Unfortunately, there's no other way around it: you're going to have to do a fair bit of research into antique Italian furniture to ensure you find the best pieces for you. Educating yourself about antique Italian furniture before you buy will help you prevent getting ripped off, buying an inferior piece of furniture, or otherwise not getting what you want for your money. It will be necessary to be able to distinguish between an authentic antique and a reproduction, and you should be able to recognize pieces from a certain era so you can more accurately assess a fair price.
Unless you live in Italy or will be traveling there when searching for antique Italian furniture, it is likely that you will have to work with an antiques dealer to find the pieces that are right for you. Try to do some research beforehand about the different dealers in your area; if your city or town has an antiques club, be sure to either join or visit a meeting to ask members about their experiences with certain dealers. A good dealer will be able to help you track down the best antique Italian furniture and offer a fair price for the pieces he or she finds. Look for a dealer who is pleasant to work with, enthusiastic about the search, and transparent about where the pieces are coming from.
It helps to have a budget in mind before meeting with the antiques dealer. This will help you decide what pieces of antique Italian furniture you can reasonably afford to buy. Remember that many antiques are not in optimal shape and will require some refurbishing once in your possession; this means you will need to consider refurbishing costs into your budget. If you plan on doing the refurbishing yourself, think carefully about the materials and tools you will need to complete the job. If you will be hiring the job out to a furniture restorer, be sure to get some quotes so you have an idea of what prices to expect. Don't forget, too, that you may be responsible for paying shipping charges; larger pieces of furniture may incur significant shipping charges, especially if you live far from the source of the furniture.
Most importantly, be patient and flexible. If you do not find the piece you want immediately, continue the search and do not settle for any antique Italian furniture you don't really want. The antiques dealer is likely to offer you several alternatives if he or she cannot find the specific piece you want, and you will need to make a decision as to whether you are willing to settle for the sake of timeliness or if you want to hold out and wait for the right piece.
