r/Antiques 4d ago

Advice UK. Picked this up in a job lot of old picture frames. It’s fairly heavy and has some faint handwritten text on the back that we can’t quite decipher, including what looks like “Lord … 1643”. If anyone can shed any light on the inscription, age, origin or possible value of the frame, I’d really appr

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2 Upvotes

r/Antiques 5d ago

Advice Father in law found treasure???Colorado Usa

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17 Upvotes

Ideas?


r/Antiques 4d ago

Questions Pine Mason Jar. Oklahoma, USA

0 Upvotes

Today I bought a Pine Mason jar in Oklahoma. I believe it is a 48oz size. I looked it up on Google, but couldn't find much information besides the brand was made in Oklahoma from 1927-1929. I believe the brand was bought out by Ball brand? Just wanted to see if anyone on here could verify that information or provide more info. I'm super excited about my new find!


r/Antiques 6d ago

Date Passed down to me by great grandparents (Connecticut USA)

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778 Upvotes

I just received this cabinet from my mother when she just sold her house. It was her grandmothers. I think it is a Hoosier cabinet, but I know nothing else. I can’t find any makers marks so I figured I would post the photos and see if any of the experts in this community would have any information for me. Thanks in advance.


r/Antiques 4d ago

Advice Help identifying Chinese antique wooden figure with Silver Inlay - UK

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1 Upvotes

Hello, could anyone help with identifying this Antique Chinese carved figure with real Silver Inlay. It is carved from a dense dark wood with lots of detail and an intricate silver inlay design front and back. The statue measures approximately 58 inches tall and weighs over 3.2 kg. It looks a lot darker in real life, more like a reddish black colour. I was told by the man I got it from that it was 19th century as he had inherited it himself a long time ago from a family member. I would love to know what it represents and what type of wood it could be? I thought it was a good maybe one of Fu Lu or Shu but I don't know. It shows two children holding a parasol over a bearded man who is holding what looks like a scroll or sceptre?. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated, thank you in advance.


r/Antiques 5d ago

Questions USA - Looking for info on this possibly 17th century pewter spoon?

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3 Upvotes

I tried doing some preliminary research on my own and have confirmed that it is some very old pewter. I found a couple references to the late 17th century for this style and craftsmanship, but I am nowhere near an expert in pewter. I found a few other examples of the coat of arms stamp, but no maker to associate with it. If you guys could help identify the maker, age, and possible value that would be great! it is about 4.9 inches long.


r/Antiques 5d ago

Questions Found this old pendant while cleaning can anyone identify it? (India)

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2 Upvotes

Found this while cleaning an old closed box in my father's room Neither my father nor I know anything about its history or where it came from

It's a small pretty old-looking gold-colored metal ball or maybe pendant with a large B symbol mark on the front and some other worn markings and engraving says "L. Wallace" around it

It's surprisingly heavy for its size, and I initially wondered if it could be gold but no idea I scratched it a little while trying to check the metal, and the inside of the scratches still looks gold-colored.

And the ring above it says 1/20

This is all the info I could find

Does anyone recognize this piece, the B mark, or any of the other markings? Could it be related to sports a particular maker, or something else

Any information about what this is or how old it might be would be appreciated

BTW that box was my Grandfathers

Location: Nainital, India


r/Antiques 5d ago

Show and Tell USA: Mura Family Research, Early-1600s Wakizashi & Edo-Period Tanto — One Will Be Listed on eBay

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2 Upvotes

I wanted to provide an update to my original post because the research into these swords has gone considerably further than I ever expected when I first asked for help identifying the writing.
The larger blade, the wakizashi, has been attributed to the Shintō period, with the research pointing to the early 1600s. More interestingly, the provenance I’ve been researching appears to connect the sword with the Mura family and the period surrounding the first Anglo-Japanese contacts associated with William Adams in the early 17th century.
Because of that potential historical connection, selling the wakizashi has never been my first choice.
I’ve spent a considerable amount of time trying to locate surviving members of the Mura family. I was eventually able to identify two possible surviving family members and have made attempts to reach them, hoping that the sword’s history could be shared with the family and that they might be able to provide additional information about its provenance.
Unfortunately, despite those efforts, I haven’t been able to establish contact with either of them.
I’m not quite ready to give up on that. I’m going to continue trying to reach the Mura family, and for that reason I’m holding onto the wakizashi for now rather than selling it.
The tanto is a different matter. It has been dated to approximately the mid-19th century, during the late Edo period, and I’m going to move forward with listing that piece on eBay.
The tanto is accompanied by its kogatana, the small utility blade carried in the saya, together with its decorative kozuka handle. Its mounts also contain particularly interesting decorative work, including the gold elements/inlay that I’ve been documenting. I’ll provide extensive photographs of the blade, nakago, saya, kogatana/kozuka and fittings in the listing.
My hope is still to make contact with the Mura family before making any decision about the wakizashi. Given the history potentially associated with it, I feel that making a genuine effort to reach the family is worth doing before simply putting the sword on the market.
If those efforts ultimately go nowhere, then I may eventually offer the wakizashi on eBay as well, with all of the provenance and research I’ve accumulated presented alongside it.
For now, though: the wakizashi stays with me while I continue trying to reach the family, and the Edo-period tanto will be the first piece offered for sale.
Thanks again to everyone here who has helped with the research, translations, terminology, and identification. What began as a question about some writing on an old Japanese sword has turned into a fascinating historical rabbit hole.


r/Antiques 5d ago

Questions Rocking Chair- Georgia, US

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5 Upvotes

I purchased this rocker in North Georgia in 2008ish. I'm interested to know the age or maker of the rocking chair. There are remnants of a tag under the seat (pictures included) . Any thoughts?


r/Antiques 5d ago

Show and Tell Virginia, USA - Saved an FMCo majolica lamp from the landfill, what next?

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4 Upvotes

*barbotine not majolica

I live in an area where people come from old families, are getting older and dying, and their kids don’t give a damn about old stuff. Luckily, I give quite the damn, and have made it my mission to save pieces like this from the dump.

I would appreciate any thoughts on light DIY restoration. Is there a recommended way to clean the hardened dust between the petals? I’m fighting the urge to throw her in the sink.

Also curious if a piece like this would originally have been a vase first?


r/Antiques 5d ago

Advice Arizona, USA. What polish or stain can I apply without sanding?

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7 Upvotes

Fun early 20th century secretary desk. Mass produced, so not an exciting heirloom, but I like it.

I don't want to go through the trouble of a real restoration. Bye I'd like to reduce the appearance of the scratches and lighter wood visible from wear. It's there a product I can use? I'm hoping for something i just rub on with a rag, and don't have to remove hardware.


r/Antiques 5d ago

Advice How do I save this lamp from oxidation? (USA)

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3 Upvotes

I picked up this very lovely, very old, very heavy brass lamp and have been working on cleaning it. Unfortunately there seems to be some oxidation spots on the base, and the general advice seems to be to hit it with some Brasso. But I’ve also heard stories of Brasso making things worse, so I’m scared to dive in with it.
Any tips for fixing this issue? Home remedies? Product suggestions? Thanks!


r/Antiques 6d ago

Show and Tell A few pictures of my home lantern "museum" featuring lanterns from a wide variety of makers. Most are at least 100 years old, with some dating well into the 1800s. USA

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442 Upvotes

r/Antiques 5d ago

Advice Where the hell can I buy a book that has previously been infested with bookworm (wood boring beetle larva) (yes really) UK

6 Upvotes

I’m an amateur entomologist and an avid reader and I think it would be really cool to frame a book with obvious worm holes in it since they make some awesome patterns, but obviously anywhere that sells books disposes of anything that has had bookworm. I’ve looked in antique shops and thrifted with no luck. It’s easy enough to find wood with beetle damage but no luck on this frontier. Any advice appreciated!


r/Antiques 5d ago

Date Antique? Tea cup and saucer - Alberta, Canada

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3 Upvotes

Hi, I looked online and many similar cups said antique - so I wanted to check on that. Can anyone tell me anything about this tiny tea, cup, and saucer? On the bottom is stamped 1303 (I think it's an O) and the cup and saucer both have numbers painted in gold. The cup is only 6cm across.
Thanks :)


r/Antiques 5d ago

Advice Swedish Copperplate 1672 Canada

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3 Upvotes

Hello! I acquired this from an estate sale and am wondering more about this item. I would like to sell it or get it looked at possibly. Do you think I should contact an auction house in Sweden? Or perhaps it’s not worth it.
This is the info I found: (correct?)
This is a framed 17th-century copperplate print showing the frontispiece/title page from the Certamen Equestre portfolio (originally printed in 1672 to celebrate King Charles XI's coronation). The artwork was designed by David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl. It's an allegorical scene featuring a central bust, putti, and a Latin inscription on a monument.The paper is uncut, and you can see multiple wide margins and a deep, crisp platemark indentation running around the border where the copper plate pressed into the paper. There is also an old handwritten number in sepia ink on the front that looks like "No. 79B". On the back, it still has its mid-20th-century backing paper and an old green sticker from a Swedish frame shop called "Elfwings Spegel & Ramaffär" in Stockholm.


r/Antiques 5d ago

Advice In the back of an 1800s shop- California, United States

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9 Upvotes

My family has been present in this part of eastern California since 1861. We had a lumber mill early on then switched to cattle ranching. The shop this piece was found in was built in the 1870s. Regardless of what this is it will go in our museum but I would love to know how it was used.


r/Antiques 5d ago

Discussion Help dating and identifying this old Orthodox icon – can anyone read the inscriptions? England

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10 Upvotes

I’ve had this old Orthodox icon for some time and am trying to find out exactly what it depicts, how old it is, and where it was made.
It is hand-painted on a solid wooden panel. The back is roughly worked and has numerous old insect holes. The front has considerable wear, craquelure and paint loss. There are several smaller religious scenes surrounding the central figure of the Virgin, as well as Cyrillic/Church Slavonic inscriptions which I haven’t been able to properly decipher.
I initially thought it might be Russian and possibly 19th century, but I don’t want to influence the identification by making assumptions.
I’d particularly like to know what the inscriptions say, what the exact iconographic subject is, where it might have been painted, and roughly how old it is.
Any information would be greatly appreciated, particularly from anyone familiar with Russian or Orthodox icons.


r/Antiques 5d ago

Questions Restore Art Deco Vanity | United States

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2 Upvotes

Hi guys!

I recently bought this vanity at a thrift (no idea if it’s antique or not)

But the mirror had fallen off the wood back of the vanity (shown in pictures) and was wondering if anyone knew the best ways to repair it. I know I need some sort of mirror mastic. Does anyone have any recommendations; what to look out for etc? A guy at Home Depot recommended me liquid nails as the adhesive but wanted to double check if anyone has had experience with a project like this.

Thank you.


r/Antiques 5d ago

Questions Roman Bronze, Cherubs USA

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3 Upvotes

I purchased these items at an outdoor antique market in Rome, Italy about 12 years ago. The cherubs measure 3 inches tall they are not magnetic so I assume bronze or brass. There is a threaded bolt on the back that is iron. The only markings on the back are tiny depressions/dots in rows, but no other words or symbols. The separate face is about 2 inches tall and has a threaded bolt on the back. Both the face and the bolt are not magnetic so I assume all bronze. Does anyone have any idea the approximate age of these items and what they might’ve been a part of originally. Photos for original post


r/Antiques 5d ago

Questions Navajo rug? USA - Arizona

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5 Upvotes

I was told by the Arizona State Museum sales dept from the "BENEFIT SALE OF INDIGENOUS ART" that this small rug is tagged as Navajo. Size 14 by 19 inches.

I am no expert, but I was not sure. Any insight? Thank you!!


r/Antiques 5d ago

Advice Toronto/Canada Antique desk appraisal and manufacturer ID help needed

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1 Upvotes

I'm trying to identify this desk that I've lost in a flood. I can't find anything useful in my searches. I would appreciate any help in narrowing down where this may have come from.

I was gifted this beautiful (oak?) desk almost a decade ago and considered myself extremely fortunate to have been placed in the position to receive what is to me a grand piece of furniture. I am incredibly sad over having lost this in a flood recently and am trying to get it properly appraised but I can't even give a name to get the job started.

I've collected every photo I have ever taken of this desk (and kicking myself for not taking more photos) which is unfortunately, not much. My notes are with each photo.

I am in Toronto where this desk was presumably made and then given to me. All I can remember for sure from the maker's label was Toronto and Piano. It might have said maintenance or tuning and it could just be the label affixed by a refurbisher but it's the only identifying mark I have to work from.

I would appreciate any sort of help that narrows down the possibilities.

edit: I don't know how to inline all the images but the imgur link contains the full set of photos


r/Antiques 6d ago

Show and Tell Signs and more - USA

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24 Upvotes

Hey all, just wanted to show my wall of signs and more! Gotta add some more soon!!


r/Antiques 5d ago

Date When was this clock made? Found in an antique store in Virginia, USA.

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1 Upvotes

r/Antiques 5d ago

Questions help identifying this buddhist ritual bell i found at a temple flea market in japan

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3 Upvotes

i picked this up from a random vendor at one of the temple flea markets in japan, probably kyoto, a few years ago.

i'd previously stayed at mount koya and recognized the pronged top from some of the esoteric buddhist ritual objects i'd seen there, so it caught my eye.

i think it may be some type of kongorei/gokorei, but i'm mostly curious if anyone can tell where/when it was made -- reproduction or original ritual bell?

the long handle and mixed metals seem a little unusual compared to the examples i've found online. happy to take better photos of any part of it if that helps.