How Can You Tell If A Dresser In A Yard Sale Is Antique?

Yard sales are all about serendipity, and countless antiques shows have shown us that a lucky yard sale goer or two might serendipitously stumble upon an antique worth quite a bit of cash. While we don’t think this should be your only goal when visiting your friendly neighborhood yard sales, it’s certainly an exciting prospect we’ve all thought about once or twice. But just how likely is this to happen, and how would you be able to tell an antique from a…non-antique? We’ve got you covered.

Stumbling Upon Antiques

The exact definition of antique is tough to pin down, but it usually refers to items dating back at least 100 years, usually made by hand. Now, whether your antique is valuably old or extremely valuably old will depend on a whole bunch of other factors, but how likely are you to stumble upon a particularly valuable dresser casually at your nearby yard sale?

Probably not that likely, to be honest. We’re multiple generations into IKEA furniture (and company), and the “antique” furniture you find at a regular yard sale is likely just some dusty pieces somebody needs to get rid of before a move. That being said, it certainly isn’t impossible to stumble upon a truly historic piece—but how can you tell?

The Signs of Antiquities

While the only sure-fire way of identifying a truly antique piece of furniture at a yard sale is by getting a professional appraisal, unfortunately, this likely won’t be at your disposal in somebody else’s yard. Your next best bet is to look for clear signs of age.

One of the easiest tells is simply how well the piece is holding up. Furniture well over a century old is not going to be in perfect shape, which could mean tiny imperfections or boards separating at the seams. If the piece is absolutely flawless, it probably hasn’t been on this Earth for very long.

Another tell is by looking at the hardware and, really, the details of the craftsmanship in general. If all of the hardware is perfectly identical, then it was likely machine-cut. If the dovetails in the drawers are all perfectly identical, then that was probably machine made, too. While signs of handcrafted furniture don’t necessarily mean significantly older furniture, it does significantly increase the chances.

Other signs simply include tells of age and wear in general. Unless the furniture was kept pristine in a sealed container for two hundred years, it’s bound to have accumulated some knicks and dents along the way. Old furniture, and especially old wood, also just smells different than new wood or newer materials. Old (square) nails can be a good tell as well, although it is possible to create new furniture with old nails.

Like we said, the only sure-fire way to know is to get a professional opinion. When that isn’t available, however, then be on the lookout for signs of age and wear. If you stumble upon an antique yourself, we hope these newfound identification skills serve you well. Until then, happy hunting and long live the yard sale!