What Should I Do With Antique or Old Furniture I Just Inherited?

DIRECT ANSWER:

Start by documenting the furniture before changing it. Photograph the complete piece, labels, marks, hardware and condition. Record what your family knows about its history and avoid irreversible stripping, sanding or refinishing until you understand whether originality, collector value or family significance may matter.

YOU MAY HAVE INHERITED MORE THAN A PIECE OF FURNITURE.

YOU MAY HAVE INHERITED PART OF THE FAMILY RECORD.

TAKE PHOTOS FIRST

Photograph:

Front

Back

Sides

Top

Underside if safely accessible

Interior

Drawers

Labels

Hardware

Damage

WRITE DOWN THE STORY NOW

Ask relatives:

Who owned it?

Where did it come from?

How long has it been in the family?

Was it inherited before?

Are there old photographs?

Stories disappear surprisingly quickly when nobody writes them down.

DO NOT THROW AWAY PAPER LABELS

Old labels can provide important clues.

Leave them in place when practical.

SAVE OLD HARDWARE

Do not casually replace or discard:

Knobs

Pulls

Locks

Hinges

Keys

Decorative hardware

DON’T REFINISH IT THE FIRST WEEKEND

Cleaning up inherited furniture immediately can feel productive.

But aggressive stripping, sanding or painting may eliminate information that cannot be recovered.

DECIDE WHAT ROLE THE PIECE WILL HAVE

Will you:

Use it?

Display it?

Pass it down?

Sell it?

Store it?

That affects the next decision.