by Tammy Cramblett

Created on: December 16, 2011   Last Updated: December 18, 2011

There are people all over the world that enjoy going to antique shops looking for a special treasure. Some people collect antiques as a hobby and some appreciate the craftsmanship of past artisans. For some, having antique furniture is a source of pride. As with collecting anything, there are pros and cons to investing in antique furniture.

This article is going to take a look at some examples of the pros and cons of investing in antique furniture.

Pros-

*Value. Some antique furniture continues to go up in value as it ages. This depends on things like manufacturer, date and where it was crafted.

*Information. Many times people get lucky and there is an interesting bit of history or a story that goes along with a piece of antique furniture. This can be a big plus in many collectors opinions. Even if you are not a collector, acquiring a piece with some interesting history can still be fun and perhaps a become a conversation piece for visitors.

*Style. Many styles of furniture have been copied, however, nothing can replace the original item. Some styles do not exist in modern furniture design at all, which makes antiques even more appealing.

Cons-

*Maintenance. Most antique furnishings are very delicate and therefore have to be cleaned a certain way. Examples of this are special stains for wood, and polish for silver and brass accents. Maintaining appropriate care for antique furniture can become rather costly.

*Theft. The risk of antique furniture being stolen is actually higher than you might think. Crooks know they can get a good price for antiques from the right buyer.

*Question of practicality. Antique furniture adds elegance and style to any room, unless that room happens to be shared by you and ten other people. That may be a slight over-exaggeration. The point is that if you have a lot of people going in and out of your place, antique furniture may not be very practical. With antique furniture, you have to very careful not spill anything on it for fear of stains that cannot be removed. You also have to be careful not to scratch antique wood, or rip delicate upholstery.

These are just a few examples of things to consider before investing good money into antique furniture. Do not make the mistake of rushing into making a decision before getting the facts. Do some research into the piece(s) you are looking at to find out how to care for them, and what they can be exposed to, for example: smoke, sunlight and humidity. It would be a shame to spend the money on an antique just to have it ruined by too much humidity.

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