How Do I
Researching Antique Furniture
Finding information about antique furniture is one of the more challenging areas of research for the collector. The vast range of periods and styles, as well as the manufacture of reproductions and fakes, makes the identification and authentication of furniture particularly complicated. The following titles help to identify furniture styles and their periods, describe how to spot fakes and reproductions, and contain price information for furniture. This list is only an introduction to the materials owned by the library; see Searching the Library Catalog to learn how to find more.
Identification and Price Guides
Victorian and Edwardian Furniture: Price Guide and Reasons for Values
(r)q NK2390.A55 2001 x
q NK1390.M547 2003
Furniture of the Depression Era: Furniture and Accessories of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s
Paducah, KY: Collector Books, c1987.
(r)q NK2408 .S9 1987x
Return to the topEncyclopedias and Dictionaries of Styles and Periods
NK2240.F87 2001x
q NK2235.F87 2000x
Identifying American Furniture: a Pictorial Guide to Styles and Terms, Colonial to Contemporary
NK2405.N28 1998bx
The Bulfinch Anatomy of Antique Furniture: an Illustrated Guide to Identifying Period, Detail, and Design
q NK2235.F67 1996
Directories of Makers and Manufacturers
The Practical Book of American Furniture and Decoration, Colonial and Federal
NK2406 .H6 2010x
Buyers’ Guides
Fake, Fraud, or Genuine?: Identifying Authentic American Antique Furniture
(r)qNK2240 .K39 1987
Assume Nothing: A Manual for Buyers of American and English Antique Furniture
(r)NK2405.W38 1993
Searching the Library Catalog
Subject Headings
Subject headings are assigned to each book so that you can find it in the Library Catalog with the SUBJECT search. The following is a list of useful subject headings to find books on furniture.
You can start with a very broad subject heading, such as Furniture, OR you can subdivide it by country, state, style or other descriptive term, as in the following examples:
- Furniture -- England
- Furniture -- History
- Furniture, Mission
- Furniture -- Expertising
- Furniture, Oak
- Furniture -- Pennsylvania
- Furniture -- United States
- Furniture -- Styles
Some subject headings may be further subdivided:
- Furniture -- England -- Dictionaries
- Furniture -- History -- 17th century
- Furniture, Mission -- New Jersey -- Parsippany
- Furniture, Oak -- United States -- Collectors and collecting
- Furniture -- United States -- Collectors and collecting
There are many more specific subject headings that may be useful, such as:
Although browsing through the subject headings can be useful, it is often better to use a KEYWORD search to combine subject headings, since many books may have more than one subject heading.
Sample word searches:
Browsing the Shelves
Browsing the open stacks is often the easiest method for finding circulating books on related topics. Take note, However, that you can find related books in four different places on the shelves in the at Main Library. Books on furniture They are in the NK2200's to the NK2700's and qNK2200 to qNK2700 in the Library of Congress classification system, and in 749's and q749 in the Dewey Decimal system.Browsing the open stacks is often the easiest method for finding circulating books on related topics. However, you can find related books in four different places on the shelves in the Main Library. Books on furniture are in the NK2200 to NK2700 and in the oversized qNK2200 to qNK2700 in the Library of Congress (LC) classification system, and in 749 and q749 in the Dewey Decimal system.
Internet Sources
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History of Furniture Timeline
Covers 1660-1950 and includes names, terminology and materials for each period. -
Furniture Periods, Styles, Useful Terms and More
About.com's links & articles about periods, styles, terminology & more.
