Image 1 of 1
DJR Expert Guide Series, Vol. 574 — How to Identify Antique vs. Modern Furniture Hardware
Hardware is one of the most reliable indicators of whether furniture is genuinely antique or a modern reproduction. While wood, finish, and even structural components can be altered over time, metal hardware typically reveals the truth. Screws, nails, hinges, locks, pulls, escutcheons, and mounting plates carry manufacturing traits that are incredibly difficult to fake—and they tell a clear story about age, authenticity, and alterations.
DJR Expert Guide Series, Vol. 574 provides a complete, beginner-friendly, non-destructive workflow for evaluating furniture hardware. This guide explains how to identify period-correct screws, nails, hinges, brass components, casting techniques, wear patterns, and patina using the same observational methods used by professional appraisers and authenticators.
Inside this guide, you’ll learn how experts:
Identify hand-forged, cast, stamped, and machine-made hardware
Date screws and nails accurately using shaft shape, tool marks, and thread behavior
Recognize authentic aging, oxidation, patina patterns, and natural metal wear
Distinguish real antique brass and iron hardware from modern reproductions
Evaluate drawer pulls, knobs, hinges, and mounting plates for period consistency
Identify mismatched, replaced, or artificially aged hardware
Recognize CNC-cut keyholes, modern lock mechanisms, and reproduction escutcheons
Understand stylistic hardware eras such as Chippendale, Federal, Victorian, Mission, Arts & Crafts, Art Deco, and Mid-Century Modern
Match hardware styles to the claimed age of a furniture piece
Interpret tool marks, filing patterns, and manufacturing irregularities unique to early production
Spot red flags including overly perfect symmetry, modern screws, and stamped components on “18th century” furniture
Apply a complete non-destructive workflow to determine whether hardware is original, replaced, or reproduction
Whether you're evaluating estate furniture, buying at antique shops, reviewing online listings, or authenticating a family heirloom, this guide gives you the expert structure needed to distinguish genuine antique hardware from modern replacements—and to understand how hardware affects value.
Digital Download — PDF • 9 Pages • Instant Access
Hardware is one of the most reliable indicators of whether furniture is genuinely antique or a modern reproduction. While wood, finish, and even structural components can be altered over time, metal hardware typically reveals the truth. Screws, nails, hinges, locks, pulls, escutcheons, and mounting plates carry manufacturing traits that are incredibly difficult to fake—and they tell a clear story about age, authenticity, and alterations.
DJR Expert Guide Series, Vol. 574 provides a complete, beginner-friendly, non-destructive workflow for evaluating furniture hardware. This guide explains how to identify period-correct screws, nails, hinges, brass components, casting techniques, wear patterns, and patina using the same observational methods used by professional appraisers and authenticators.
Inside this guide, you’ll learn how experts:
Identify hand-forged, cast, stamped, and machine-made hardware
Date screws and nails accurately using shaft shape, tool marks, and thread behavior
Recognize authentic aging, oxidation, patina patterns, and natural metal wear
Distinguish real antique brass and iron hardware from modern reproductions
Evaluate drawer pulls, knobs, hinges, and mounting plates for period consistency
Identify mismatched, replaced, or artificially aged hardware
Recognize CNC-cut keyholes, modern lock mechanisms, and reproduction escutcheons
Understand stylistic hardware eras such as Chippendale, Federal, Victorian, Mission, Arts & Crafts, Art Deco, and Mid-Century Modern
Match hardware styles to the claimed age of a furniture piece
Interpret tool marks, filing patterns, and manufacturing irregularities unique to early production
Spot red flags including overly perfect symmetry, modern screws, and stamped components on “18th century” furniture
Apply a complete non-destructive workflow to determine whether hardware is original, replaced, or reproduction
Whether you're evaluating estate furniture, buying at antique shops, reviewing online listings, or authenticating a family heirloom, this guide gives you the expert structure needed to distinguish genuine antique hardware from modern replacements—and to understand how hardware affects value.
Digital Download — PDF • 9 Pages • Instant Access