subject: How to buy English Antique Furniture [print this page] Check that all the hardware used on the antique furniture is original. The knobs, sliders, screws and bolts can be easily checked by careful assessment of the wood behind these attachments. Also, check for nails those used after 1880 have round heads and round shanks. Prior to this, nails were squarish. Other important characteristics to look at to ensure authenticity are saw marks on the backs of chests and under tables, wormholes on the surface of any wood piece, secondary wood inside drawers and on dresser backs and so on.
