That ‘outdated’ buffet you’ve been wanting to replace? STOP! It could be a rare buffet that could actually be worth a BIG fortune. Don’t believe me? A vintage furniture buyer recently paid almost $4,000 for an old-fashioned buffet at a Boston auction.
The most valuable buffets don’t announce themselves—they hide their worth in secret drawer constructions, barely visible maker’s marks, and distinctive wood patterns that only experts recognize. So, before listing your sideboard for $200 on Marketplace, learn to identify a valuable buffet!
What Is a Buffet?
Think of a buffet table as the dining room’s most hardworking piece of furniture. It’s basically a long, low cabinet where your grandma probably kept her “good china” and pulled out the fancy silverware for holiday dinners.
The word “buffet” actually comes from the French word “bufet,” (yep, just one ‘f’ back then), which originally meant a stool or bench in the 14th century. The concept really took off in America during the 1700s and stayed popular well into the mid-1900s.
People often mix up buffets with sideboards and servers (I hear it all the time!), but there are some small differences.
For example, buffets are typically a bit smaller and were strictly dining room furniture. A true buffet often has that distinctive tiered or shelved top section for displaying pretty dishes – the French called this style a “buffet à deux corps” (buffet with two bodies).
Key Features of a Buffet:
What I love most about antique buffets is how they blend beauty with function. Let’s look at what makes them special:
- Smart Storage: They’ve got drawers and cabinets specifically designed for silverware, linens, serving pieces, and china
- Serving Space: That flat top (sometimes marble, sometimes wood) is perfect for laying out food or displaying favorite collectibles
- Display Areas: Many have glass doors or open shelving to show off china or treasured items
- Practical Size: Most run about 5-8 feet long – substantial enough to make a statement
- Decorative Touches: Depending on when they were made, you’ll see anything from simple inlays to elaborate carvings
What’s clever about the design is how the drawers are usually in the middle, where you can easily grab silverware and napkins, while the side cabinets hold larger serving pieces. This thoughtful organization is why buffets became a must-have piece!
Identifying an Authentic Antique Buffet (4 Key Signs to Spot)
You need to look for some very precise signs to spot a real, genuine antique buffet among the many wooden cabinets! What are these signs? Let’s find out below!
Styles & Designs
One of the vital steps of spotting a valuable buffet is identifying the style and period. Each era has its own distinctive “look,” almost like a design fingerprint. Here’s a simple breakdown:
Federal/Hepplewhite Style Buffets (Late 1700s):
These are real beauties with gentle, flowing lines. Look for:
- Elegant curved or bow-shaped fronts
- A center section with drawers and cabinets on each side
- Six legs (unusual, right?) – four in front, two in back
- Detailed inlay work on drawer fronts
- Mostly made from rich mahogany
- Oval or round brass drawer pulls
Sheraton Style Buffets (Late 1700s-Early 1800s):
If it looks like a Federal/Hepplewhite piece but feels a bit simpler and sturdier, it’s probably Sheraton. Here are the key features:
- Center drawers that might be straight, curved in, or curved out
- Cupboards on either side sitting on long, tapered legs with spade feet
- Cleaner, less fussy lines
- Often made from mahogany, maple, or pine
- More common in rural areas
Empire Style Buffets (Early 1800s):
Likely inspired by Napoleon’s love of ancient classical design, these buffets boast the following features:
- Architectural design with scroll supports
- Usually smaller than other styles
- Mahogany with pine or maple accents
- Round wooden knobs on drawers and doors
- Classical Greek and Roman-inspired details
- Lion’s paw feet (super cool to spot!)
Victorian Style Buffets (Mid-to-Late 1800s)
The Victorians loved their stuff to be elaborate, and buffets were no exception! Probably the most popular styles of all, here’s what to look for on Victorian examples:
- Over-the-top decoration and carvings
- Often included mirrors
- Might have straight, bowed, or curved fronts
- Many had marble tops
- Oak became the wood of choice
- Tall backs that extend high above the surface
- Made in various revival styles with dramatic flair
Art Nouveau/Art Deco Buffets (Late 1800s-Early 1900s)
These stepped away from the ornate tradition, focusing more on elegance and functionality:
- Art Nouveau: Flowing, nature-inspired designs
- Art Deco: Bold geometric patterns and streamlined shapes
- Focus on both function and artistic expression
- Creative use of materials and forms
Mid-Century Modern Buffets (c. 1930s-1960s):
These buffets (often called credenzas or sideboards during this period) are hot collectors’ items right now, characterized by:
- Clean, sleek lines with minimal ornamentation
- Low, long profiles perfect for modern open floor plans
- Warm wood tones (especially teak, walnut, and rosewood)
- Tapered, angled legs that give a “floating” appearance
- A mix of materials like wood with colorful laminate panels
- Simple, elegant hardware (or sometimes no visible hardware at all)
Manufacturer’s Marks
Finding out who made your buffet is one of the most crucial steps of identifying a real deal! But finding a mark on a large piece of furniture is not easy at all. Here are some clues to help:
- Pre-1800s Pieces: The oldest of all, the pre-1880s buffets are rarely marked at all. You’d need documentation or provenance to know the maker based on the design and styles.
- 19th and 20th Century Pieces: These might have paper labels, metal tags, stamps, or branded marks.
Types of Markings:
- Paper labels (often hidden inside drawers)
- Brass plaques/metal plaques
- Stamped maker’s marks
- Stenciled model numbers
- Company symbols
Where to Check for Marks? Well, generally, makers mark their buffers inside drawers, on the back, underneath, or on drawer bottoms to ensure the marking doesn’t interfere with the design and aesthetics!
Also, American companies like Berkey & Gay, Baker, Kittinger, and Stickley all had their own ways of marking furniture. Finding one of these names can be pretty exciting!
Construction Clues
How a buffet was built tells you a lot about when it was made. Here’s what to check:
- Pre-1800s Pieces: No screws or nails at all! They relied on joinery techniques like hand-cut dovetailing and mortise and tenon joints with wooden pegs!
- Hardware: Look for pine back panels and visible joints between drawer sides and backs in Early 1800s examples. Also, observe the types of nails or screws used: pre-1800s used hand-wrought nails, then came machine-cut ones, and lastly, Phillips head screws.
- Handmade vs. Machine-made: Hand-cut dovetails aren’t perfectly uniform, while machine-cut ones are identical and precise.
- Wood choices: Quality pieces use good wood (like mahogany) where you can see it, with cheaper woods (like pine) for internal parts.
- Wood Grain and Saw Marks: Authentic antique pieces may show straight saw marks from pit saws, while later ones show circular marks. Also, the wood’s tightness of the grain is an important sign.
- Drawer Construction: Well-made pieces have dovetailed drawers that still glide smoothly.
- Bottom Boards: Older pieces have solid wood bottoms; newer ones might use plywood.
You can tell a lot about a piece by running your hand along the underside of a drawer or looking at how corners connect. Those little details reveal the craftsmanship that’s gone into making it.
Authentic Aging Signs
Now, how can you tell if a buffet is truly antique? Here are my tried-and-true checks:
- Original Patina: Look for natural patina and wear in places that make sense – around handles, along edges, near feet.
- Hardware Check: Original hardware shows appropriate wear and most commonly rusting; newer hardware might mean restoration or a newer example.
- Wood Aging: Antique wood darkens naturally over time in a way that’s hard to fake. Look for subtle color changes and a certain “softness” to the surface.
- Mosaic Wood: Some older pieces may feature different types of wood (for structural or aesthetic reasons). Although not as reliable, this can be a sign of authenticity, as newer examples rarely show something like this!
Collector’s Tip: Watch out for pieces where someone has artificially distressed the wood or applied fake aging techniques – they’re trying to make something look older than it is!
Why Some Vintage Buffets Are Worth Big Bucks?
The value of an old buffet cabinet depends on a few factors! Here’s a breakdown of these key factors:
Condition
When it comes to the value of vintage furniture, condition is king! Needless to say, examples with minimum wear and tear and damages will be worth way more than worn-out pieces that barely stand upright!
Confused? Here’s a checklist of what indicates a good condition piece:
- Original surface finish
- A sturdy, solid structure with fewer repairs
- All parts present, including original hardware, decorative elements, and components
- Thoughtful restoration
- Quality repair work that respects the piece’s character can maintain value
- Natural aging signs
In contrast, significant scratches, chips, water stains, missing veneer, or structural issues are a big no! They’ll lower the buffet’s value.
I’ve seen collectors debate endlessly about original condition versus restoration. While both approaches have merit, most agree that inappropriate modifications (like painting a rare mahogany piece bright blue) will significantly reduce its value!
Rarity & Desirability
This formula is simple; a rare example of a specific buffet style will almost always be worth more than a common one. For example, I once saw two similar-looking Empire buffets sell for vastly different prices simply because one had a documented history of ownership.
So, the rarity typically depends on the following aspects:
- Limited numbers: Pieces from small workshops or limited production runs bring higher prices than those available in abundance.
- Regional importance: Items from famous furniture-making centers like Philadelphia or Boston attract dedicated collectors more than standard examples.
- Ownership History: Documented history, especially connections to famous people or estates, can highly boost a buffet’s value.
- Renowned Brand: High-quality, old pieces for renowned brands are often considered highly rare and valuable!
- Buffet with Mirrors: Popular during the Victorian era, these pieces offer practical storage with impressive display capabilities, with the addition of mirrors. You’ll typically see a tall upper section featuring one or more mirrors, often with elaborate carved details around it.
Materials & Decorative Elements/Craftsmanhip
A buffet has two types of materials: wood for the body and metal for the hardware! The different materials used for both parts significantly impact the buffet’s value. Here’s how:
Body/Structure Material – Wood
Generally, exotic or rare wood species, such as mahogany, walnut, and rosewood, bring higher prices than softer woods like oak, pine, etc., or later composite materials.
Plus, if you see luxurious materials like marble tops, exotic veneers, or metalwork on a buffet, well, it could go up the price bar!
Hardware Material – Metal
Like the woods, the choice of metal for buffet hardware also transitioned with the years, with the following being considered highly valuable today:
- Hand-wrought iron (early pieces)
- Solid Brass
- Bronze
- Sterling Silver (rare)
- Porcelain or Ceramic (Especially Hand-Painted)
- Cut Glass (less common)
If a vintage buffet is made of exotic wood with ORIGINAL hardware made of these precious materials, it could be a REAL deal!
In addition to materials, special decorative touches on those materials can also significantly boost the value of a regular buffet! For example, I’ve seen relatively simple buffets with extraordinary inlay work sell for ten times the price of more elaborate pieces without those special touches. So, craftsmanship matters!
Here are a few elements you need to look for:
- Hand Carving: Intricate details that showcase craftsmanship
- Inlay Work: Especially marquetry or patterns that tell a story
- Original Hardware: High-quality brass or bronze pulls and hinges
- Decorative Painting: Hand-painted details or gold leaf
- Overall Design Excellence: Some pieces just have that perfect balance and beauty
Age
While age definitely matters in the antique world, it’s not the only factor that determines value:
- 18th Century pieces: Super rare and valuable, especially if you know who owned them
- Early to mid-19th Century: Highly sought after for craftsmanship and historical significance
- Late 19th to Early 20th Century: More common but still valuable if they have distinctive design elements
- Mid-20th Century: Growing more collectible, especially designer pieces
Here’s the thing – a well-preserved Victorian buffet in great condition might fetch more than a damaged 18th-century piece. Age matters, but it’s not everything! The earlier factors play a way more important role in valuation.
