The specialist guide to Asian antiques and exotic home decor from the far east. » Antique furniture http://www.antique-chinese-furniture.com/blog A unique insiders peek at the world of Chinese furniture, Asian culture and oriental-inspired interior design (Antiker Chinesischer Möbel, muebles chinos antiguos, mobilia cinese antica) Wed, 12 Nov 2008 07:03:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 en Do you know what you are selling? Because your customer might not. http://www.antique-chinese-furniture.com/blog/2008/02/15/do-you-know-what-you-are-selling-because-your-customer-might-not/ http://www.antique-chinese-furniture.com/blog/2008/02/15/do-you-know-what-you-are-selling-because-your-customer-might-not/#comments Fri, 15 Feb 2008 09:27:36 +0000 Roger http://www.antique-chinese-furniture.com/blog/2008/02/15/do-you-know-what-you-are-selling-because-your-customer-might-not/ chinese burlwood cabinet
I am noticing a trend where just about “everyone and anyone” is now selling so called “Chinese antique furniture” (or some variation of this) and misrepresenting it as any number of different things. Items made just yesterday (antique reproductions) are falsely labeled as genuine antiques and the real antiques are often completely misclassified. I recently saw an antique Tibetan sideboard cabinet labeled as coming from Mongolia. Sometimes, this is just the result of the importer not having access to good product history and background information (and thus the purpose of this specialists blog). But in other instances its pure marketing and the low-end/mass-produced is being promoted as high end/hand-made. There is an interesting article in the New York Times about this entitled “Look-Alikes Draw Lawyers’ Stares” and one quote from this article seems to really sum it up in a nutshell:

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This post is from: The specialist guide to Antique Chinese Furniture Antiker Chinesischer Möbel muebles chinos antiguos mobilia cinese antica

Do you know what you are selling? Because your customer might not.

]]> http://www.antique-chinese-furniture.com/blog/2008/02/15/do-you-know-what-you-are-selling-because-your-customer-might-not/feed/ Guide to Chinese Furniture - Part 2) “Converted” antiques http://www.antique-chinese-furniture.com/blog/2006/09/17/guide-to-chinese-furniture-part-2-converted-antiques/ http://www.antique-chinese-furniture.com/blog/2006/09/17/guide-to-chinese-furniture-part-2-converted-antiques/#comments Sun, 17 Sep 2006 17:57:35 +0000 Roger http://www.antique-chinese-furniture.com/blog/2008/01/30/guide-to-chinese-furniture-part-2-converted-antiques/ CONVERTED
Converted items are both antique & reproduction at the same time. Because of this the materials
and/or construction should possess a very slight degree of wear/tear due to age/use. The main overall
design of a converted piece may remain the same or similr but heavy modifications are made including
structural, finishes etc

  1. KNOWLEDGE: Basic an understanding of periods, regions, and styles as well local handcraft
    construction techniques.
  2. OPTIONS: Converted pieces are opportunistic in nature based on available, original core
    pieces and the buyer generally has little to no choice over its design.
  3. ORDERING: The purchasing (not ordering) ordering process is generally unsophisticated and
    inexact. Items cannot be exactly re-ordered but similar pieces may be able to be located.
  4. SUPPLY/PRICING: As supply will slowly decrease over time and consequently price will rise
    as haphazard conversions (as opposed to full restorations) will become a less useful/common
    occurrence. Conversions are sometimes is cheaper then “new,” since there is no purchase of
    new raw materials.

This post is from: The specialist guide to Antique Chinese Furniture Antiker Chinesischer Möbel muebles chinos antiguos mobilia cinese antica

Guide to Chinese Furniture - Part 2) “Converted” antiques

]]> http://www.antique-chinese-furniture.com/blog/2006/09/17/guide-to-chinese-furniture-part-2-converted-antiques/feed/ Guide to Chinese Furniture - Part 1) What is considered an antique? http://www.antique-chinese-furniture.com/blog/2006/08/17/types-of-chinese-furniture/ http://www.antique-chinese-furniture.com/blog/2006/08/17/types-of-chinese-furniture/#comments Thu, 17 Aug 2006 17:48:21 +0000 Roger http://www.antique-chinese-furniture.com/blog/?p=23 ANTIQUE

antique chinese sideboardantique chinese sideboard

Antique pieces are aged and usually must meet a minimum age before being considered an antique - generally 50 years or more. Should possess some degree of wear/tear due to time/age and use. Each piece is unusual and unique.

  1. KNOWLEDGE: Requires a comprehensive historical understanding of periods, regions, and styles as well local handcraft construction techniques, price points, authentication techniques etc.
  2. OPTIONS: There are no specific options, only generalized choices following patterns, motifs, periods and styles. The piece’s age and overall condition is a key consideration.
  3. ORDERING: The purchasing (not ordering) ordering process is generally unsophisticated and inexact. Items cannot be exactly re-ordered. Similar pieces may or may not be able to be located. Requires time. Because production & finishing techniques varied exensively from factory to factory during that time period, it is therefore difficult to find exact same piece again.
  4. SUPPLY/PRICING: Supply will constantly decrease over time and consequently price will steadily increase. Pricing can also vary significantly depending on the piece’s age, style, historical significance, condition etc.
  5. TYPES: Antique/Vintage (Under 50 can be considered “Vintage”), Country vs Classical and Restored/unrestored.

Its important to note that most items on the market today which are being promoted as antiques are in fact either converted antiques (at best) or outright fakes & copies.

More reading on this topic:

This post is from: The specialist guide to Antique Chinese Furniture Antiker Chinesischer Möbel muebles chinos antiguos mobilia cinese antica

Guide to Chinese Furniture - Part 1) What is considered an antique?

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