Entries tagged "Miller Gaffney"

Collecting French Antiques

Miller Gaffney | 04/11/13 at 05:04 p.m.

Detecting faux from authentic French antiques can be quite challenging, as there are many beautiful reproductions on the marketplace. 

Antiques frequently have been repaired or have parts replaced, and so will not have the perfection found in new factory furniture. When you find an authentic piece that you j’adore, you can overlook the defects — provided that the antique is authentic to the period and an outstanding example.  Here's advice to help you in your search:

The presence of nails and screws in antique French furniture should arouse suspicion, as none were used in the construction of the period. Furniture at that time was doweled and edges dovetailed. Nails or screws might indicate that a piece has been repaired. 

Examine pieces from every angle as well as the insides, backs, and upside down.  Antiques have a sense of smoothness that cannot be reproduced. 

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Considering Sanctions when Buying Antiques: Burma and Beyond

Market Warriors | 02/04/13 at 11:13 a.m.

In Long Beach, CA, Miller Gaffney found a carved wood rooster to meet the target round challenge of Asian smalls. The rooster stood less than two feet tall and faced forward with carved eyes and a red-painted beak. It was small and from Asia, but Miller's opponents questioned whether it was legal to buy or sell. Was this rooster an ordinary fowl, or a foul play?

The dealer said he purchased the rooster in Mandalay more than 20 years ago. Mandalay is a large city and former royal capital in Burma/Myanmar. (Military authorities re-named this large South Asian country Myanmar in 1989, but the US government maintains an official policy of calling it Burma.)  In 2003, the US Congress passed a law banning imports from Myanmar, with the aim of putting pressure on its military leaders.

Antique objects can be caught in this crossfire, and buyers might want to consider provenance when shopping. Questions to ask include: When did this object leave the country? Who bought it? Did they have permission to bring it into the country where it's being offered for sale?

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