|
Once considered unimportant, the finish on any antique is now subject to a great deal of scrutiny as collectors attempt to determine whether or not it is original to the piece. Original finishes can create a dilemma, for some finishes darken as they age. For decades people considered stripping a piece - and destroying the original finish - as an acceptable price in order to better see the grain of the wood. Today we regret losing those original finishes and seek means of restoring and preserving those that we find.
Q. - I have heard that refinishing actually reduces the value of
an antique. Is that the case?
A. ? Of a true antique, yes. Of
used furniture that will never be considered antique, no.
Collectors
of any era of antiques value an original finish, regardless of its condition,
over a new finish, for not only are these antiques extremely rare, they are
considered 100% intact. If an antique had previously been refinished in an
inappropriate color or finish, you can improve its appearance and increase its
value by a second and more sensitive refinishing, which this site will
describe.
Q. - How can I tell if an antique has been refinished?
A. ? Take out all the drawers, pull
it away from the wall and turn it upside down. In short, look where the
refinisher hoped no one would look. If it has been refinished you will see the
evidence: scars from the stripper
on the underside or back, runs from the stain on the drawer bottoms, drips of
finish on the edges of boards or sanding scratches where they shouldn?t be.
Check the slots of any screws: if
scratched or damaged, they may be telling you that someone removed the hardware
to either replace it or to refinish the wood around it.
Q. - What should I do to clean an antique with its original, but
dirty finish?
A. ? Very little. As they say,
?less is more.?
If
it is extremely dirty, you can try cleaning the original finish using just a
soft cloth dipped in warm water with a little mild liquid soap. Do not use
steel wool or abrasive pads, for they will scratch a brittle finish. If the
grime is stubborn, use a commercial furniture cleaner on your cloth, but NOT a
floor cleaner and not TSP (trisodium phosphate). Do not use anything with even
a whiff of ammonia, for it will strip an old shellac finish. Do not use mineral
spirits, lacquer thinner, denatured alcohol, paint thinner, turpentine or any
solvent, for these can soften an old finish. And above all else, first test
whatever you are using in a small, inconspicuous spot.
Q. - What do you recommend to protect an original finish?
A. ? Nothing other than a high
quality paste wax. By itself, paste wax is not a very strong finish, but it is
the only acceptable finish you can apply that will strengthen and preserve the
original finish without harming the antique value. Afterwards, make sure your antique
is not exposed to direct sunlight and will not be subject to rude guests, pets,
children, houseplants, alcohol or water.
Q. - I saw a description in an auction catalog for a Stickley
table with an ?enhanced original finish.? What is that and is it as good as an
original finish?
A. ? A museum curator or advanced
collector would scoff at the term ?enhanced? original finish, for purists
believe that if it is not 100% original, then it is not an original finish.
In
most cases an ?enhanced? original finish means that the original finish and
color was nearly worn off in places, causing someone to then wipe a coat of
stain or dye over the worn area. Collectors expect to see some wear in any
antique; when the wear isn?t there, a closer examination generally reveals a
touch-up, an enhancement. This, however, is less troublesome to collectors than
a finish which is described as ?topcoated original.? In this case a clear
finish has recently been applied over the original finish. Since the original
finish and color still exist, technically the piece has not been stripped and
refinished, but the original finish has been sealed beneath a new coat of a
modern finish.
This
is not to say that you should not buy either an ?enhanced? or ?topcoated?
piece. It only means that you should pay less than you would for one which is
100% original.
|
