Winding it out for Christmas

One of the last things you are probably thinking about is preparing your dining table for the big day, but here's some advice to help avoid the added stress of struggling with an antique dining table on Christmas day that hasn't changed size for 12 months!

 If you have an extending or wind out antique table, firstly find the leaves or leaf to expand the table's surface (these should be stored away wrapped in felt or a similar soft cloth to avoid scratches or discolouration).

Your winding key should look similar to this one

If you can get help, two people are much better than one for this job. Find the winding key and have a person standing at each end of the table ready to very slightly lift the table when you begin winding to take the pressure off the castors (wheels on the bottom of the legs) winding mechanism and table legs. Gently wind out the table and keep winding until you feel you have opened up enough space to fit the number of leaves you wish to use plus a little bit of extra space.

With your trusted assistant take each end of a leaf and lay it in place so that the dowels that keep the leaf in place are pushed into one end. Continue this process with the leaves you have and then you can start to close up the table with care.

As you wind the table closed, stop about 2cm before the gap is closed and get your assistant to guide the dowels into the location holes as you gentle wind. With old tables this is a delicate process to prevent the dowels damaging the edge of the table or leaf.

WARNING
As the table closes take care not to nip your fingers or over tighten the dining table (it should be closed just enough to keep the leaves firmly together).

If the table is an earlier model and just pulls open and pushes closed do be even more careful not to damage yourself or the table. Also, if you have a pull out table you'll need to remove the brass table clips at each joint before attempting to pull it open and then secure the leaves in place with the clips once the table is extended.

At the end of the Festive period when the table leaves are taken out just reverse the process and again be careful as you close the table together to line all the dowels up with their location holes .

May your Christmas be Merry & the New Year prosperous!

Best Wishes,

Graham Smith Antiques

The Last Minute Shoppers Guide to Antiques

Christmas is now upon us, with only a week of shopping time remaining, although many of us (mostly men let’s be honest!) still have the task of finding those thoughtful and unique presents to make Christmas go with a bang rather than a dull pop.

Thankfully, the last minute shopper’s guide to antiques is here to save the day and help you find the right gift for the right person at the all important right price!

Firstly, let’s attend to the discerning lady. Beautifully crafted and interesting antique jewellery boxes make wonderful gifts for women as they are both useful and impressive looking (as well as being very easy to wrap - ideal for when you're in a hurry!)

Fine quality 'Garrard & co' (formerly Asprey & Garrard) jewellery / dressing box £1,850

This box is a great example of an impressive gift for the discerning lady. Thankfully, we have a good selection of jewellery boxes varying in price from £300 - £2000 so you will be able to choose the perfect box at the right price.

A second excellent option for ladies are dressing mirrors, these are always a good choice as every woman uses a mirror, so you can guarantee she'll use it every day! Again, we have a good selection varying in price from £180 - £800 with a variety of styles.

This Georgian Sheraton design Dressing Mirror has three useful drawers & original mirror glass too. £595 

The man who has everything is the next challenge, although the options are so numerous that you need worry no longer!

Interesting antique scientific instruments are very popular choices for men as they fit into the 'boy’s toys' category whilst being much more sophisticated than a modern gadget. Items such as barometers, microscopes, compasses & apothecary cabinets are all intriguing instruments. Barographs are so popular we've sold out already, but our selection of other scientific instruments should still enable you to find that perfect gift!

Edwardian Compound Monocular Microscope on a Mahogany platform base. £595

Another possibility for the man who has everything is a writing box or box desk as they are often known. The laptops of their day, they often have secret compartments - need I say more?! We have a good selection of antique writing boxes so you shouldn't have too much trouble selecting the perfect present, prices range between £400 and £1000.

Georgian Mahogany Box Desk with Secret Compartments £975

Finally, gifts for people whose tastes you are not particularly familiar with (random relatives etc!) If taking a bottle of wine is not quite enough, then why not accompany it with an antique wine glass to give them a comprehensive present that shows thought as well as being exceptionally pleasant to drink from. We have an excellent selection of single wine glasses, as well as sets and pairs so this idea should be relevant for a variety of situations! Also, the history, age and weight of the glass is an excellent talking point. Prices of single glasses range from £15 - £400

18th Century Georgian Wine Glass £120

That brings us to the end of the last minute shoppers guide to antiques, although if you're still stuck for ideas, try the gifts section of our website, which is packed full of interesting and unique Christmas gifts

Antique Gift Ideas 

May your Christmas be merry and your gifts be adored

How to Corner Like a Pro!

Hanging a heavy antique corner cabinet is not the most simple of tasks, struggling with the weight of solid wood and the added component of height does nothing for the nerves (not to mention the blood pressure!)

A exceptional example of an 18th century George III mahogany corner cupboard

The sight of holes drilled into the back of antique corner cabinets fills antique dealers with dread and apart from being the least elegant way to prop up a piece of fine furniture, drilling holes into cabinets is also the fastest way to reduce the value of the antique!

However, you need worry no longer, with this pro antique dealers guide of how to properly hang a corner cabinet (or corner cupboard).

Step one

Walk away from your corner cabinet (obviously ensure it is in a safe and secure place before taking this decisive action!)

Step Two

Take three lengths of wood, a hammer and the nails you were about to plunge into the back of your 200 year old antique cabinet! With these items, construct an 'A' frame to fit the corner you are preparing to hang the cabinet accross. See below image for the shape that you should be achieving.

Once you have successfully constructed your wooden 'A' frame (which doesn't need to look as attractive as the one above as it will not be seen!) take the drill you were about to massacre the cabinet with and use it instead, to drill four holes. Two holes on one side of the A and two holes in the other, which should be large enough for the screws you will be using to slot through.

Step Three

Take your newly constructed 'A' frame to the corner where you wish to hang your cabinet and make small pencil marks on the wall at the height you intend the bottom of the cabinet to sit at (normally around 1metre high). Drill holes into the wall at the four marked points and insert rawl plugs (wall plugs) into the four holes to allow the screws to be inserted.

At this point you can begin securing the 'A' frame to the wall, using the screws through the holes in the frame and into the wall. Ensure that the 'A' frame is straight and securely fastened to the wall. If you have a small child, try testing it's weight bearing ability with that (No, no don't really do that!)

Step Four

Return to your abandoned cabinet and acquire two small picture plates (similar to the one shown below). Affix these onto the top edge at the back of the corner cabinet on either side. Use small screws to attach these to the cabinet.

Step Five

With the help of a friend / willing volunteer, lift the cabinet up onto the A frame, one person should get up on a ladder and make two pencil marks through the holes of the picture plates. After this lift the cabinet back down again and use the drill to insert two rawl plugs (wall plugs) where the marks are.

Finally lift the cabinet back onto the 'A' frame and then screw a screw through each picture plate into the wall. These do not bear any weight, they simply keep the back of the cabinet flush to the wall.

The End


Thank you for reading this weeks blog post, if you are interested in antiques, why not follow our blog or leave a comment about the post?

Graham Smith Antiques is located in Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne, England. If you would like to see how a properly hung corner cabinet looks, then feel free to pop in and take a look at ours!

An Interesting Find

Unusual Antique Stationery cabinet

The topic of this post is an unusual antique stationery cabinet, which has just arrived this week.

This antique box is very unusual in its construction and the woods used are an interesting combination.

I have never seen a box made in this way, with simulated slats to make it look like a trunk. Some of the slats are carved from a single panel of wood with others applied. The main construction wood looks to be mahogany, although it's difficult to tell. The box is made from very high quality wood and is in very good condition.

  

The interior has been veneered in olive wood with its very distinct grain, the inkwell and divisions are also made from of solid olive wood. The front of the box lifts and folds back to allow the two sets of trays to lever side ways. The interior has its original blue velvet covered blotting paper folder, which also holds some of the original antique writing implements, ruler, paper knife and pen. 

The picture above shows how the interior trays open out on levers to reveal the compartments in the base of the box. This design is seldom seen in stationary cabinets and gives the box a wide imposing profile when open.

The front panel hangs over the intorior when open, showing an engraved picture of a hunt giving chase to a fox. The contrast of innovative construction alongside traditional engraved scenes make this box quite unusual for the late 19th to early 20th century.

The box has three of these finely engraved panels, the one mounted on the top of the lid shows a horse racing scene and the panel to the back has three hounds chasing the fox over a stream. The three panels have had the engraving highlighted with silver and gold which is a little rubbed. 

The cabinet when closed locks at the base of the front and has two carrying handles that have a slatted detail to match the “Trunk” effect. This cabinet is £1,150 and is available to view at the shop in Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne, England or online at www.grahamsmithantiques.com

The Dreaded Dark Mark

Black marks on antique furniture are often mistaken for burn marks or imperfections in the wood grain.

The truth is that most black marks on furniture are a result of the surface being damp (such as a wet vase base or damp item being left on the furniture). Often water marks are polished or waxed over before they have been given suffcient time to dry out, meaning the moisture is then locked into the surface of the furniture with no way of getting out.

This then results in the dreaded 'Dark Mark', a black shape on the surface that cannot be removed unless the furniture is completely stripped back down the bare wood. (Not advisable with antique furniture!)

This Drop leaf table shows a small example of a water mark at the back on the right, although having been made around 1740 it has withstood over 250 years of use! 18th Century Drop Leaf Table


 Regency Mahogany Dining Table

Dining Tables, sideboards and larger items of furniture are most commonly afflicted by black marks, due to their practical uses and surface area. The dining table above is a high quality Regency dining table, with an excellent condition surface, although you can imagine how black marks could happen given the expanse of such surfaces and 200 years of use!

In general, black water marks add to the character of the item, especially with pre 18th century items, as they become part of the surfaces patina, which has developed over time. 

Insight by Graham Smith Antiques
Advice on Care of Antiques

How to Irish!

Irishing is a term used in the trade for the way to carry large square pieces of furniture. After an absolutely comical incident recently witnessed by Graham at Bonhams, this blog post was a must!

Incident details...Whilst standing talking with a group of fellow antique dealers, Graham was distracted by two men who had arrived to collect an enormous chest of drawers. They clearly had no idea what they were doing and started trying to lift the item down the stairs by each holding an end at the same level!

As we looked on in horror as the man going down the stairs began to get crushed and the man at the top of the stairs was practically dragged down! See the image below to visualise the scene!

Graham intervened and showed them how to Irish, saving them from near certain failure and lots of trouble from their employer when the chest was dropped down the stairs and ruined!

How to Irish!

Fist, ensure that any doors or drawers that could fall open when carrying are locked or secured shut.

This method requires two people standing at each short end of the piece of furniture. One person tips the chest away from them, until the top of the other side is at a comfortable carrying height for the other person, then the person who tipped the furniture should lift from the underneath of their side (which will by now be a comfortable carrying height without bending). The person opposite can now lift at the same time from the top edge by grasping both corners....
This is how to Irish!

Carrying furniture properly is something second nature to antique dealers, so it's nice to be able to spread the news that it doesn't need to be a nightmare! (Unless you're trying to move a Piano, in which case it actually is a NIGHTMARE!!)

Insight courtesy of..
Graham Smith Antiques
www.grahamsmithantiques.com
83 Fern Avenue,
Jesmond,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE2 2RA
ENGLAND

The True Value of Antique Furniture

Do you think about the true value of the furniture you choose for your home? Do you consider the fact that if you choose modern furniture it will be virtually unsalable as soon as it leaves the showroom?
When you buy a car, you think about the resale value, the quality, the reliability and so on. When you buy furniture, does the same amount of thought go into the purchase and if not, why on earth not?!

Take these two wardrobes as an example; one is from a well known retailer of quality modern furniture and the other is a Victorian wardrobe. There are obviously slight differences in detail, although look at the true value below...

NEW £2,139 Retail Price

Resale Value = Nil

 

ANTIQUE £1,200 Retail Price

Resale Value = Approx 70% of retail price

When people say they can't afford to buy antiques, could it be that they haven't really considered the true value of the furniture they are choosing?!

The Victorian Walnut wardrobe above is available for sale, although after this post I don't think it's going to be there much longer!
http://www.grahamsmithantiques.com/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=1721&idcategory=

http://www.grahamsmithantiques.com/

Vouching for National Antiques Week

“Vouching for Antiques Week”



Graham Smith Antiques is Vouching for National Antiques Week (15th – 21st November 2010) by launching their own gift vouchers. The vouchers are a move to encourage shoppers to buy antique Christmas gifts without the worry of choosing the perfect item amongst the vast array of stock on their website and Jesmond shop.

The theme of this year’s National antiques week, “now is the time to buy antiques” is the inspiration behind the launch of the gift vouchers. Mr Smith commented on the timing of the launch, saying

“The National Antiques Week campaign aims to demonstrate and celebrate what excellent value for money antiques represent when compared to similar High Street purchases, so our vouchers are a move to encourage a younger, less experienced audience to opt for antiques as their gift of choice this Christmas.”

National antiques week is an annual event to promote the antiques trade and the benefits of buying and owning antique items. The 2010 theme follows on from the 2009 theme of ‘Antiques are Green’, which proved highly successful in raising the profile of the antiques trade nationwide.
The new gift vouchers are available in £50 and £100 denominations, redeemable both online and in store. They can be purchased in their Jesmond shop, over the phone or via their website.


0044 (0)191 2815065 / info@grahamsmithantiques.com

To buy a voucher click the link below...
http://www.grahamsmithantiques.com/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=1510&idcategory=0

Now the B's

Baize
Baize is a coarse woollen (or in cheaper variants cotton) cloth, sometimes called "felt" in American English based on a similarity in appearance. Baize is traditionally used to cover games tables to provide a playing surface for cards or billiards. The surface finish of baize is not very fine and therefore increases friction to slow the balls down.

Bergeré
The term bergeré is often used to refer to the woven cane seat of a chair. Although the original meaning is the French name for a deep, tub-chaped, upholstered armchair from 19th century, with continuous top and arm rails and a slightly concave back. Some versions were caned between the arms and seat and have a loose seat cushion. These bergeré seats were often over upholstered beneath the drop in cushion.

Buhl / Boulle
Boulle is a marquetry technique, also known as Buhl work, using metal (usually brass) and tortoiseshell in reverse patterns, sometimes combined with other materials and often set in an ebony veneer. It was a popular technique in France from the late 17th century through to the 19th century, and in Britain from 1815. The term is associated with the French cabinet-maker and ebeniste, Andre Boulle (1642-1732) of the Louis XIV period in France. He specialised in elegant, highly ornamental furniture - mainly for the nobility.

Bevelled
A general term used for any edge cut at an angle to a flat surface. The word bevel means to cut or shape.

Bird Cage Action
A wooden hinged mechanism that is usually found on 18th century tripod tables. It is a fixed mechanism at the top of the pedestal that allows the table to swivel, tilt, fold or be fixed horizontally.

Breakfront
A term used to describe a piece of furniture with part of its front projecting. Breakfront bookcases, sideboards, wardrobes and clothes presses were popular throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.

Understanding Antiques

Have you ever been relaxing on a Sunday afternoon, sat watching the Antiques Roadshow, when someone, whilst describing an antique, mentions ". . . the glass panels are held in shaped astragals . . .", or have you been browsing around a shop and admiring a wonderful chair that is described as having a Bergere seat, and all this makes you think "What?"

Hopefully help is at hand.

Over the next few weeks I shall try and explain some of the terminology used in the antiques trade and help remove the chains of not knowing strange words!

Let's begin with the letter A

Aneroid Barometer
An aneroid barometer uses a small, flexible metal box called an aneroid cell. This aneroid capsule (cell) is made from an alloy of beryllium and copper. The evacuated capsule (or usually more capsules) is prevented from collapsing by a strong spring. Small changes in external air pressure cause the cell to expand or contract. This expansion and contraction drives mechanical levers such that the tiny movements of the capsule are amplified and displayed on the face of the aneroid barometer.

Annulet

A narrow flat band or collar encircling a Gothic column.

Apron

A shaped and often decorated length of wood applied beneath the bottom framing of a drawer, table top, chair etc.

Arcading

A series of arches, generally supported on columns.

Arabesque

A decoration of flowers, fruit, trophies and figures in symmetrical foliate scrolls or strapwork, derived from the Middle East. When human figures are incorporated properly known as Grotesque work.

Astragal
An astragal is a small molding profile composed of a half round surface surrounded by two flat planes (fillets). An astragal is sometimes referred to as a miniature torus (a ring shape). It can be an architectural element used at the top or base of a column, but is also employed as a framing device on furniture and woodwork. An astragal is commonly used as a term to describe the division between panes in a glazed cabinet.

There are many more so if I don't mention the one you are looking for let me know in your comments and I will include them next time.