A china cabinet is a wonderful way to showcase your favorite items. Once you get the antique cabinet, your collection’s worth will climb dramatically.
Collectors and ordinary owners may ask: How much is my antique china cabinet worth? The question can be tricky because these models range in price depending on their shape, age, style, material, and finish.
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We will provide you with all the valuable information about antique china cabinets and their values. Let’s scroll down to discover!
How Much Is My Antique China Cabinet Worth?
Antique china cabinets come in various types. You can determine your cabinet’s worth after identifying its types. For example:
- Step back and breakfront cabinet: $500 to $2,500
- Antique curved glass cabinet: $1,500 to $3,500
- Corner and curio cabinet: $800 to $1,900
Antique china cabinets are gorgeous furniture items that give any house a sense of sophistication. Their primary material is wood, and they often have detailed carvings.
China cabinets have a rich history that originated in Europe in the 17th century. With complex carvings and finely crafted paintwork, these antique cabinets were sometimes quite costly.
There are many styles of antique china cabinets. Yours must be one of these most common designs.
Step-Back and Breakfront Cabinet
Step-back cabinets are less expensive than other models since they are not as deep. They look more compact and have a simple design.
However, these cabinets offer lots of storage room for your precious dishes despite their modest size. Furthermore, they are perfect for small houses as they won’t take up much space.
Breakfront cabinets have the same price range as step-back models. However, they are very functional as they allow you access to the dishes easily. You will also love their dramatic visual impact.
Expertly made from metal or wood, these cabinets feature numerous doors and shelves, giving you ample storage room.
Antique Curved Glass Cabinet
These models are among the most expensive antique china cabinets you can find. So what increases their value?
In Victorian times, curved glass was a prevalent design feature that made the china cabinets look larger. But the illusion is what extends their size.
Curved glass cabinets are quite in-demand nowadays among both collectors and interior decorators. They can blend in well with any design because of their timeless elegance.
Of course, these cabinets aren’t just for decoration. They are also terrific for storage and protect your valuable china collection against damage.
Corner and Curio Cabinet
Corner and curio cabinets share the same price range, cheaper than the other two models. However, they can still add storage and style to your house.
Corner cabinets were popular in the 1960s. They can fit nicely into the corner of your room, making them a perfect choice for limited space.
Aside from saving your space, these cabinets also offer you a solution to showcase your glassware and dishes. The cabinets have extra shelves with doors where you can keep your valuable items and protect them from damage.
Meanwhile, curio cabinets are wood models with glass doors. Some have lights to help you highlight your items.
Curio cabinets vary in size, but most are narrow and tall. Hence, you can use them as a space-saving solution.
Factors That Affect An Antique China Cabinet Worth
Style isn’t the only criterion to value your antique china cabinets. You need to check your item’s material, condition, origin, and manufacturer to determine its worth.
1. Material
You may have china cabinets in different materials, much like virtually every other item of furniture. The used material will affect their value.
- Oak: Oak is the typical type of hardwood used by manufacturers to construct antique furniture. Its prominent grain is the reason for its appeal.
- Maple: This type of wood is popular for antique china cabinets because of its mild colors and attractive grain.
- Walnut: Thanks to the dark-toned hues and close grains, walnut wood is the standard material to make antique china cabinets.
- Cherry: This material is famous in American furniture making due to its close grains and warm colors.
- Mahogany: The appearance of this wood is attractive. It has warm-toned red colors with close and smooth grain.
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The wood varieties used in particular eras can make the most expensive furniture pieces. For example, the 17th century was the Age of Oak. Then came the periods of walnut, satinwood, and mahogany.
2. Condition
Antique china cabinets appeared in the 17th century. No matter which purpose you use the cabinets for, they should be in good condition. The better their shape, the higher their value.
There are several things you need to check to identify their condition:
- Drawers and finish
When a china cabinet ages and turns into an antique, the drawer pulls may begin to show patina, which is a mellow coating on the metal.
Due to moisture and intense sunlight, the paint on the china cabinet will look dull, and there may be chipping or paint loss.
Remember to take a close look at the feet. Antique items may often have less glossy finishes and scuff marks as a result of transportation.
- Finish
Turn the antique cabinet upside down to check the bottom for drips and runs in the finish, which might mean that someone has refurbished it.
It might not matter if the cabinet is genuinely antique below the paint or stain (and the color matches the color trends). However, if the item is rare, refurbishing will reduce its worth.
- Nails and screws
Nails and screws in antique china cabinets differ from contemporary designs. A cabinet has many wood nails and screws, most of which have a single slot.
You may also see worn threads in your cabinet. Some models even have only wood nails and no screws.
The nails and screws join the components and keep them in place. The condition of your cabinet has degraded if those tiny parts have got broken or damaged.
Of course, you can replace nails and screws to secure the structure. However, the replacement may affect your cabinet’s value, although the gap is minor.
- Joints
The joints that keep the furniture together are dovetails. They give a clue since hand-cut dovetails imply that your cabinet is older and more valuable than machine-generated dovetails.
3. Origin
It’s crucial to have a solid understanding of an antique china cabinet’s origin before you can value it.
Some china cabinets are handed down from one generation to the next. Such cabinets have stories behind them, raising their worth.
For example, your great-grandfather kept the cabinet for years. All the antique silverware might remain there. So when you evaluate the cabinet, you need to include those objects.
In some cases, your cabinet has spent most of its life in a hotel or restaurant in the 1900s. These cabinets usually have amazing stories about their former owners and the destinations they have been to share.
4. Manufacturer
Who made your cabinet? You may search for any labels or defining markings on the cabinet to answer this question, as the manufacturer also influences the cabinet’s value.
The china cabinet may have markings on the back, below, within the cabinets and drawers, or under the shelves. If you see one of the names below, congratulations! They have produced the most valued cabinets in the industry.
- Thomasville
Antique enthusiasts love old Thomasville china cabinets for their timeless beauty and artisanship. The Thomasville Furniture Company started making these products in 1904.
- Bernhardt Furniture
This firm started in 1889 and is still running today. Some of the most exquisitely designed pieces of furniture you can get on the market are antique Bernhardt cabinets.
- Stanley Furniture
This company is one of the leading producers of china cabinets. People appreciate their products for their magnificent work and attention to detail.
Vintage Stanley china cabinets have become more and more renowned since its initial models came out in 1925.
- Bassett Furniture
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Born in 1902, Bassett Furniture soon earned a reputation for manufacturing furniture of the finest quality.
Vintage Bassett china cabinets had beautiful carvings and hand-painted embellishments. Their primary material was oak and sometimes other high-quality types of wood.
- Drexel Heritage
This manufacturer produces nicely-crafted designs that come in different styles. Vintage Drexler is among the most valuable products from Drexel Heritage, but its exact value depends on its condition and age.
- The Duncan Phyfe style
Furniture designed by the Duncan Phyfe style is stunningly gorgeous and sophisticated. Inspired by a Scottish-born cabinetmaker, the cabinets from this brand come with graceful lines, exquisite details, and rich wood texture.
Where To Find Old China Cabinet Pieces?
You may be a collector or just want to use antique china cabinets to display your precious items. The good news for you is that there are many places where you can find your favorite models.
If you don’t know where to start, search for it online. Websites like eBay do have antique products. You can also locate specialty dealers on the internet.
We highly recommend local antique stores and auction houses because they offer high-quality and reliable products.
Local antique stores
Local antique shops are almost usually a safe option because they usually specialize in antiques. You may find them on websites like Manta and Antique Store Finder. Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist can also help you get in touch with local customers.
Auction houses
The best places to buy antique china cabinets are auction houses. You can easily find models that are more than 100 years old there, and they are still in good condition.
Sales tax and any relevant delivery fees are the buyers’ responsibility. Although the terms of sale differ among auction houses, the organizers must publish them beforehand. Hence, please read them carefully before placing your bid.
This video will show you more tips for buying and selling antiques:
How To Tell If My China Cabinet Is An Antique?
Confirming if your china cabinet is antique plays a vital role in valuing the item. You can identify your cabinet based on some distinguishing characteristics:
Design
Do some study on an ancient style if you are passionate about it. Different historical eras, like the Victorian, have particular design features. Don’t forget to seek out the kinds of wood, colors, and other elements in your preferred designs.
Marks
The lives that your furniture supports become evident with time. The small scratches, stains, and wear on it demonstrate its authenticity.
Imperfection
Since an old antique will show all the signs of wear and manufacturing flaws. For example, the boards might not fit together snugly, but they are evidence of antique items.
Until 1860, machine tooling was unknown. Its machine marks, such as those made with a circular saw, indicate that it predates 1860.
Another sign of a historical setting is joints. Uneven joints, especially dove joints, are a characteristic of handmade furniture.
Labels
The china cabinet’s labeling is the last thing to check for. You may find some old stamps or labels on the furniture, and we call them “maker’s marks.”
Conclusion
Antique china cabinets are charming and functional furniture pieces. These days, collectors value them highly and usually reach high prices at auctions.
You need to examine your cabinet’s design, material, age, and place of manufacture to determine whether it is valuable.
Hopefully, you will find this guide helpful. For any further information about antique china cabinets and their values, please feel free to ask.
Thank you for reading!
Source: https://antiquewolrd.com
Categories: Antique News
