Driscolls Antiques – Antique Furniture Blog

The Practicality of Antique furniture

The purchasing of antiques furniture can involve lots of research and studying to ensure the piece will be most suitable for your decor and to fit into your lifestyle but one main thing to remember is don’t forget the practicality of the piece.

Don’t just buy a piece of antique furniture because it may look pretty but also buy a piece so it is usable and will function as a practical piece of furniture. It is good to buy antiques as an investment but it should still be used, so it will offer two benefits, a usable piece of furniture and hopefully a very good investment. A good antique chest of drawers can hold many clothes and are built much more sturdy than the modern equivalent. An antique desk can be displayed and enjoyed as working pieces of furniture and are usually just as practical but more characterful to look at.

Selecting antique furniture can be a difficult process but at the end of the day you will own a practical, quality, usable, well built piece of furniture with charm and character and will hopefully increase in value over the years rather than fall to pieces like some modern furniture.

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The last Delivery comments of 2011

Here are a few comments I thought I would share with you from items we delivered just before Christmas. If you would like to have any comments published from antique furniture you have purchased from us we would love to hear from you.

James

Thank you – all safely arrived, and staying!

Best wishes

Bill

Antique dining table, 10 chairs and a side table

Delivered at 3 minutes past nine.  I’m impressed!

It looks very good in the position we had chosen – we are very pleased with it.

Thank you

Andrew

Antique sideboard

Hi James, the wardrobe arrived promptly at 5 past 11.  Many thanks to you and to the delivery men, who struggled upstairs with it but with great care.  It looks very well.   Stephen

Antique wardrobe

James

Just to say I’m delighted with the sideboard. It’s exactly as you described.

But more importantly to comment on your delivery guys –

Firstly they were bang on time, extremely polite, very efficient and carried the piece right up the stairs with no comment or complaint whatsoever. Placed it exactly where I asked. Refused offers of tea or coffee, just got on with it. They did a fantastic service!

I’ve not had many deliveries to my flat by such affable & accomodating gentlemen. They are a credit to you.

Please pass on my thanks & appreciation for their perfect service.

Kind regards

John

Antique wardrobe

Dear James Driscoll,
The chest of drawers arrived Saturday morning – at 6.30 a.m.!  It’s perfect, I’m delighted with it, thank you.  I will definitely keep an eye on your website.
Margaret

Antique chest of drawers

Sorry it has taken me so long to let you know that our chiffonier arrived and we love it!

It is the first time that we bought an antique online and we’d like to thank you for making it such a great experience.

Best,

Ellen

Antique chiffonier

Hi James

We’re extremely pleased with the furniture – many thanks!

There are some other things we need so we’ll keep an eye on your web-site.

Kind regards.

Michael

Antique bookcase and antique card table

Hello James,
The chiffonier arrived safely. It’s really perfect for my dining room.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Michèle

Antique chiffonier

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Antique furniture by the designer and furniture makers Shapland & Petter

Antique furniture by Shapland & Petter means the furniture is a quality piece, constructed from fine timber and beautifully built. Shapland & Petter was based in Devon and specialized in Arts & Crafts design antique furniture. Shapland and Petter was established by cabinetmaker Henry Shapland and Henry Petter and they became one of the best known designers for arts and crafts furniture but the only difference to other arts and crafts cabinet makers is that they did use some machines to construct there furniture rather than using only hand tools.

This was frowned upon by traditionalists but as their designs were so current and the timber used was of such good quality this was soon not a factor. They not only produced arts and crafts designs but also made very traditional looking furniture in many different styles from the Victorian antique chairs to the Sheraton and Chippendale design antique tables. The main pieces people do want to collect is their arts and crafts furniture as this is what they are famous for and these designs do fit into modern interiors as well as traditional interiors.

We do have some very good examples for sale in the arts and crafts design by Shapland & Petter like this Victorian Shapland and Petter Antique Ash Triple Wardrobe.

And this Victorian Arts & Crafts Walnut Dressing Table

Both quality pieces of antiques furniture and we do get many other pieces in by this designer so please check our website for the latest antiques for sale.

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Antique Furniture by Maple & Co

Maple & Co was one the largest furniture retailers and cabinet makers and were will known for quality and craftsmanship. They produced many quality pieces of antique furniture in the late Victorian and Edwardian periods and copied earlier designs such as hepplwhite and Chippendale but also were well known for their quality Arts & Crafts Furniture.

Maple & Co was first established by John Maple, a shopkeeper, Surrey, who later opened a furniture shop in Tottenham Court Road but it was his son, John Maple, who pushed Maples & Co to be such a huge success. With his skills in business, by the 1880s they were the largest furniture store in the world as they exported their fine antique furniture to many different countries and were well known throughout the interiors world.

Driscolls antiques get many pieces of quality Maple & Co antique furniture along with any other quality antiques such as antique desks, antique chest of drawers, antique tables and antique chairs. All of our antiques are displayed clearly with description and price on our secure website and we update it daily. We do have some very nice pieces of Maple & Co antique furniture coming in this week and especially a stunning inlayed antique chest of drawers, so please check our newly added items for details.

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The beautiful country look

If you have a country home like a period cottage there is no better look, thank to add good quality period oak to enhance the look of your home. Period oak can come in many forms of antique furniture and some later period styles can match in well.

Here are a few suggestions for your period residence.

We have for sale a classic Georgian tall period antique oak chest of drawers with two over four graduating cock beaded drawers, brass swan neck handles and shaped bracket feet. As with all our antiques it is in very good condition and has been beautifully cleaned using a traditional form of wax finishing.

Or why not try for your study our George I Period Oak Antique Bureau with an unusual stepped interior with several small oak lined drawers, secret bible well, small central cupboard door and the added benefit of several secret drawers.
It has two longer graduating oak lined drawers and stands on shaped bracket feet.

For your bed linen or as use as a coffee table we have a country small period antique oak with a moulded panel lid above moulded panel front, back and sides and the antique coffer stands on raised legs.

If you are looking to impress in your kitchen we have a quality Georgian oak antique dresser base with several deep oak lined drawers with moulded edges and Swan neck handles.

All these items of antique furniture are currently available on our website and if they are sold, as our items do sell fast, we will have more beautiful antiques available to view and purchase for your home.

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Wylie & Lochhead Antique Furniture

Antique Furniture by the Scottish firm Wylie & Lochhead means the piece is going to be of superb quality and a very high level of craftsmanship. Wylie & Lochhead made antique furniture in traditional style like in the Chippendale design but also in the Arts& Crafts design. They were famous for their stunning selection of antique wardrobes, antique dining chairs and antique dining tables.

In 1829 Wylie & Lochhead was started by cabinetmakers Robert Wylie and William Lochhead mainly as coffin builders but they quickly became very successful with many workshops and furniture showrooms in Glasgow, Scotland. Wylie & Lochhead became renowned for their artistic designs and high levels of craftsmanship especially in the late Victorian and Edwardian periods. Wylie & Lochhead main well known designers were E.A Taylor, John Ednie and George Logan. Their Arts & Crafts Furniture designs were considered of such high quality they were displayed at the Turin International Exhibition alongside those of Rennie Mackintosh and the Glasgow Four.

Wylie & Lochhead soon opened showrooms in England in the large cities like London and Manchester but they also began selling abroad.

There antique furniture was so well crafted and beautifully finished you still see many good examples for sale today and driscolls antiques always carries a good selection of Wylie & Lochhead furniture for sale.

We currently have a Large Circular Mahogany Antique Dining Table by Wylie & Lochhead of Glasgow

An Antique Edwardian Mahogany Double Wardrobe by Wylie & Lochhead

And a Victorian Walnut Triple Wardrobe

These quality pieces of antique furniture will not be around for long but if you have an interest for Wylie & Lochhead furniture please let us know and I can place you onto our wanted book and let you know as pieces come in stock.

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Handling Antique Furniture Correctly

One of the first and most basic rules of handling antique furniture is being very careful. This may seem like a very simple rule to follow, but you will be surprised how many pieces get damaged from rough handling.

Moving furniture can be one of the most strenuous so it is always best to have two people to move a piece rather than to drag the item around as this can chip the base. Never tilt back on antique chairs back legs as this can damage the joints and make the chair wobbly. Over time the chair will become un usable and will need repair.

Chairs should be picked up from under the seat and never the top of the chair as it is liable to pull off.

Always open a drawer using both handles, never only use one handle as this will open the drawer on an angle and can damage the runners and joints.

Do not lift a table from the top surface but from the lowest part of the main frame as the tops are usually screwed in and the weight of the top can pull the screws out of the base.

Don’t leave your antiques in direct sun light as this will lighten the wood only on the area the sun hits and if the heat from the sun gets too hot, the polish can blister.

This is just a few hints and tips and we have a good section on caring for your antique furniture on our website for lots more information.

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Using Antique Furniture to Elevate the Look of your Home

Most people love to decorate their homes to add their own personal look and style. Antique furniture can really elevate the look of your home and it adds to your own personal touches as antique furniture comes with character and charm. This is why the market for vintage and antique furniture is on the rise. Antique furniture is built to last and over the years of use it comes with character marks and patina.

If you add an old masterpiece in your home it can really speaks volumes about your taste and sophistication. Vintage items enhance the look of your home and welcome the guests with high quality furniture and collectibles.

Home is a reflection of your personal style and taste. Antiques add a certain character and charm that conveys the classiness of the room beautifully. If you are inspired from the old Victorian periods, then going for antique furnishings is obvious! A reputed antique dealer like driscolls antiques will guide you to make the right choice.

You can find these lovely pieces of antique furniture with just at a click of your finger using our online website. Our antiques are a reasonable price but are very good quality and will last for hundreds of years so it is something nice to pass down to your children.

So why not add an element of style to your home by adding antique writing furniture or if you are a fan of literature and are fond of writing then having an antique bureau to use as a writing desk will make that space an ideal one for you.

Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian periods all offered quality furnishing and come with beautiful English styles that you do not see today. antique furniture is also a great investment and act as an amazing asset to you not only financially but also environmentally. Adding these beautiful antique items will convey your personality, and make your house stand out from the rest. .

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The True Value of Antique furniture

It is often said that the true value of any item purchased can be measured not only by how it serves its purpose when you bought it, but also how it carries on serving the same purpose over many years and this is how to work out value worthy of the initial investment cost. For example, modern furniture is often poorly crafted and as soon as you walk out of the shop with it, it can lose the majority of its value. It may perform its function for a couple of years but due to the poor quality and materials used they usually break or fall to pieces. This would hardly be considered good value for money. There are very few safe purchases or investments that offer any guarantees antique furniture one of the only exceptions with an extremely high level of potential. Antique furniture is constructed from quality timbers that you cannot see today and most pieces are still around after, over 100 years and still fully functional. Antique furniture also can hold good monetary value as the pieces are very saleable when you want to dispose of the item and they can also go up in value so is a good financial investment. Antique furniture comes with years of character that cannot be reproduced and very often are more reasonable to buy than the modern reproduction copies but are better built. Please check our website for our huge selection of quality antique furniture including antique chest of drawers, desks, wardrobes and many, many more pieces.

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Sourcing Genuine Antique Furniture

Sourcing genuine antique furniture can sometimes be difficult as if you browse around auctions and many fairs and shops the sellers are not obliged to tell you if the piece is an original genuine piece of antique furniture unless they are a LAPADA or other similar member. Like us, at Driscolls antiques Ltd are LAPADA members and so only deal in genuine antique furniture that we sympathetically restore using traditional methods.

It never fails to surprise how many try to pass off lesser goods as genuine originals purely for their own personal gain. The problem is that there are cases each and every day where someone without the knowledge and an eye for the finest detail could possibly notice the differences between two similar items. This can be a serious issue, as even the smallest details can make a big difference to the value of a piece.

It is for this exact reason that any person looking to source genuine antique furniture should only trust a well established antiques dealer who specialises in antique furniture, like Driscolls antiques. Our pieces are quality genuine antique furniture but at affordable prices and not over priced like so many other dealers. Whether you are looking for antique desks, antique chest of drawers, wardrobes or anything else for your home check out our website and view beautiful pieces of antique furniture that we can deliver direct to your home.

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