Are you looking to buy an antique French cabinet? Want to know how to tell a real French antique cabinet from a fake? Our guide to antique French cabinets gives you the facts & information you want to know.
French antique cabinets are a perfect way to add a touch of French aristocratic class to any living room, kitchen, study, bedroom or other interior. There are in fact several different styles and types of French antique cabinets with different production methods and materials depending upon what era they were made in. Some of the most important and popular styles of French antique cabinets include renaissance, Louis XV, Empire and more recently art deco.
A French cabinet could actually be used for a variety of different uses depending on the specific piece in question. Some cabinets that were designed to be used in the study room of a household would typically incorporate many drawers and a folding desk top that could be used for writing when required. Other French antique cabinets, designed for the storage of crockery would often be quite large and have a large glass panel at the front of its predominantly wooden frame. Some cabinets are used exculsively to display antique French dolls.
Almost all French antique cabinets rely heavily or even exclusively on the use of wood, although the type of wood can vary. Popular wood types used in making cabinets-as well as antique French desks – include cherry wood, oak, pine and mahogany. French cabinets are all very well decorated although this often means that the decoration is stylish if not underdone as opposed to large elaborate patterns or pictures engraved into the cabinet. Finally, a good antique French cabinet will always be covered in a coat of wood veneer to afford protection and a soft sheen to the cabinet.
Another important part that is often incorporated into genuine French antique cabinets are the handles to cabinet doors and drawers which were often made from polished metal such as brass. The shape of such handles is often highly decorative and can come in a variety of different shapes from ordinary circular knobs to intricately engraved brass animal heads.
Reproduction Antique French Cabinets
If you want to be able to enjoy the style and atmosphere that is brought into your home through an antique French cabinet, but do not want to have to pay the high price, then you should consider purchasing a reproduction French antique cabinet. These look almost identical to the genuine article, and in fact the only visible difference that can be noticed is that the reproduction cabinet looks newer and has less imperfections.
