Replies

1. 
   joinerswork | Nov 07, 2005 03:38am | #1

   dlb,

   No, although unethical makers attempt to do this with varying degrees of success all the time.

   Regards,

   Ray

1. 
   dlb | Nov 08, 2005 04:00am | #5

   This post was actually ment to be on the humorous side, but now for a more serious question, Why do we not consider the age of the material from which furniture is built along with it's age since completion to determine if it is an antique?

   p.s. if i lay out to get a tan, can the skin underneath my finger nails get burned?

1. 
   creekwood | Nov 08, 2005 05:12am | #6

   So what do you think about in your spare time?

    

1. 
   dlb | Nov 09, 2005 01:45am | #9

   making my own dowels!!

2. 
   SteveSchoene | Nov 08, 2005 05:23am | #7

   Well it is true that one of the techniques used to discover whether an antique is of the period or is a later reproduction, or fake, is to analyse what years the trees in the piece were growing.  Tree rings from 1876 makes it a centenial piece, not a late colonial piece. 

   Apparently there is enough research on tree rings and climate, etc.  that the rings can be matched to when they occurred.  So if you are trying to make fakes old wood could be an advantage--if you can find sufficient old wood from the same periods.  Old contruction lumber--beams and such is easy and will yield oak and softwoods, but only seldom walnut,  or mahogany. 

   And, using the old wood doesn't help the faker all that much.  It often has good tight grain, but one of the key give aways for fakes is that there is "patina" or holes, etc. that aren't in the right places for the newly constructed piece.  Its got to be right for it to have real value. 

   But aside from fakes, who really cares when the tree was cut down.  Its the artistry and craftsmanship that counts. 

3. 
   joinerswork | Nov 08, 2005 04:05pm | #8

   dlb,

   "Why do we not consider the age of the material from which furniture is built along with it's age since completion to determine if it is an antique?"

   I dunno, maybe for the same reason we do not use the age of the clay that a pot is made of to determine how old it is? It'd be  older'n dirt, then wouldn't it?

   p.s. while you are laying out in the sun tanning your fingernails, think about this: Where does the white go, when snow melts?

   Cheers,

   Ray

1. 
   dlb | Nov 09, 2005 01:47am | #10

   great response!! and a great sense of humor, too!!

   thanks!

1. 
   ZABO | Nov 09, 2005 02:11am | #11

   no not antique but I have seen wonderful pieces of furniture built with salvaged wood. making use of old wood is much better than throwing it into a landfill.

   Hey how old is dirt anyway, I think I'm getting close.

    

   ZABO

   Edited 11/8/2005 6:12 pm ET by ZABO

2. 
   DougU | Nov 07, 2005 08:20am | #2

   We don't say a Hepplewhite piece of furniture built in 1795 is actually another 150-200 years older because the tree that it was built from started growing much earlier!

   Doug

3. 
   Malcolm | Nov 07, 2005 11:00am | #3

   No ... but it won't be just another peiece of furniture, either.

   Depending on where the heritage timber came from (and how you know) it may be worth considerbly more (or be easier to sell) than a piece made from 'new' timber.

   Malcolm

   http://www.macpherson.co.nz
4. 
   shopteacher | Nov 08, 2005 02:42am | #4

   I don't think so Tim

5. 
   AndyE | Nov 09, 2005 03:22am | #12

   Can I consider my patio to be pre-historic since it is made of bluestone? Gotta be a good selling point.

   Andy

   "It seemed like a good idea at the time"

6. 
   AndyE | Nov 09, 2005 03:28am | #13

   You could try to figure out the year the tree started growing and add a fact about that year for the buyer/recipient. Who was president, some thing that was invented, who was at war, population, tax rate, price of gasoline. That sort of thing.

   Andy

   "It seemed like a good idea at the time"

1. 
   Miami | Nov 09, 2005 04:57am | #14

   We recently got a piece of ironwood from a friend in the Keys - about 6" in diameter, and 600+ rings.  Trees grow sloooooowwwwly in 2" of soil over solid oolite.

   Clay

1. 
   AndyE | Nov 09, 2005 05:14pm | #15

   WOW!!. You would have to some real research to come up with a trivia tidbit for that era. But to me that is the fun of it. People don't really think about what was going on when a tree like that started. It's nice to give them pause to ponder sometimes.Andy"It seemed like a good idea at the time"

1. 
   creekwood | Nov 09, 2005 08:56pm | #16

   "It seemed like a good idea at the time."

   Steve McQueen,  "The Magnificent Seven"

7. 
   YesIWood | Nov 09, 2005 10:10pm | #17

     So if I understand you correctly, the rings of a tree indicate the age in years.  Which I agree.  Then do ridges on your finger nails indicate how old you are?  I have one finger where there is only one ridge.  Must of been when I was using my hammer and hit the Wrong nail (#@&# that hurt). 

     Yes, I like to recycle older wood, too.  I have no problem stopping and picking something up, even when the lovely Mrs. is in the vehicle.  Did I say this drives her nuts?

     Enjoy,

   Joe

   Is it really saw dust or wood dust?

1. 
   dlb | Nov 10, 2005 05:22am | #18

   no you didn't but I am sure that it does!

   dlb

   .