Since a house is far more than a home, it requires furniture that is far more than just functional. It requires furniture with soul. Nothing does this better than antique and vintage furniture which combine quality with a warmth and personality only time can bring. These were pieces that were good enough for our ancestors to buy and use and love. And if it was good enough for them, then they probably deserve to join our family too. Furthermore an antique cabinet or antique table will add character to even the most uninspiring room.
So how should you really shop for antique furniture? Well, the simple answer is to have fun with it. Free from the conformity of current fashions you can acquire pieces just because you like them and because they inspire you. Buy an elegant Art Deco chest of drawers because it adds unashamed glamour to the room, buy a deep buttoned Victorian armchair because secretly inside you pretend you are Sherlock Holmes every time you sink down into it. Or simply place a 17th Century coffer at the end of the bed so that every time you wake up you can admire the warmth and wear those 300 years of loving handling brings.
At LoveAntiques we have an amazing and ever-changing selection of vintage and antique furniture for sale online from hundreds of Antique Dealers, catering for all your needs.
Gildersleve Antiques
Primitive French Low Table
Millers Antiques
Fine Regency Canterbury Music or Magazine Rack
£ 495
Marlborough Antiques & Interiors
19th Century Ebonised Commode Chest
£ 2,350
Fernyhough Antiques Ltd
Outstandng French Gilt Sofa
£ 2,995
Marlborough Antiques & Interiors
19th Century Bleached Oak Centre Table with Sunburst Top
£ 3,950
19th Century Bleached Oak Centre Table with Sunburst Top
£ 3,950
Marlborough Antiques & Interiors
Worboys Antiques
Small Proportioned Oak Glazed Bookcase
£ 360
The Antique Shop
Antique Table Top Counter Display Case Cabinet
£ 295
Antique and Unique
Antique Primitive Miniature Elm Stool
£ 69
Georgian Antiques
Victorian Two-Tier Table
£ 1,150
Worboys Antiques
Small Narrow Oak Open Bookcase
£ 245
Marylebone Antiques
1930's Art Deco Figured Walnut Wardrobe
£ 1,650
Joseph Riley Furniture
Suburb Quality Art Deco Walnut Cocktail Cabinet
£ 3,795
Jennings and Cox
Early 18th Century Oak Coffer
£ 425
Georgian Antiques
Quality Sheraton Style Occasional Table
£ 875
Worboys Antiques
Oak Art Deco Glazed Bookcase
£ 425
Newark Antiques and Interiors Ltd
French 18th Century Oak 3 Drawer Commode
£ 995
Joseph Riley Furniture
Heals Limed Oak Sideboard
£ 2,195
Georgian Antiques
Quality Late Victorian Walnut Office / Library Chair
£ 770
Worboys Antiques
Mid Century Oak Chest of Drawers
£ 425
£ 445
Marylebone Antiques
Antique Victorian Mahogany Canterbury
£ 525
The Antique Shop
Antique Mahogany Bow Front Chest of Drawers
£ 585
Worboys Antiques
Late 19th Century French Pitch Pine Side Table
£ 295
Treehouse Antiques
Late Victorian Mahogany Inlaid Bookcase
£ 695
£ 665
Worboys Antiques
Early 20th Century Carved Oak Stool
£ 145
The Antique Shop
Antique Carved Oak Occasional Lamp Side Table
£ 235
The Antique Shop
Pair of Burr Walnut Bedside Cabinets Waring & Gillow
£ 645
Neville Platt Antiques
Mid 20th Century Brass & Iron Four Poster Bed
£ 450
Penderyn Antiques
Pair of Antique Pitch Pine Railway Station Benches
£ 1,050
Marylebone Antiques
Small Mahogany Breakfront Sideboard
£ 575
The Antique Shop
Antique Victorian Mahogany Commode Low Table
£ 75
Martlesham Antiques
19th Century Antique Anglo-Indian Carved Cabinet
£ 3,450
Richie Perrott Antiques
Edwardian Chest of Drawers
£ 495
Thakeham Furniture ltd
Fine Quality Early 19th Century Mahogany Pedestal Desk
£ 2,850
Penderyn Antiques
Antique Pitch Pine Railway Station Bench
£ 595
The Antique Shop
Antique Edwardian Mahogany Inlaid Writing Desk
£ 625
The Antique Shop
Burr Walnut Triple Mirror Dressing Table c.1930
£ 585
The Antique Shop
Figured Walnut Cabinet Bookcase c.1930
£ 1,150
Marylebone Antiques
Antique Burr Walnut Coffee Table
£ 395
Antique Furniture FAQs
How do I identify antique furniture?
Although most antique furniture is found without labels or dates, genuine antique pieces can usually be identified from a combination of the materials used, the style of the piece as well as the natural wear on the finish or Patina. Patina is something that can only occur naturally over time and is very hard to fake via man-made effects such as staining, sanding and painting. The skill is looking at lots of tiny details which convince you the item is a genuine antique. Much of this skill and knowledge can be built up over time just by observing real pieces and learning from those around you. It is also a good reason to buy from reputable antique dealers such as those on LoveAntiques who can give you the piece of mind that the item is what you say it is as well as offer valuable advice.
How to value antique furniture?
Like any collectable field antique furniture can range in value between nearly worthless to virtually priceless. In the past price guide reference books were a good starting point for valuing different items, but today such books have become nearly obsolete with the power of the internet at our fingertips. In most cases the internet will be the first place to research your item but don’t forget that the values you find can vary dramatically depending on the condition, who is selling them, where the item is located and more. While there are certain furniture items which are less or more fashionable today than in the past, desirability and value really comes down to individual taste and the room it is going into. You can ask your local auction house or antique dealer for a valuation but in both cases the value they give should be considered an estimate only. There are specialist online valuation services which will provide valuations for a fee but again check their location as values can vary dramatically between countries and continents.
Is Mahogany furniture valuable?
The simple answer is Mahogany furniture can be very valuable. It has always been a scarce and prized timber so is usually a sign that the antique item was expensive and well made at the time, sometimes by the very best makers and designers. Mahogany was first imported from the West Indies at the start of the 18th Century and continued to be popular up to the beginning of the 20th Century. It not only has an appealing red tone and grain but is strong and crisp to carve. However, Mahogany has also always been scarce, so almost from the start was also being used as a veneer as well as solid timber. Today antique mahogany is slightly less fashionable overall compared to other timbers (such as Oak) so can be purchased for less than in the past making them great value. In truth if you like the item or it suits the room, then that item is valuable to you either way.
What date is Georgian and Victorian Furniture?
The Georgian era in England (1714-1837) began with King George I in 1714 and ended with the death of George IV in 1830. However, for simplicity most people also include the subsequent reign of William IV from 1830-37 into the Georgian period. The Victorian era (1837-1901) began when Queen Victoria took to the throne in 1837 and until her death in 1901. When describing antique furniture people sometimes use the terms Georgian and Victorian somewhat loosely to also describe items created in the styles popular during those times.
What is vintage Furniture?
The phrase ‘Vintage Furniture’ is commonly used to describe a whole group of furniture that is not yet old enough to be antique. Many people and sales platforms deem that vintage items must be a minimum of 20 years old to be called Vintage and that they finally become Antique when they are at least 100 years old. In principle this is a pretty clear definition, but it is important to recognise that these are only guide-lines and some will use ‘Vintage’ to refer to even newer items in an older style.