We get asked a lot about the condition of the items we offer here at GOA and our process for readying new inventory for the shop. Somewhat like with real estate, where it’s all about “location, location, location”, with antiques and curated items it’s all about “condition, condition, condition”. And that’s a fair assessment. With our case pieces, for instance, many of them are true antiques, and with the exception of some minor surface swirls, or a barely visible nick here and there, all consistent with having been around since the late 1800’s or early 1900’s … they are in almost “like new” condition. And we price them accordingly. Others however have a few more battle scars; some chips around the edges, the loss of a small section of veneer, and yes, even some pretty obvious gouges from some clumsy previous owner (or more likely one of their kids!). Such pieces will always have a place in our home … and can in yours as well.
Our Process
So how do we get our inventory ready for your review? Our approach to preparing items begins with a thorough, but gentle cleaning. Next the piece is evaluated for any minor repairs that might be required. This would typically consist of replacing any missing hardware, and making sure that all drawers open and close properly. Lastly comes buffing up the piece to bring out it’s best patina, and “voila”, it’s ready for your enjoyment. What we don’t do is professional restoration. A lot of elbow grease, beeswax, paste wax, and other appropriate cleaning products are the primary and only tools that we use to bring our inventory up to the level that we think readies it for your consideration.
So, if you’re looking for museum quality, immaculately restored, historically significant items with fully documented provenance, you likely won’t find many here at GOA…but, of course you won’t find “Museum Quality” prices either.
Thanks for visiting our website. We hope you enjoy perusing our inventory and we hope you might have an interest in having one of these lovely items in your home or office. Needless to say, we are always happy to answer any questions, provide additional details, photos, or videos, and, of course, if the geography is right, have you come by and see our pieces in person.
Kind regards,
Susan & Spencer