Your garden is your outdoor living space and it is an extension of your home. Choose your garden furniture in the same way you choose for your indoors. Most people love antique garden furniture and entertaining friends and guests in the garden can be a very elegant way of living. Antique garden furniture is among the most beautiful and the most valuable set of items a garden lover would ever want to own. Antique garden furniture comes in various forms. Antique garden furniture appeals to most of the garden owners and children. Antique garden furniture adds to the value of your precious garden and your life style. Antique garden furniture may have had its provenance as far back as in the 1800's. Despite being as old as over two centuries, antique garden furniture never ceases to enchant antique garden furniture enthusiasts. This particular antique garden furniture even today comes without the slightest hint of rust or degeneration.
Victorian-styled antique garden furniture:
Victorian-styled antique garden furniture has unique styles and patterns. Some Victorian-made antique garden furniture features beautiful women or angels. Some Victorian-made antique garden furniture features kings or queens while some, religious figures.
History of the cast iron antique garden furniture:
During the War between the States, cast iron furniture was melted into cannon and shot or turned into some war material or the other. Eventually iron became scarce, and the price of its scrap rose. During the early 20th century all this arsenal returned to the furnace. What left of the cast iron garden furniture became the bone of contention for the collectors of antique garden furniture. With a return of the trends in all weather outdoor living, garden lovers are clamoring for cast iron antique garden furniture. Not all of these cast iron antique garden furniture being purchased will end up as antique garden furniture. Some of these cast iron antique garden furniture will find themselves in the living rooms of the cast iron antique garden furniture connoisseurs.
Cast Iron antique garden furniture has been tried, and found excellent. Cast iron antique garden furniture can be left outdoors, winter or summer. Cast iron antique garden furniture requires very little maintenance barring an occasional paint. Original cast iron antique garden furniture can be found now in the antique shops. The recasts made from these cast iron antique garden furniture tend to be more expensive than the original cast iron antique garden furniture. The popularity of the cast iron antique garden furniture was not confined to its use by the owners of private gardens and lawns. Since the day the American cities started getting pipe lines for water supply, as far back as in the 19th century, cast iron antique garden furniture has come to be the mainstay of public places. Even public cemeteries started looking like parks with the cast iron antique garden furniture. Very soon the sale of cast iron antique garden furniture was shooting up and the local foundries started opening branches in other states to save shipping expenses on the cast iron antique garden furniture.
Other material used in the making of antique garden furniture:
* Antique garden furniture have also been made from wrought iron or wrought aluminum. * Wrought aluminum was developed in the early 20th century. Wrought aluminum antique garden furniture is lighter and less likely to rust. * Fabricated steel garden furniture became popular in the latter half of the 20th century as defense industries opted for peacetime products. * Antique 'redwood' garden furniture is made from real redwood. * Identification of any piece of cast iron antique garden furniture is possible if the name of the maker is etched on the cast iron antique garden furniture. While choosing your cast iron antique garden furniture ask for a pictorial catalog of the cast iron antique garden furniture with its provenance.
Physical identification of antique garden furniture:
* Look carefully for any rust or previous repairs when shopping for antique garden furniture. * You can identify the antique garden furniture by the multiple layers of paint on them. * The multiple layers of paint on the antique garden furniture start showing the signs of crackle glaze. * The crackle glaze on the antique garden furniture appears curled up revealing the old paint underneath. * When knocked off/softened and removed, the good old hard cast iron base gives itself away. * Wood in the antique garden furniture shrinks and glue dries out revealing the wood underneath. * Maintenance of your antique garden furniture: * Antique 'redwood' garden furniture must be oiled or stained regularly. * Your antique wood garden furniture need refurbishing to prevent shrinking and drying of its glue. * Genuine antique steel garden furniture or cast iron antique garden furniture should be maintained free of rust. * Remove cushions form your antique garden furniture when not in use.
If you have particularly liked a piece of antique garden furniture you may need to appraise it. Appraisal of your antique garden furniture can now be done for free online.
Alhambra Antiques offers a variety of French Garden Antiques,
