 Usually when the task is to identify a piece of older or antique furniture and to determine its condition, the situation calls for a clear head, an unhurried approach, an open mind and a calm demeanor. Nice work if you can get it. But what about a less than ideal situation? Suppose you have had your eye on a piece scheduled to come up for auction. You haven't seen the piece in person yet but the photo in the ad looks good and you know the auction house is reputable. All you have to do is show up at the preview before the first call and decide if the piece is what you want and determine the condition of the piece to help you frame your bid strategy. No problem.
But somehow the week before the sale has been hectic and you never made it to the early preview. No worry. You still have at least an hour before the sale. But somehow that hour has trickled through your fingers and by the time you arrive, breathless, at the auction venue you have exactly one minute to evaluate your potential acquisition and make an informed decision. Now what?
First, get a grip. Compose yourself. Get your frame of mind back to the desired state of unhurried openness that usually brings good results. It's just that you now have 60 seconds to exercise that open mind - in an unhurried state, of course.
Step back and take in the entire piece. First impressions do count. Is it what you thought it would be? Is it the right size, shape and color? Does it make a good appearance? Are you impressed? Are you still interested? You just used up 10 seconds. It's time to press on.
Of course prior to this exercise, preferably over the last 10 years or so, you have developed an outline of what is acceptable to you in terms of age, finish, stability, function, appearance and price. And more importantly you have developed the opposite outline of what is unacceptable. So within the five seconds you just used up did the piece of furniture safely pass through the first broad hole in the acceptable screen?
Now it's time to narrow the screen opening a bit and get down to cases. In real estate the byword is "location, location, location." With antique furniture the recent trend has been toward "condition, condition, condition." Remember the 1960s song "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)?" It also applies to the furniture's condition.
The most obvious element of condition in most furniture is the finish. Remember the finish has a twofold purpose and both ends should be met. Obviously the finish should enhance the appearance of the object. It should give the illusion of depth and clarity to the surface while adding faintly discernable color. But the most important function of the finish is to seal and protect the surface. If the finish is cracked or broken it is not doing its job properly. So give yourself 15 seconds to examine the finish.
The actual finish is microscopically thin so you can't see much of the finish itself. You have to examine the effect of the finish. First look across the finish from a 45 degree angle. Is the reflection of the opposite wall clear or is it visible at all? Is the reflection distorted? Then use your fingers to feel the finish. Let them slide across the surface gathering in little clues about the texture and condition of the finish. Is it silky smooth or are there some bumps and crackles? Did any of it flake off on your fingers? Is the finish continuous or are there breaks where the wood might be exposed to the atmosphere? In an out of the way spot tap the finish with your fingernail. If it turns white or flakes at the tap spot, it has lost adhesion to the surface and could be a cause for concern. Finally, cast a loving glance deep into the finish looking for clarity or the lack thereof. A cloudy finish could mean a moisture intrusion or an overall lack of adhesion - both things to be concerned about. Did the finish make it through the screen? Time's up. Move on.
Next look for obvious structural faults but don't tarry. You have already used almost half your allotted time. You get another 15 seconds here. In this phase you are looking for things like cracks in chair legs, broken or missing trim work, splits in large side or back panels, cracked drawer fronts and split table tops. Are the rails between the drawers intact and untouched or do they have grooves and scrapes where the drawer rubs? Is there any visible water damage to the base or feet?
After giving it a quick look, give it a quick tug. Place you knee in a chair seat and see if the back wiggles too much. Give the cabinet a slight twist to check its resolve. Pull out a drawer and close it again. Did it operate smoothly or was there a little "bump" as you closed it? Are the drawer sides worn in an arc that needs to be fixed? Do the doors open and close smoothly without scraping? Is the bed frame solid or does it complain when you lean on it? All the while your fingers are at work again feeling along sharp edges for dents and dings and tapping large areas looking for loose veneer. There's the buzzer. Did it pass? Just 20 seconds left.
Devote 10 seconds to the survey of hardware. Is it all there? Does it all match? Is it original to the piece or does it at least fit the style and period of the piece? Does it work? Try the door latches and any other moveable parts. Don't forget to look at the hinges. Do they match? Do they all have the same type screws and are they correct for the period? (No brass screws in early 19th-century hinges.) Are the locks in place and are they complete or are they missing the center pin or bolt? If the locks have keys give them a twist to see if they really belong there and if they work. Time's up.
Now you have 10 seconds left to organize your facts and formulate your opinion. What did you miss and what can you live without in terms of information? Take one last overall look and lock it in your mind's eye for further review as you sit in the audience and wait for the lot to come up. Did the piece pass all your tests? Now take a deep breath and return to normal.
Send comments, questions and pictures to Fred Taylor at P.O. Box 215, Crystal River, FL 34423 or
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Visit Fred's website at www.furnituredetective.com. His book How To Be a Furniture Detective is available for $18.95 plus $3 shipping. Send check or money order for $21.95 to Fred Taylor, P.O. Box 215, Crystal River, FL 34423.
Fred and Gail Taylor's DVD, Identification of Older and Antique Furniture, ($17 plus $3 shipping) and a bound compilation of the first 60 columns of Common Sense Antiques by Fred Taylor, ($25 plus $3 shipping) are also available at the same address. For more information call (800) 387-6377, fax 352-563-2916, or
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. All items can also be purchased directly from the website.
ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE
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There's nothing better than going over to a neighbor's house on a cool, crisp fall afternoon to watch the college game of the week or the upcoming pro event. You and Mr. Neighbor get comfortable with a cold refreshment, kicked back on the large sloppy couch, feet leisurely perched atop the coffee table (don't look at me - he did it first). The game starts and everything is fine until Mrs. Neighbor passes through the room and threatens both of you with bodily injury if you don't get your feet off her antique coffee table.
When I was in junior high school, the hard-case English teacher who took pleasure in terrorizing all eight graders assigned us the daunting task of writing our autobiography. She provided an outline that dictated the construct of the document and she regularly checked on our individual progress to make sure we weren't procrastinating on the job. 
