IS DISTRESSED FURNITURE A GOOD OR BAD THING?

[Anonymous]

This came up in another thread today and I thought it needs its own thread to see what folk's think.
Personally I think its OK as long as you make it clear you made a reproduction item, not trying to palm off a fake as the real thing.
Real decent old patina furniture is hard to find and attracts silly money these days. Perhaps some folk are willing to pay for a good repro table or chair to get the look and feel of old furnitures but no worries about insurance value, lead paint, conservation/repairs etc I know repro/distressing etc can look terrible especially if done with modern chemicals etc.
What does any one else think about this subject?

cheers Jonathan

 

[wrightclan]

Sometimes it looks good, sometimes it doesn't. I don't think it's even important if it looks genuinely old as long as it looks tasteful. Of course everyone has different tastes. The important thing is that the user and (ideally, but not necessarily) the maker likes it.


Brad

 

[norman]

Hi

often do this to match furniture in a setting. Nothing wrong as long as not passed off as something else.

The prob is when it gets passed on later. But by this time not my prob.
I think its down to the persions own morals.

Regards
norman

by the way antique furniture restorer for 38 yrs.

 

[Colin C]

Hi Jonathan,

I see it two ways.

As a restorer I see it has its place when repairing a piece ( e.g replacing a leg, had to do one last week) and if it is do right as I have seen it done very badly :shock: .

Also as you put it old furniture can have a homely look and feel about it, a that new might not have and some woods look much better when they have aged IMO.

It is also nice to see some thing new, that has just been finish.

I think some pieces look better on each side of the fence

 

[Paul Chapman]

I see nothing wrong with it at all. Like all furniture, it needs to be appropriate for the setting and what it is to be used for. I've been asked to make distressed stuff and quite enjoyed doing it - it can be quite difficult to make it look convincing.

Passing something off as a fake is a separate issue really and applies to many more things than distressed furniture.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Anonymous]

it can be quite difficult to make it look convincing.

Aye theres the rub as the bard did write :lol: .
But then I reckon any finish can look unconvincing if poorly executed or badly prepared?
One thing that puzzles me, some say they use a length of chain nails/bunch of keys etc to dent the surface of a table or cabinet, but surely wouldnt that just create regular repeating patterns that the eye would quickly detect and reject as contrived? I often make use of burnishing to compress the surface. And the length of time piece's stand around in my shop acting as tempory storage table's etc they get dented/scuffed/scratched etc :lol: :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

fakers used to stand the new tables in cow barns for a year, :shock: apparantly the ammonia in urine ages it up a treat along with all the abuse from cows licking it etc. looks like its 16th century after a year

 

[Colin C]

When it comes to fakes, this is where a very good polisher make all the difference :wink:

Not that I would know any thing about that :^o 8-[

Ps I am not that good ( just wish I was :roll: )

 

[johnnyb]

distressed furniture sells well. oak especially fetches good prices. the difficulties of acheiving the right look are another thing. dark oak with sprayed accents just doesnt cut it these days. two products help with this look, stipple and patina. stipple goes on after the wood is sealed and can be wiped off whilst wet or dry and patina is dry sprayed onto a catalysed finish. and is wire wooled/rubbed off. faking to beat an expert is a real challenge possibly impossible(depending on the expert)

 

[spadge]

Hi Jonathon

I think there is a difference between reproduction and distressed.

I can understand people buying well made reproductions but what really puzzles me is why some buyers then want a carefully made reproduction bashed about to make it look older than it is and therefore something it is not.

So to answer the question I think distressing furniture is a bad thing.

Cheers

Grahame

 

[superunknown]

Done well it can look stunning.

I used to work for a company who makes reproduction oak furniture and everything gets distressed. Some light some very heavy.

It lookes amazing when polished. Very expensive though, they do tables that costs over 10K

:?

 

[Anonymous]

Done well it can look stunning.

I used to work for a company who makes reproduction oak furniture and everything gets distressed. Some light some very heavy.

It lookes amazing when polished. Very expensive though, they do tables that costs over 10K

:?

Are you at liberty to divulge a few distressing tips :wink: ?
Was it done mostly by chemical actions or actual physically altering the wood surface?

Cheers Jonathan

 

[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

if the client wants to pay me extra to distress furniture then i'm quite happy to do it.

 

[todd]

I find this subject of distressing furniture to make it look old very interesting .People seem to think that all antque furniture is exspensive whereas you can buy a antique dining table and chairs for half the price of a comparatable new one.So what is the point of making a brand new table and distress it to make it look old.
Secondly I have got to say that any antique furniture of any value would probauly look much the some as when it was made and not look like it has been beaten up by a gang of hells angels with chains.
If you look at furniture there are nauture points of wear ,it is important for a antique dealer has to know these, as some copies of antiques are very good but fail on the distressing part

 

[Anonymous]

So what is the point of making a brand new table and distress it to make it look old.

Because some people like to have furniture done like that basically and they are prepared to pay for it. Not everyone desires to have furniture which is machine acurate mass produced, and not everyone can afford to have furniture made for them by the likes of Alan Peter's or Frank Gehry. Not everyone can afford genuine patinated provenanced original antiques, and not everyone is hung up about the snob value or exclusivity aspect of ownership of such item's. But they still want to obtain that primitive time worn look. I mean, have you seen the price's for old country furniture I mean like £1250.00+ for a decent cricket table, £2000+ for good old primitive windsor chairs?? About 1990 I saw a welsh chair up in Herefordshire going back then for £695.00?? If someone wants a fair copy of a traditional form that would be otherwise unafordable, without any attempt to pass off a fake as genuine, then fair enough I reckon. Admitedley, distressing can be over done and look tacky. And if an antiques "expert" is so easily fooled he dont know his trade very well do he!

Are you todd hughes by any chance? :lol: :lol: If you are I gotta nice bright orange dayglo strap hammer to show you :wink: :lol: :lol:

 

[Colin C]

And if an antiques "expert" is so easily fooled he dont know his trade very well do he!
:lol:

Jonathan

I have seen some copies that would fool some of the best, just depends on who is doing it
:-$

 

[Anonymous]

just depends on who is doing it

Would that be doing the fakery or doing the apraisalling?? :wink: :lol:

 

[norman]

Hi All

Had a re: read of the coments made on this subject and thought I may give you some idea of the requests that I receive on the question of finishing to match the place that the item will be placed in.

Item bureaux bookcase walnut burr.

To take into consideration that sunlight will strike from a window from the left of the bookcase. Therefore bleaching of the left side and blending into front colour to be allowed for. Wear on all moving parts .ie: draws, runners doors. Bookcase shelves small marks and change of the colour to cover the patation and change in tone over age and use.
Wear in hinges and locks as needed. Knock marks from cleaning to the bracket feet etc.
That’s just the main things, there are lots of the smaller things to cover like dirt on the back with removal marks and change of colour. It can be a whole new ball game after you have made the item.

Norman

 

[woodbloke]

My view is that its an acceptable branch ('scuse pun) of this woodworking game but for me personally, to have to make something deliberately look old that I'd just spent a long time making would cause me some distress. - Rob