Antiques Articles

"My second-best bed, with the furniture", William Shakespeare famously bequeathed to his wife in his last will and testament. Whatever the reason for her not inheriting the best bed (a much-debated topic), his words are proof of just how valuable today’s antique beds once were in households up until the 18th century.

Clever collectors realised the importance and appeal of Art Deco furniture in the 1960s, but it took another 20 to 30 years for it to become valuable and sought-after.

Before fitted kitchens and multipurpose furniture, the sideboard was an important storage provider, designed to display the family china and silver for Sunday best. Today, whether used for storage or as a TV stand, antique sideboards are having a moment.

From humble antique table lamps to dazzling crystal chandeliers, antique lighting is a wildly vast market. Which is what makes it a thrilling space for collectors and dealers to dive into.

It’s possible to find antique teapot treasures, as well as saucers, jugs and antique cups at reasonable prices - the charming wares have been a firm favourite in Britain ever since tea was introduced as ‘by the Chineans tcha’ in the 1630s.

Unlike metals that tarnish and furniture that warps, antique glass is gloriously averse to aging. Its fragility might leave it prone to breakages, but its unique qualities mean glass antiques can look exactly the same today as they did two centuries ago.

True collectors have a genuine love of the objects they gather. The pleasure that can derive from a rickety 18th-century rocking chair, teacup with a thousand stories or a tinkly old music box is beyond measure.

Whether you’re an interior tastemaker or an avid collector, antique sofas and settees are valuable assets to invest in. They ooze class: transforming rooms with elegant curves and beautifully crafted feet.

The joy of antique furniture is that it can be used as well as admired.

The flat-pack generation has played a huge role in the fall of antique sales. Cheap and cheerful designs, along with changing tastes and a recession, has hit the market hard.