How Do You Appraise Antique Rocking Chairs?
As with all antique furniture, beauty and value are in the eye of the beholder–and the buyer. Antique rocking chairs have gone through hot and cold periods in terms of collecting, but in 2010 we are in a hot period. People are looking for antique chairs that are functional, beautiful, easily restored and made from high quality wood. You can appraise the value of a chair you own, or a chair you are looking at, by following the “scoring” basis of professional “pickers.” Test the rocking chair for stability by pressing down on the seat and the arms and wiggling the chair from side to side. Grasp any cross members in the back or base and see if they are tightly fitted. A rocking chair that is terribly fragile or wobbly will be significantly less valuable to a buyer than a chair that is still rock-solid and fit to be used. Give your chair one point for firm stability. Inspect all the joints. Use a magnifying glass. Train your eye and glass on all the mortise-and-tenon joints, looking for e
