One onlyMahogany side table
We date it to about 1890. One joint in the top reglued.
$680
Furniture, clocks and china with a long past
Old Brass Antiques sells furniture, serviced clocks, ceramics and collectables, each described with the age we judge it to be and every repair we can find. Smaller pieces can be bought here; larger ones begin with an enquiry and a visit.
- Clocks serviced before sale
- Repairs and later parts named
- Large pieces delivered by quote
- Single pieces and house contents bought
On the shop floor this week
Every piece is one of a kind. Dates are our own judgment from construction, marks and wear, and each card lists whatever repairs we have found.
One only
ServicedBrass carriage clock
Early 1900s in our judgment. Eight day movement, serviced here.
$520
Blue and white printed plate
Earthenware, about 1840 to 1860 by our reckoning. Light crazing, no chips.
$45
Cut glass decanter
Probably 1920s. Matching stopper, one tiny flea bite on the rim.
$140
Pine blanket chest
Country made, mid 1800s as we judge it. Later hinges, original lid.
$390
Large pieceLongcase clock, painted dial
About 1820 in our view. Dial and movement belong together; the case is a later marriage.
Price on enquiry
EnquireCheckout adds the delivery fee for smaller pieces; the largest are quoted for carriage once you enquire. Anything that turns out not to be as described can come back within 14 days.
How a piece is dated and described
Every card gives an age as our own judgment, reached from how a piece was made, the marks it carries and the way it has worn. Where we are unsure, the card says so, because a range such as 1840 to 1860 is more honest than a single confident year.
Repairs, replaced handles, later hinges and marriages, where parts of two pieces have been joined, are written down before anything goes on sale. When a piece arrives with papers or a family story, we say what the papers show and what they cannot prove.
- Age stated as our judgment, with reasons on request
- Every repair and replaced part named
- No ivory, tortoiseshell or other restricted materials bought or sold
What our condition words mean
Condition is given in the same four words on every card, so two pieces can be weighed against each other fairly.
| Word | What it means | On a clock, for example |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent | Little wear for its age, and no repairs we can find | Original dial, hands and pendulum, clean case |
| Good | Honest wear and minor old repairs, all of them named | Replaced pendulum, light rubbing to the dial |
| Fair | Visible damage or later parts, priced to match | Later case, or several replaced wheels |
| For restoration | Sold as found, with every known fault listed | Not running and in need of a full overhaul |
The workshop, buying and searching
Behind the shop floor is a bench for clocks and a bench for furniture, and both take work from outside.
Clock overhaul
Movements stripped, cleaned, bushed where worn and regulated over a week of running before they come home.
from$180
Furniture repair
Loose joints, lifting veneer and missing mouldings mended with matching timber and hide glue.
pricedafter a look
Selling to us
Single pieces or the contents of a house, viewed in person, with every offer put in writing.
visitsby appointment
Searching for you
Describe the piece you are after, and we watch the sales and auctions until one turns up.
feeagreed first
Through the two floors
The clock room, the china cabinets and the bench where most of it is put right.
Bought, sold and set going (example reviews)
The card mentioned the replaced pendulum before anyone asked. The clock arrived serviced and has kept time to the minute ever since.
They viewed a whole flat of furniture, sent a written offer the next morning and had everything collected inside the week.
Asked straight out whether a dresser was as old as it looked. The answer was a later top on an older base, with a price to match.
Before you buy or sell
How do you date a piece?
From the way it was made, the timber or clay, any marks, the wear and, for a clock, the movement. The age on each card is our own judgment rather than a guarantee, and we explain our reasons to anyone who asks.
Do you sell ivory or tortoiseshell?
No. Trade in ivory, tortoiseshell and some other animal materials is restricted or banned by law in many countries, and the rules differ from place to place, so we neither buy nor sell pieces that contain them.
Does a piece come with its history?
When papers, receipts or a family story come with a piece, we pass them on and say plainly what they prove and what they do not. A story we cannot check is described as a story.
How are large pieces delivered?
Furniture and longcase clocks travel with our own two person team within a day's drive, or with a specialist carrier further away, quoted before you commit. A longcase clock is set up and put in beat in its new home.
Can a piece be returned?
Yes, within 14 days if it is not as described. Return carriage for large pieces is arranged with us, and the money is refunded once the piece is back in the shop.
Do you buy antiques?
Yes, single pieces or whole house contents. Describe them in the form, with sizes and any marks, and we arrange a visit or ask you to bring them in. Offers are always made in writing.
Ask about a piece, or offer one
Use this form for the longcase clock, for delivery of a larger piece, to offer something for sale or to book a clock into the workshop. Describe it in words: sizes, marks, damage and where it came from help most. We reply within two working days.
- Viewings in the shop or at your home
- Offers to buy made in writing
- Payment arranged directly with the shop
Find the shop by the river bridge
Two floors of an old corn merchant's building, with the clock room upstairs and room at the back to load a van.
Ring the shop
Two floors near the river bridge in the old town, with a loading bay at the back
Opening hours
| Wednesday to Saturday | 10:00 to 17:00 |
| Sunday | 12:00 to 16:00 |
| Monday and Tuesday | Viewings by appointment |
The wanted list
Hunting for a clock of a certain age, a china pattern or a chair to complete a set? Tell us once, and we write when one comes through the door.