 at which time the R was dropped.

LIMOGES PORCELAIN

Limoges, France is the site of many porcelain factories because of the high quality of clay available there. From the mid-1800s until the present, all manner of items from dinnerware to vases and humidors to lamps have been created there. Each factory has its own marks, most of which incorporate the word Limoges. Often you'll find two marks—one from the factory where the white ware was made and another from the factory where the piece was decorated. Many Limoges items were sold as blanks and decorated by housewives and hobbyists. Pieces hand-painted in the factory are worth more than either transfer pieces or those decorated by an amateur. An artist's signature and date further enhance a piece. There are lists of Limoges marks that will acquaint you with the various dates when they were used.

LOCKE ART

This etched glass was made during the late 1800s and early 1900s by Joseph Locke in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Most of his pieces are marked either Joseph Locke, Jo Locke, or Locke Art You may have to hunt for the mark, as it was usually hidden in the pattern of the glass.

LUSTER WARE

Although lusterware has been made since the 1500s, the examples you're apt to run across at flea markets and auctions were produced from the late 1800s until the present. This shiny metallic finish comes in copper, silver, gold, and pink and is often used in combination with flowers, scenes, or geometric designs.

MAJOLICA

Much of this usually highly colorful pottery, which is glazed with a tin enamel, isn't marked. The Majolica that we know today and that you're liable to encounter at auctions, flea markets, and occasional garage sales dates from the mid-1800s through the 1930s, although some is still being made. It's safe for the novice to stick to pieces that bear the backstamps Etruscan, Avalon, or Clifton. You may find plates, pitchers, umbrella stands, tea sets, and a number of other items made from Majolica. The soft clay from which Majolica was fashioned made it quite vulnerable, and many of the older, more desirable pieces have a chip here or there. Majolica is one of the few categories of antiques in which a damaged piece is still quite valuable. Of course, a mint piece is better.

MARBLEHEAD POTTERY

This pottery was developed as occupational therapy for patients in a hospital in Marblehead, Massachusetts, around the turn of the century. The baskets, bowls, tiles, vases, etc., mostly decorated with marine designs, were so well accepted that within two years the pottery separated from the hospital. The factory continued until the mid-19308 when it was closed. Marblehead pottery is highly prized. It's marked with a stylized sailing ship flanked by an M and a P and enclosed in a circle.

MONMOUTH POTTERY

Cookie jars, vases, pitchers, dishes, and many other useful items were produced in Illinois by the Monmouth Pottery Company, starting in 1892. In 1906 the Western Stoneware Company incorporated Monmouth. The wares made before 1930 are sought. These mostly moderately priced items are marked with a maple leaf.

NEWCOMB POTTERY

This pottery, started by students at Newcomb College in New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 1800s, produced art pottery until the 1940s. Most pieces had a matte finish and an incised decoration. It is highly prized and easily recognizable by the initials NC. Many pieces were initialed by the artists who designed them.

NIPPON PORCELAIN

From 1891 until 1921, many Japanese companies marked their porcelain with the word Nippon, meaning Japan. This was used in conjunction with a great many other marks that identified the individual factories. Several forgeries of these marks have been found in recent years. The maple leaf mark and the rising sun mark are two that have been used on newer items. But the recent marks are easy to identify if you familiarize yourself with the original rising sun and maple leaf marks. After 1921, the word Japan replaced Nippon.

NORTHWOOD

With factories in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Wheeling, West Virginia, Harry Northwood produced many types of glass from 1902 until his death in 1923 when his factories closed. Although the name Northwood is usually associated with carnival glass, the Harry Northwood Glass Company also produced goofus glass (a glass with the pattern embossed on the reverse side then painted, usually in gold and red) and custard glass (which was so named, because its texture resembles that of the pudding). Many Northwood pieces are marked with an N that is underlined. This is easily seen by holding the article up to a light.

ORREFORS GLASS

While much of the Orrefors glass that surfaces at auctions and occasionally at flea markets is quite new, the Orrefors factory has produced high quality perfume bottles, plates, vases, etc., since 1898. This Swedish glass is heavy, sometimes etched, and is generally signed with the name Orrefors.

OYSTER PLATES

Produced by a number of manufacturers and varying greatly in quality, oyster plates were generally made to hold six oysters. These plates have indentations the size and shape of oysters. They were used extensively during the late 1880s when there was a special type of plate or receptacle for almost every food that was served.

PIRKENHAMMER

This porcelain, backstamped with the mark of two crossed hammers, was made in Bohemia during the early 1800s. The Pirkenhammer Company produced tablewares and lithopanes, usually decorated with either a scenic design or floral theme.

QUIMPER

Made in Quimper, France, in three factories, this tin-glazed pottery is hand-decorated and features flower and peasant designs. The mark usually includes the word Quimper. The earliest Quimper was known as H B Quimper and was first produced in 1685; Porquier was founded in 1772 and is marked with an AP or P; H R Quimper came along in 1778. By 1968 the three companies had merged, and in 1984 were sold to a United States firm that operates as Les Faienceries de Quimper.

ROOKWOOD POTTERY

This very desirable art pottery is easily identified by a backstamp depicting a flame with a reverse R flanked by a P. Examples without numbers were produced from 1880 until 1900. Numbered pieces were made from 1900 until 1960. Some Rookwood molds have been used recently, but the items are clearly marked as reproductions.

ROYAL COPENHAGEN

Many items, including candlesticks, vases, and bowls, have been produced by this pottery, founded in Denmark in 1772. They are best known for the blue and white plates they produce annually and for their figurines. Pieces are marked with a crown over three wavy lines.

ROYAL CROWN DERBY PORCELAIN

Founded in the late 1800s, Royal Crown Derby porcelain was the first in a group of companies that now includes Worcester, Crown Derby, and Derby porcelains. Pieces made before 1921 will not have the words Made in England in the backstamp. The cups, dishes, pitchers, vases, etc., are marked with a crown and the company name.

SILESIA

Porcelain made at the Reinhold Schlegelmilch factory in Tillowitz, Germany, from about 1915 until 1935 is marked R. S. Silesia. Silesia was made by the same family that produced R. S. Germany and R. S. Prussia.

STEVENS AND WILLIAMS GLASS

Art glass, cameo glass, and etched glass were produced in Stourbridge, England, by the Stevens and Williams Company between 1830 and 1930. Intricately decorated pieces depicting works of nature such as flowers, trees, and leaves were the most popular. Many Stevens and Williams items are marked with an 5 and a W.

Furniture

While American-made furniture is more popular in most parts of this country than furniture made elsewhere, there is always a market for the better examples of any period, regardless of their origins. Much furniture has been reproduced, so it's important before making a purchase to arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible.

Insides of drawers that look suspiciously fresh or new wood on the back of furniture may mean that the piece is new or that the piece has been restored. Then again, further checking may reveal that most of the item in question is "right" (a term used to describe an item that is what it is touted to be). Old reproductions are valuable to the antiques dealer, but they should be purchased and sold for what they are.

Proceed with caution when you're buying a piece that is made in two sections, such as a bookcase or cupboard. Inspect both sections well to ascertain whether the pieces really go together or if they were "married" by someone along the way. The term "married" is used by antique dealers in referring to a piece that may be old but is comprised of sections from two different items. For instance, a dresser may be mated with a mirror from another dresser or the bottom of a sideboard may be fitted with a top that isn't the original one. There is little value in married furniture. What you have is two incomplete items.

The following is a list of the various furniture styles and some of their identifying marks. It won't give you all you need to know to be an expert, but it will give you a point from which to start—a bit of knowledge that you can build on. The table on pages 42-43 will give you an overview of styles and periods.

ADAMS

An architectural appearance featuring classical motifs painted by skilled artists identifies Adams furniture made in England from 1760 until 1793. The wood was generally mahogany and of a rectangular construction. Silk and other light, elegant fabrics were used for upholstery.

AMERICAN COUNTRY

Simple, rustic pieces made by rural cabinetmakers in the United States from 1690 until 1890, common American Country furniture included slat-back chairs, Boston rockers, trestle tables, dry sinks, wagon seats, and corner cupboards. Pine was commonly used to make American Country.

ANGLO-JAPANESE

Oriental-style furniture with bamboo-like turned legs and moldings was made in the United States from 1880 until 1910. Designs were asymmetrical and decorated with Oriental motifs. Many woods were used.

ART DECO

Chrome, glass, Bakelite, paint, lacquer, and veneer all went into producing art deco furniture with its streamlined, mechanized styling. While art nouveau lines were long and flowing, art deco lines were abrupt. Art deco was in vogue both in the United States and France from 1925 until 1945.

Furniture Styles Period Produced and Country of Origin
Italian Renaissance	Italy	c. 1400-1700
Elizabethan	England	1558-1603
French Renaissance	France	1558-1625
Early Jacobean	England	1603-1660
Louis XIII	France	1610-1643
Colonial	United States	1625-1689
Louis XIV	France	1643-1715
Late Jacobean	England	1660-1688
Painted Italian	Italy	1680-1820
William and Mary	England United States	1689-1702 1700-1725
American Country	United States	1690-1890
United States Country	United States	1690-1890
Queen Anne	England United States	1702-1714 1725-1750
Regence	France	1715-1723
Louis XV	France	1723-1774
English Chippendale	England	1749-1779
United States Chippendale	United States	1755-1799
Adams	England	1760-1793
Louis XVI	France	1774-1789
Hepplewhite	England	1780-1795
Federal	United States	1790-1820
Shaker	United States	1790-1900
Directoire	France	1795-1799
Sheraton	England	1795-1810
Regency	England	1795-1830
French Empire	France	1805-1815
United States Empire	United States	1815-1840
Victorian	England United States	1830-1900 1830-1900
Cottage	United States	1860-1920
Anglo-Japanese	United States	1880-1910
Arts and Crafts	England United States	1890-1920 1890-1920
Colonial Revival	United States	1890-1925
Art Nouveau	United States France	1895-1914 1895-1914
Mission	United States	1890-1920
Depression	United States	1920-1942
Art Deco	United States France	1925-1945 1925-1945

ART NOUVEAU

Flowing lines depicting natural subjects and incorporating swirls, girls with long luxurious hair, and curls of ivy, etc., marked the art nouveau period from 1895 until 1914 in both the United States and France. While many art nouveau items were popular in the United States, the furniture was appreciated by very few. The French, however, seemed enraptured with it. Many woods were used, including ash, walnut, and oak.

ARTS AND CRAFTS

A very popular movement from 1890 to 1920 in both England and the United States, the Arts and Crafts movement produced solid, simple, handcrafted furniture that displayed a medieval influence. It was usually made of oak. A slated construction was usually exposed as part of the design.

CHIPPENDALE, AMERICAN

Produced from 1755 to 1799, American Chippendale furniture featured either cabriole legs with ball or claw feet or straight, square legs. Chests and desks had bowed serpentine or oxbow fronts. This fine furniture was usually made of mahogany.

CHIPPENDALE, ENGLISH

Popular from 1749 until 1779, English Chippendale chairs, tables, and cabinets had carved aprons and skirts. Pieces were dark in finish and most had cabriole legs ending in ball and claw feet. The finest materials were used, and mahogany was often the wood of choice. Many pieces were japanned or decorated with marquetry mounted in gilded bronze.

COLONIAL

Often used to describe any furniture made in the United States prior to the Revolution, the term Colonial is used here to include only examples made from 1625 until 1689. Most Colonial furniture was made of oak and featured grooved stiles and rails. Carved panels were also commonly used.

COLONIAL REVIVAL

Much reproduction furniture mimicking the American Colonial style was produced in the United States from 1890 to 1925. Most of it was inferior and not true to the original, either in lines or quality. However, there was some fine furniture produced during this period that followed the Colonial style closely. Many woods were used.

COTTAGE

From 1860 until around 1920, inexpensive furniture made of pine was mass-produced in the United States. Lines were simple, and decorations were either painted or stenciled.

DEPRESSION

From 1920 until 1942, furniture manufacturers in the United States produced copies of earlier period styles. Most of these weren't fine quality, and few of them were authentic replicas of the furniture made during the period being copied. However, construction was solid. Veneers were often used as the finishing material. Cherry, mahogany, maple, and birch woods were commonly used.

DIRECTOIRE

These austere-looking pieces, usually made of mahogany, were produced in France from 1795 until 1799. Chairs either have backs that are concave or chair tops that curl toward the back. X supports were used. Often, chair arms were a continuation of the cylindrical, tapering front legs. Bas relief Greek and Roman designs were common.

ELIZABETHAN

Made in England from 1558 to 1603 and named for Elizabeth I, Elizabethan furniture features sturdy, extremely heavy rectangular lines and oak construction. The legs generally featured a large, carved ball. This was not fine furniture. It was extensively, if not expertly, carved.

EMPIRE, AMERICAN

From 1815 until 1840, furniture manufacturers in the United States copied the French Empire style.

EMPIRE, FRENCH

Made from 1805 to 1815, French Empire furniture was massive in appearance and very heavy to lift. It featured large, flat, plain surfaces sometimes adorned with marble. Thick legs curved forward in the front and backward in the back. Round tables had pedestal bases. Cherry was often used.

FEDERAL

A marriage of Hepplewhite and Sheraton designs dominated the Federal style, which was popular in the United States from 1790 until 1820. Ornamentation was often of a patriotic nature. Inlay, painting, and low relief carvings were often used. Most pieces were made of walnut or mahogany wood.

FRENCH RENAISSANCE

Heavily carved and large, French Renaissance furniture was made in France from 1558 to 1625. Oak was the wood of choice. The carving is better than that of the Elizabethan style, and the legs of pieces lack the carved ball.

HEPPLEWHITE

Small, graceful, straight-lined, with slender legs ending in small, spade feet or no feet were characteristic of this popular style made in England from 1780 until 1795. Shield-backed, oval-backed, or hoop-backed chairs were featured. Mahogany was the wood of choice; marquetry was used to make some pieces more elaborate.

ITALIAN RENAISSANCE

Made in Italy from about 1400 until 1700, Italian Renaissance is heavy, rectangular furniture. The dark walnut wood was massively carved in a variety of intricate designs. Upholstery was thick and luxurious.

JACOBEAN, EARLY

Made in England from 1603 until 1660, the Early Jacobean style of furniture is quite similar to Elizabethan but not as ornately carved. Made of oak, it was finished in a very dark stain.

JACOBEAN, LATE

Made from 1660 until 1688 (often referred to as the Restoration Period), this English furniture showed a strong influence of Italian baroque. It was made of walnut or oak, ornately decorated with scrolls, and featured lacquered ornamentation and gilt.

LOUIS XIII

Taken from Italian Renaissance styling, Louis XIII furniture was made in France from 1610 until 1643. Many pieces featured spiral legs fashioned from walnut wood. Chairs were low-backed.

LOUIS XIV

Rectangular structure and straight lines characterized this heavy furniture built in France from 1643 until 1715. Made of dark wood until late in the period when some lighter-colored woods were introduced, most pieces of Louis XIV furniture had underbraces and were so heavy that it was extremely difficult to move them.

LOUIS XV

Made in France from 1723 until 1774, Louis XV furniture was small, light, and highly decorated with inlay, gilding, polychroming, or artistic painting. Chests often had fronts that curved outward (known as bombe). Mahogany or walnut woods were used for this furniture.

LOUIS XVI

Smaller and more delicate than Louis XV, this French furniture was produced from 1774 until 1789 and featured straight, rectangular lines. Decorations were less detailed and pieces were often painted. The straight, tapered legs added to the fragile look.

MISSION

Catching onto the Arts and Crafts movement, from about 1890 to 1920, some United States furniture manufacturers produced oak furniture in that style. Although it was machine made, and Arts and Crafts was handmade, Mission was of fine quality.

PAINTED ITALIAN

Decorated with raised designs made of gesso, painted Italian furniture was made in Italy from 1680 until 1820. Cheap woods were often used but the pieces were beautifully painted, sometimes by some of the leading artists of the time. Legs and arms were curved. Many pieces had a bombe front.

QUEEN ANNE

Produced in England from 1702 until 1714 and in the United States from 1725 to 1750, much Queen Anne furniture had club feet or ball and claw feet. Its delicate curved lines usually ended in cabriole legs. Spoon chairs were popular, stretchers were not. Shell ornamentation was used extensively. The wood of choice was walnut, although cheaper wood was sometimes used and topped with a walnut veneer.

REGENCE

Produced in France from 1715 to 1723, the Regence style of furniture offered more curves and fewer rectangles on chair rails than previous styles. The pieces themselves were of a small size, and the rather small decorations were often made of ornamental metal.

REGENCY

Noted for its uncomfortable chairs, the Regency style was made in England from 1795 until 1830. The simple form and decoration were fashioned from rosewood, mahogany, or other fine woods. There was no carving, but brass was frequently used to create dolphins, swans, scrolls, and other fancy additions.

SHAKER

Simple, functional, maple or pine, and handmade, Shaker furniture was turned out in the United States from 1790 until sometime around 1900. It wasn't until after 1860 that it was sold to the secular market.

SHERATON

This English style mimics Hepplewhite in many ways, and was popular from 1795 until 1810. Proportions were pleasing to the eye and were lighter and more graceful than Hepplewhite. Turned legs were generally reeded or fluted, tapering to small, turned feet. Combinations of woods were used, but mahogany was most prevalent; veneers and inlays, common. Striped material was generally used for upholstery.

VICTORIAN

From 1830 until 1900, the Victorian period in England, furniture was made both there and in the United States in three styles—all are called Victorian. The best known is the large, decorative type made usually of oak with lots of carving and ornate gingerbread. A smaller, less decorative style was also produced. The third, and least known, Victorian furniture was large and undecorated. This was usually made of mahogany or rosewood and was often of a better quality than the first two styles, which were considered poor both in design and construction.

WILLIAM AND MARY

Made in England from 1689 to 1702 and in the United States from 1700 to 1725, William and Mary furniture featured turned legs, often in the shape of trumpets. X-shaped stretchers, often with ornate finials in the middle, were common as were hooded cabinets and large ball or bun feet. Several woods were used, including beech and walnut.

Miscellaneous Antiques

COFFEE GRINDERS

In use from the 1890s until the 1930s, box-shaped coffee grinders usually had handles on the top and deposited the ground coffee in a drawer at the bottom of the grinder. The larger coffee grinders that stand on the floor were used in stores and are considerably more difficult to find than the home variety.

GUTTA-PERCHA

An early plastic material made from tree resins, guttapercha was used extensively to make the frame cases used to display daguerreotypes in the 1800s.

PHONOGRAPHS

Bringing music into the lives of millions, the phonograph made its debut in the 1880s. Examples with decorative horns are particularly desirable. Often the records that come with an old phonograph prove to be worth even more than the phonograph itself.

QUILTS

Made from the 1600s up to the present, quilts were originally handmade, usually from scraps of material left over from sewing projects. There are many designs and motifs. Look for hand stitching and clean examples. Don't bid on a quilt at auction unless both sides of it have been held up for examination. If possible, smell the material to ascertain that it isn't mildewed.

ROYCROFT

Leather articles, copper items, embroidery pieces, and jewelry were expertly hand-fashioned by the Roycrofters— followers of artist and writer Elbert Hubbard. Their community in Aurora, New York, flourished from the late 1800s until the early 1900s. The books, bookends, candlesticks, lamps, vases and many other articles they produced are marked with an R in a circle from which a symbol resembling a television antenna protrudes.

SNUFF BOXES

In the late 1700s and the early 1800s, ladies and gentlemen were fond of using snuff. It became fashionable to carry it in small receptacles made of gold, silver, enamel, and other materials. The material of a persons snuff box often indicated the class to which the individual belonged. Most snuffboxes were small, measuring an inch or two in length.

TEA CADDIES

In the 1700s, tea was so scarce that it was kept in locked boxes. These caddies were made of a variety of materials, from silver, copper, and brass to mahogany, fruitwood, and enameled wood. When tea became more abundant in the 1800s, caddies were still used, but they were no longer made with locks.