Tips of the Trade w/ Jonathan Nolting
Determining the Age of Furniture
Jonathan Nolting is an all-around expert who leads EBTH’s authentication process for furniture. He takes a look at each piece and identifies it’s traits and origin. “The hard part”, Jonathan says, “is dating the piece, in addition to identifying the style.”
Investigate the Wood
Look at the secondaries, including the backs of case pieces, pull out the drawers, and look underneath chairs. If there is a dust cover on the underside of an upholstered piece, don’t be afraid to remove it, as there could be a maker’s mark. Doing so also allows you to examine its construction. Also, look for score marks (also called scribing lines) aligning the dovetails, as this indicates that they were hand-made rather than machine-made (machine made dovetails started in the late 19th century). Also keep an eye out for wear where the drawers contact the case. Finally, oxidation or darkening of the wood on the back or underside of the case can be a clue as to how old a piece of furniture is.
Look for and Identify Additional Marks
Look for tool and saw marks. Circular saws began to be used around 1840. Therefore, if you see curved saw marks rather than straight ones (as left by a pit saw or a water-powered mill saw), then you know it’s a 19th century piece rather than one made in the 18th century.
Examine The Nails
Look for black marks or oxidation on the wood around the nail, which indicates that the nail has been there quite some time. Until 1800, basically all nails were wrought by hand. They are irregular in shape and not uniform like modern nails. Examples of hand wrought nails are roseheads, which have a petal-like head. Nail-making machines started to be used at the end of the 18th century. They produced cut nails out of flat metal with L-shaped heads or no heads at all. Wire nails were born around 1880, and they are the only nails with round shanks and flat, perfectly round heads.
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Waterford Crystal Millennium Collection Champagne Bucket Featuring Five Wishes
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Stained Glass Window Panel With Floral Motif
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Douglas “Bumo” Johnpeer Landscape Oil Painting, 2024
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Offset Lithograph After Claude Monet "Le Bassin des Nympheas"
Check the Screws
Hand-made screws (prior to 1850) have off-center heads while machine-made examples (after 1850) are perfectly centered. Phillips head screws were not invented until the early 1930s.
Lastly, Consider the Materials Used
For example, plywood began to be used in the late 1800s. Look for old glass. It is slightly tinted and perceptibly uneven with waviness and imperfections. Perfectly smooth glass was not produced until the end of the 19th century.
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Oil Painting of a Forest Stream, Circa 1900
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Coach Mini Crosby Crossbody Carryall In Silver/Blue Black Badlands Flora
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Pair of Faux Leather, Brass-Tacked and Ebonized Wood Club Chairs
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Hollywood Regency Style Brass and Blue Velveteen Upholstered Stools
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Fulper Pottery Earthenware Amphora Vessel With Drip Glaze, Early 20th C.
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Derek Jeter Signed Rawlings Official Major League Baseball with Display
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Charriol Colvmbvs Diamond Wristwatch
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
6'11 x 11'1 Hand-Knotted Persian Kashan Area Rug
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Atmospheric Skyscape Oil Painting
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Mark Whitmarsh Abstract Acrylic Painting "Divine Garden," 2019
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Hickory Mfg. Co. French Provincial Style Oak Two-Drawer Bombé Low Chest
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
7'11 x 11'3 Machine Made Oriental Weavers "Nirvana Collection" Area Rug
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
14K 3.88 CTW Lab Grown Diamond Eternity Band
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Vintage and Antique Glass Beaded Flapper Sautoir Necklaces
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Tricia Bass Oil Painting of Dog "Bella's Daisies"
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash