Buying Mission Furniture Part One

Buying a period house is only a start for some. Filling it with period furniture comes next. Personally, I'm smitten for good Mission style furniture and Arts & Crafts era accessories.

I've bought and traded dozens of pieces, and while I never considered myself a collector, I guess that's what I am.

Some collectors have success scouring Craig's List and buying "smalls" on e-bay. If you've the time and dedication, both can be bonanzas, though I don't recommend paying much for furniture that one can't touch, inspect, etc. Flea markets or antique fairs (er, faires) are another outlet, and if one is handy, may be the best place to buy distressed pieces. I purchased this late 19th century commode (see door with the sunburst relief) several years ago at the Long Beach Antique Swap Meet for $40. Painted white, it languished in my garage for a few years, before working its way up the project list.



The number of Mission furniture dealers seems to be in steady decline, and several prominent LA shops (Antiques Too, Circa 1910, Marc's) have ceased operations recently. Among the surviving vendors probably the best known are Lifetime Gallery (7506 Santa Monica Boulevard), the Detelich Gallery (1654 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica), and the Pasadena crowd, chiefly centered around the Fair Oaks antique malls, including Revival Antiques (527 S. Fair Oaks) . My favorite LA area store however is Old Friends, located in uninspiring Canoga Park, at 21517 Sherman Way.

While it's nice to buy pieces by known makers like the Stickleys, Roycroft, Brooks, etc ("signed pieces"), I've generally been content to buy strong "generics", unattributed furniture. While signed pieces are more collectible, I've never had trouble recouping--or enjoying--monies spent on smart-looking, well-built stuff.



Pieces with their "original finish" are also more valuable, though I'm frequently dubious of such claims. Very few pieces, particularly those with a work surface like a table or desk, survive 100 years with their original finish. If so, the finish will likely be uneven, with stains, and worn areas like the side of this bookcase.