Most people think that antiques are formal, dark, and conservative items that don’t have a place in our modern lives. Some may fall under these categories but there is more to these classic pieces than what our preconceived notions suggest.

The term “antique” generally refers to items 100 years or older and are in their original and unaltered condition. This distinction applies to everything, except cars, which can be considered antiques if they are 75 years and over.

Collecting antique furniture has become popular because many people find appeal in their quality and value. In general, collectors prefer to buy antiques over new furniture, as the latter depreciates after its purchase. Antiques appreciate over time, which makes them excellent collection pieces. It is for this reason that many people invest in antique second-hand furniture.

Clocks, folk art, and ceramics are some of the antique pieces that many collectors are after and we have several of these items available in our store.

Clocks

Early Egyptians first thought of dividing the day into two parts. They used the shadow of the obelisk as a means of marking the different hours. Time passed and it became necessary to develop a more precise way to tell the time and this led to the creation of the hourglass, water-powered instruments, indexed candles, and other devices.

In the 13^th century, European monks devised the first mechanical clocks, which made a sound to mark each passing hour. Galileo’s contribution to the creation of clocks was his discovery of the pendulum. He was the one who thought of making a clock with a swinging pendulum. Unfortunately, he died before completing the design. It was the Dutchman, Christian Huygens, who successfully incorporated the use of pendulum in clock making.

Folk Art

Folk art refers to the art works of a group of individuals with the same cultural background. Folk artists generally have no orthodox skills but what they lacked in formal training, they made up for with their passion and resoluteness. Because folk artists were more associated to artisans than fine artists, their art often involved craft processes, such as whittling, painting, sculpting, and quilting.

Ceramics

Archeological evidence suggests that man have used ceramics in as early as 24,000 BC. In Czechoslovakia, archaeologists were able to find figurines in the likeness of humans and animals. There were also balls and blocks made of fine, clay-like substance mixed with animal fat, bones, and bone ash. While the early forms of ceramics didn’t seem to have any functional uses, it is thought that utilitarian pottery was first used to store food in 9,000 BC. These days, antique collectors are after decorative ceramic products that are considered as fine art.

In most cases, collectors use antiques in their own homes as decoration or as functional furniture. These furniture and decoration pieces include tables, chairs, bureau, and chests. They are perfect for restaurants, lounges, receiving areas, and may be used as accents in almost any type of space.

Feel free to go over our abundant collection of antique pieces and see what catches your eyes. However, if you have antique furniture that you’re thinking of selling, you may want to consider consigning with us.