English Oak Furniture
Buying Tips and What To Look For
In the current climate, antique furniture at the lower end of the market can still be difficult to sell and the value of middle range pieces has fallen by as much as 50% over the years. This may sound depressing but there are however still pieces that are bucking the trend - early English oak furniture from the 16th century through to the 18th century. Whilst this is very much a generalisation as influences on the market can change from region to region, county by county and obviously are based on the actual piece, English oak continues to ride on an even keel.
Styles and fashions in the antique trade come in and out of favour so why should oak buck this trend? Probably because of the organic and simplistic form of early oak furniture it can ‘fit’ and adapt into most of settings and decorative styles.
So as a purchaser what should you look out for? There are three ‘key’ words that in the case of early English oak furniture will influence the price considerably: Condition – Proportion – Patina.
Most early oak furniture has undergone some measure of decay or damage. Early repairs are themselves considered part of the antiquity of the piece and because of this restoration is tolerated - almost always on early pieces there has been no attempt to conceal it. Of course restoration should be reflected in the final asking price but you would be most fortunate if a piece of early oak has had no work or alteration done to it, these are rare and will command high prices.
The old saying ‘small is beautiful’ still rings true. For example, given two Queen Anne chests one of three feet wide the other of five feet wide, the smaller will probably command twice the asking price of the latter because smaller pieces tend to be much more rare and therefore desirable.
Patina to me is the most important factor. Good patina ’glows’ with a depth of colour that can only be achieved over hundreds of years of use, warm hues radiate from the wood beneath and the appearance becomes almost glass like, looking as hard as steel. A good patina makes early oak look as if it could tell a thousand stories.
It seems funny based on its latter day popularity that oak furniture from the 1600’s to the 1800’s was never mass produced. Whilst today we love these pieces as collectable one offs, designed, carved and worn to perfection at the time of construction they were seen as cheap, practical and durable. Pieces tended to be made by local village joiners or turners a fact that nowadays can help identify a piece’s region/county through the style of carving or the shaped back on a chair.
The three key words Condition – Proportion – Patina will stand you in good stead when choosing a piece of early English Oak furniture however these are just a rough guide and introduction to oak furniture. To break down the various styles and regions would take forever so my suggestion would be to always buy from a reputable dealer. In particular I can recommend WEADA dealers – as members of the Association they are bound to follow a strict ethical code, they will give you knowledgeable advice and are there to help you with your purchase. Membership to WEADA is by invitation only and based on a dealer’s reputation built over years spent in the antiques trade.
