Furniture is one of the most rewarding categories to identify because so much evidence is built into it. The way a drawer is joined, the wood it’s made from and the hardware on it can date a piece to within a few decades.
Pull out a drawer and turn the piece around — the unfinished backs and undersides tell the truth that polished fronts hide.
Look at the joinery
Joinery is the clearest age clue. Hand-cut dovetails — few in number and slightly uneven — indicate pre-industrial work. Evenly machined dovetails suggest late-19th century or later. Staples, Phillips screws and modern dowels point to 20th-century mass production.
Identify the wood and finish
Oak, walnut, mahogany, rosewood and pine each dominated different periods and regions. Original finishes — shellac, wax, milk paint — age differently to modern polyurethane. Solid timber with visible grain on secondary surfaces beats a veneer over plywood for age and value.
Check the hardware
Handles, hinges, locks and casters evolved over time. Hand-forged, irregular metalwork and hand-cut screws (with off-centre slots) suggest earlier work. Uniform, machine-made brasses are later. Mismatched or newer screws can mean replaced hardware — note it, as it affects value.
Match the style to a period
Silhouette and ornament reveal the era: cabriole legs and claw-and-ball feet, the clean lines of Shaker, the flourishes of Victorian, the geometry of Art Deco, the tapered legs of Mid-Century Modern. Style plus construction usually narrows the date convincingly.
Quick checklist
- Inspect the dovetails and joints
- Identify the primary and secondary woods
- Examine hinges, handles and screws
- Match the silhouette to a period style
- Check backs and undersides for labels or stamps
Do it in seconds with Curio
Not sure where a piece fits? Let Curio place it:
- Photograph the whole piece, plus a close-up of the joinery or any label
- Curio identifies the likely style, era and origin
- Get an estimated value range and care tips specific to the wood and finish
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if furniture is really antique?
Check the joinery and hardware on the backs and undersides. Hand-cut dovetails and hand-forged, irregular metalwork indicate genuine age; staples and Phillips screws do not.
Does refinishing reduce antique furniture value?
Often yes. Collectors prize original finishes and patina; aggressive refinishing can lower value, so identify a piece before altering it.
Can Curio identify furniture without a maker’s label?
Yes. It works from the form, wood and construction, and tells you what a label or stamp would add.
