How to Spot a Piece of Vintage Furniture

Vintage and antique furniture can really make your room come to life. Unfortunately there are countless contemporary knockoffs in the marketplace that can make finding truly vintage furniture difficult to identity. Read on and learn how to properly spot a piece of vintage furniture.

1. First: Talk to the seller

   Your first step in determining whether a piece is truly an antique or not is to talk to whomever is selling you the furniture. Ask them where they got the item and at the very least, you now have a better understanding of where the item came from even if you still cannot determine whether it is vintage or not.

2. Second: Observe the piece

   If asking about the item has not given you a clear indication as to whether that particular piece is vintage or not, you next step is to observe the item yourself. Does the piece look old? Upholstery or any type of fabric should have a certain amount of wear. Leather and vinyl might not show signs of wear however, their is a distinct difference in the appearance of new leather to leather that is say, 30 or more years old. You should also look at the structure of the furniture you are interested in. For example chairs with springs should feel extra bouncy as the tension in the spring has probably failed over time. Another great idea is to look for screws on the furniture. Knockoff furniture usually have new looking screws while vintage screws should look old and worn.