Antique furnishings

What makes antique furnishings so desirable? Why might that old chair covered in dust in your grandmother's attic be one of the most valuable pieces of furniture in the entire home? Forget the flat screened TV that now sits in her living room and the expensive scooter that she uses to get around the house. The most valuable items in many homes today happen to be the oldest items in the household.

Why is it that old furniture is valued so much today? In most cases, it is because it is more than just old furniture. It is antique because it has special value in terms of sentiment and the passage of time.

The emotional connection of antique furnishings

• In many cases the real value of antique furnishings lie in the emotional connection felt by the owners.
• People grow attached to objects that have been in their home through different phases of their life.
• Others may form a deep attachment to objects that belonged to a grandparent or parent that has already passed on.

Sometimes these antiques may be of great financial value and other times their condition or other factors may make them junk in the eyes of everyone but the owner. Regardless, these owners are not likely to sell the furniture even if it does hold great financial value.

Antique furnishings of real value

When someone passes away it is common for antique dealers or collectors to be called to sort through a variety of the deceased's belongings to see if any antiques of real financial value can be found. Many times those who have inherited the estate believe it is all junk and have little hope of finding anything of value, but in many cases there are one or two antique furnishings that can be considered to be of financial value.

Depending on the condition of the item, its age, and the manufacturer, it can be worth thousands of pounds or just a few. In some cases something truly rare in exceptional condition will be found and the owners will have stumbled upon a goldmine.

This is why it is so important to have anything that looks like it may be antique analysed by a professional familiar with antique furnishings. They will be able to identify real value in items the untrained eye would otherwise label as junk.

Every day treasures are tossed out with the trash. Tons of antique furniture worth real money is sitting in dumps around the world wasting away. This is a sad tragedy that dealers and collectors have a hard time accepting.

The aesthetic appeal of antique furnishings

So, why do people pay big money for antique furnishings? Why do some spend all their free time looking for antiques as if they were gold? In many cases it comes down to the charming aesthetic appeal that it can give to the home. Some people use antiques just as someone else would use a painting from their favourite artist. They want to give their home the right decorative edge.

In fact, sometimes the perfect piece of antique furniture can set off a room just perfectly even if it doesn't hold any real financial value. This is why many people spend a lot of time restoring old furniture. It gives the home a certain charm and elegance that can't be achieved with modern furniture pieces.

Whether it's because of an emotional connection, real financial value or the style and individuality they add to a home, antique furnishings are hot property.

Find out more about getting your hands on antique furnishings at one of our auctions.