Using Antique Tables In Your Home
In order for a table to be considered an antique it must be at least 100 years old. There are many different kinds of furniture each one having a specific purpose. Let’s take a look at some of these different types of antique tables available today.
Dining
There are many different styles of dining tables but they mainly fall into 3 categories. The trestle, the refractory, and the drop leaf.
Trestle tables were first used in the medieval times and the earliest of these tables consisted of slabs of wood set on trestles. The could be taken apart and moved aside against a wall when more space was needed in the great hall. As time passed the top became fixed to the trestles and it is these fixed top tables that are available today. While huge versions of these tables were necessary in the medieval times smaller versions were used on farms and in other places to accommodate large families or in the case of wealthy merchants or well to do families in dining areas for the entertainment of guests. While many of these tables used benches for seating others used chairs.
The refractory table was so named because it was used for all the eating in monasteries. Many of these resemble the trestle tables to a large degree.
Drop leaf furniture came later and they experienced a couple of leafs that could decrease right down to supply much more space with the cooking once the loved ones was not consuming and could then open up to supply room for your loved ones to sit down together. You can still buy versions of the drop leaf table today.
Unlike today when we think of small tables as being coffee tables, end tables or perhaps hall tables our ancestors used special tables for a variety of uses. There are lamp, side, tea, card, writing, and drafting tables. The early drafting tables were not used for drawing but rather for reviewing large oversized books.
Purchasing an Antique
If you want to purchase an antique and know little about antiques your best bet is to seek out someone who deals with antiques from the period you want to purchase from and hire them to help you find your table. While these types of people’s providers are not equipped inexpensive, hiring all of them may insure that you are obtaining precisely what you are expecting.
Another option is to look through antique books, museums and online until you find the one you would like to purchase and then learn every thing you can about that particular piece so you know what may devalue the piece such as re staining or new hardware. There are many things that can lower the value of an otherwise magnificent antique.
Whether looking for an antique dining table or one of the smaller tables, taking the time to do your research and learn about the piece you are purchasing will help you to find a one you are happy with and will only increase in value.