Berlin - Collecting antique furniture is a fine hobby. The chests of drawers, cabinets, and chairs from a bygone time not only decorate your home, but can also be used. And unlike the items for sale at discount stores, antique pieces of furniture - so long as they are originals and not cheap copies - generally do not depreciate in value. Distinguishing originals from copies is not always easy for laypersons, however.
"If you want to start collecting antique furniture, you have first got to overcome your fear of entering the shops. Go in, look around, and talk to the salespersons," advised Alexander Sandmeier of the Berlin-based German Art Dealers Association (DK).
Gabriela Loewe-Hampp, an author from the German town of Amoeneburg and advisor to the Bavarian television series Kunst & Krempel (Art & Junk), noted that visiting museums and reading specialist books and magazines also helped beginners get a general idea of the various epochs and styles. "Otherwise your first purchases will be a jumble," she said.
Collecting, in the final analysis, means selecting, declared art expert Count Heinrich von Spreti, president of the German branch of the auction house Sotheby's. Simply buying is only buying, not collecting, said Spreti, who added that every collector needed certain criteria for making selections - "and they have to be worked out first."
Once the budding collector has decided on criteria, he or she should make initial purchases in specialised shops and at fairs, advised Sandmeier, who pointed out that these places not only offered professional guidance but also put an exact description of the collector's new showpiece on the bill.
"The time of origin, condition, and type of wood should be noted," Sandmeier said. If any information turns out to be incorrect, the buyer can return the piece of furniture within a year and get his or her money back.
This advantage is lacking at an auction, where as a rule purchased items are unreturnable. "While that's no problem for a pro, a layperson has more trouble," warned Thomas Hense, an antique dealer and restorer from Kiel. "What's more, auctions always arouse one's hunting instinct, and beginners can easily be seduced into making rash bids."
Internet purchases should be categorically avoided. A picture of a piece of furniture is never sufficient to judge its genuineness and condition, the experts agree. According to Hense, internet auction platforms are modern flea markets that sell "a lot of rubbish."
Traditional flea markets are not much better, in the professionals' view. Someone looking for furniture of value is not likely to find it there, Loewe-Hampp said, adding that the possibility of getting lucky did exist. "But finding a true bargain antique at a flea market nowadays is as likely as winning a lottery jackpot," she said.
No matter where you buy a piece of antique furniture, you always have to inspect it closely to be on the safe side. And before you close the deal, you should get a specialist's advice to gauge possible added costs for things such as re-upholstering, retouching or repairs. "People who aren't knowledgeable are easily conned," warned Martin Marquardt, an author and restorer from Freiberg.
Professional advice, which also has its price, only pays when the item is comparatively expensive, however. "If a young collector aims to spend 1,000 euros (1,454 dollars), he'll hardly pay for expert advice too," Marquardt said. "But you get somewhat of an idea yourself pretty quickly once you have started to deal with the matter."
Appearance and originality should not be the sole criteria in making a purchase, Spreti said. "What good is a wonderful, genuine Biedermeier chair if it's not comfortable at all?" he asked. Prospective buyers should try out pieces of antique furniture first since they are generally meant to be used and not merely looked at, Spreti noted.
"Hardly anyone nowadays has space enough to simply collect furniture," he said.
Finally, collectors should consider where the fine specimen that caught their eye will be placed, Spreti said. "High humidity or a heating unit in the immediate vicinity could damage the old wood," he warned.
And a Rococo chest of drawers does not belong in a child's room, "where a tricycle could knock off a leg or the baby's milk bottle could leave unsightly rings on the surface," Spreti remarked.
