According to Antiques Roadshow, refinishing
reduces
the value of my furniture, is this true?
Most times
No!
Many
people have been led to believe this is always the case with
furniture restoration. However, the Antiques Road Show
displays only a small percentage of the pieces that are
brought to the show. Out of hundreds of pieces they
look at, only a select few pieces are rare and of high
value. Most of these pieces are very old, over 125
years and have an undisturbed original finish
on them. Is your piece over 125 years old? Does
it have an undisturbed original finish? If you answer
no to either of these questions then it is probably fine to
refinish it.
If you intend to use and enjoy your
furniture, (gathering for dinner around Grandmother's
table, etc.), and would like for your grandchildren to enjoy
the same privilege, you must take care of the table and
perform all of the mainten-ance needed. Which includes new
finishes every 30 years or so in order to protect and preserve the precious
family heirloom.
Peter Cook, Executive
Producer of Antiques Road show wrote an article that appeared in the June 2002
edition of Professional Refinishing, a popular trade publication
stating, "Antiques
Roadshow generally agrees with this notion:
Well-conceived and well-executed refinishing and restoration usually
enhances the value of just about any piece of old furniture. Exceptions
are those rare (often museum-quality) pieces that have somehow survived in
great 'original' condition. If we say or imply the contrary, we should be called
on it". He also says: "Most furniture has been well used (even
abused), scratched, broken, and often repaired many times. How could such
furniture not be improved by a good job of refinishing or restoring? I'd
hate to think that we've created a subset of American furniture owners living in
dread of a fatal financial misstep." The fact is, very few pieces go down
in value. Refinishing almost always increases furniture value and saves
hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars compared to purchasing new. If
you'd like to read the entire article, click here
to see a scan of it.
At
Naiser Furniture Restorations we are always careful to point
out a piece that could be a valuable antique. We would
rather lose a job than hurt the value of an antique.
We also have some ethical antique restoration services that preserve
all the antique value.