Restoration Antique Furniture: Restored Antique Furniture

When Antique Furniture Was New Furniture

An antique dealer mentioned on his website about the fashions after the great 1666 fire -  to have new furniture rather than the old style and I thought that it’s all antique furniture to us now of course  – albeit of varying styles and materials. In the 17th century and similarly at other times throughout history (the home of antiques) people have wanted the new to match their new homes and often imported styles to be copied, adopted and adapted to suit Europe iffromfurhter afield or the British Isles if the influences were say Dutch or French.

So we are delivered from eternal similarities by fashion and technologies and this gives us our modern and 20th Century furniture and will give collectors and interior designers of the future 2st Century pieces in due course.  How long before what’s new now becomes collectible? Probably quicker than ever, looking at and comparing to the speed of art markets – let alone motor cars/appliances.

It’s all a bit like having babies… as Yeats pointed out, what mother imagines her baby as a decrepit 60 year old.

Now, not being so fully immersed in antique furniture as some of our readers, I wonder who’d think me foolish if I wondered whether anyone else ever got temporarily confused between Restoration pieces and restored pieces?!  Are there people who specialise in restoring restoration furniture?  There isn’t one listed o an internet search. Maybe they avoid the confusion by staying well clear of it.  “Jacobean” would be easier.