5 Points to Consider When Buying Antique Oak Roll Top Desk
An oak roll top desk adds value to your home office. It also brings class and style because this type of desk was a symbol of affluence and intellectual integrity during the early 19th century.
Of course there are modern fabrications of oak roll top office desks. While they are made from oak, they are less valuable than the antique roll top desk. If you are a serious collector of antique oak furniture, then you have to prepare your budget for the vintage roll top desks. These desks do not have cheap price tags. They were made from original oak and premium materials. These vintage desks also have historical values. That is why they are very valuable and, naturally, very pricey.
To get the best vintage oak roll top desk, you have to carefully scrutinize its every element and individual part. So, here are the 5 most important points you need to consider when buying antique roll top office desk.
1. As much as possible avoid buying antique roll tops from the Internet.
That is because it is impossible to evaluate the product through pictures alone. But if the merchant offers you to personally inspect the antique desk, then this is a good deal and see if you can agree on the price range.
2. When evaluating an antique roll top, the first thing you need to do is to ascertain its overall condition.
Look for scratch marks, chips, defects, and non functional parts. You can bargain for a lower price if an oak desk has lots of physical deficiencies.
3. Determine if there are refurbishing, repainting, or fresh coat of varnish on the antique oak roll top desk.
These improvements diminish the actual value of the desk so you will have better leverage to reduce its listed price.
4. Check if the vintage oak roll top desk is rare.
If it is an original Cutler Roll Top, then the desk is very valuable. This brand is the father of all roll tops around the world. It is very rare now.
5. Check the inside parts of the drawers and cabinets.
The side and bottom panel should be made from oak too. If you see that plywood boards were used on the cabinets, then the vintage desk is less valuable.
If you do not have the confidence to personally evaluate a vintage oak roll top desk, it would be best to hire an antique appraiser to ensure that you can get the best deals from the dealers.
Tags: antique oak furniture, antique oak roll top desk, oak roll top desk, roll top office desks, vintage oak roll top desk, vintage roll top desksA Basic Guide for Simple Restoration of Antique Roll Top Desk
If you have an antique roll top desk, then you have a very valuable heirloom that you should take good care of. Antique roll tops, especially those manufactured in circa 1900, can command big money at the auction market.
This article will not encourage you to part with your highly valuable roll top desks. However, you should understand that your antique roll top can easily fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars if you decide to sell it.
To keep your vintage roll top office desk in top shape, you have to make some restorations on it. This is particularly true if you notice that your antique desk is degenerating fast. Restoration can extend the lifetime of your desk and maintain its value.
So, here’s a basic guide which will help you to make small restorations on your antique roll top desk.
1. Daily cleaning.
If you think that daily cleaning of antique furniture is a routine and mundane task, then you are terribly mistaken. Cleaning your roll top regularly is critical in order to avoid wood degeneration.
Do not use water or rough cleaning scrubs and agents on your antique roll top. Simply use dry cotton cloth to wipe away dust and dirt. You can also use feather dusters or electric dusters for this purpose.
2. If you notice a scratch on the surface of the roll top, do not attempt to sand the scratch marks.
You will only ruin the integrity of the desk finish. What you should do is to buy a wood friendly solvent for cleaning furniture.
Apply this solvent on the affected area and carefully strip the old finish of the desk. Once you have exposed the base of the wood, you can now carefully sand the area to remove the scratch mark. Clean the sanded area with dry cloth and refinish it with a fresh coat of wood paint and varnish.
3. When repairing damaged parts, never use a hammer or blunt metal objects.
You should use small wood mallets and wooden tools also. If there is a need to reattach some chipped parts or decorations, always use wood glue and not ordinary adhesive or plastic based glues.
Lastly, buy an antique restoration manual. There are major damages that cannot be restored through simple procedures. There are also times that you must completely refinish the entire desk and apply new paint to avoid wood rotting. If you have a handy manual, then you can manage these major restorations for your antique roll top desk.
Tags: antique roll top desk, antique roll tops, remove scratch mark, restoration, vintage roll top office desk