How to Value 18th Century Furniture
Knowing how much your 18th-century furniture is worth is important if you want to sell or insure your furniture for its current market value. To learn more about the furniture, including how much it commands on the auction market, you can find a wealth of information by visiting antique auctions and reading books. To obtain the most accurate value of your furniture, you need an appraiser. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Sort your 18th-century furniture by type, separating the pieces into categories such as lamps, tables or chairs.
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Inspect your antique furniture with a magnifying glass, noting any scratches, dents or blemishes. These will lower the value of your 18th-century furniture. Write down any of these marks. Also note any marks that might identify the maker, such as a stamp, seal or name of a person or place.
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Visit your local bookstore or library to find antique pricing guides and books on 18th-century furniture. Kyle Husfloen's "Antique Trader Furniture Price Guide" provides a good overview of common styles and includes photographs. "Emyl Jenkins' Appraisal Book" by Emyl Jenkins helps beginners understand how to identify reproductions and truly antique furniture. It also offers tips for hiring appraisers.
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Find antique auctions near you in the classified section of your local newspaper. Attend the auction and write down the final sale price of items that are similar to yours.
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Search for a furniture appraiser near using the American Society of Appraisers directory. While you can choose to get an appraisal by submitting a photograph, it will be less accurate than an in-person appraisal.
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Call an appraiser to schedule an appointment. Ask for a resume and references so that you can make sure others are satisfied with the work. Create a list of questions you want to ask the appraiser, such as tips for maintenance of your antique furniture or how to get the best price for your 18th-century furniture if you choose to sell it.
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Show your furniture to the appraiser. Tell the appraiser anything you know about the object, such as how you inherited or bought it, who manufactured it and how it's been stored since you obtained it. Discuss your list of questions with the appraiser and make sure she will report all information on the value, creator, era and care of your furniture.
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Obtain a second appraiser if you feel the furniture was valued very low or if you received negative feedback about the appraiser's work from references.
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