# Antique dresser



## criticalrick (Jan 7, 2012)

My wife has dresser she inherited, it was her Great-Grandmothers believed to be from the 20’s. The problem is that it was stored with a blanket over it and blanket fuzz has stuck into the finish. Eventually my wife wants it completely refinished but for now she just wants the fuzz gone. The questions I have are; Can I clean it up without stripping it all the way down? I believe the finish is shellac but not sure, how can I tell what it is? And finally we would like to know more about it, how could we verify it’s age? 
Thanks, Rick


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

Oak. 1920ish, is correct.
I have a headboard and foot board bed that matches that last picture identically.

Depending on what the thing was waxed or oiled with will make a bit of a difference but I think that should easily come off, using the same oil or a mild chemical to dilute the wax. (I defer to others on the chemicals).
Don't be so quick to refinish it, due to it possibly ruining the original patina and some value with it.
I realize this is a woodworking site, but there needs to be some consideration to what the value of the piece is, if refinished vs origin. 
Research that first.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*speaking of refinishing...*

What ever happened to Formbys furniture "restorer" that was advertised all over TV back when? I have 1/2 a can somewhere and I remember it being a strong solvent type of chemical. 
It used to be the thing to use for projects like the post above. Just wondering if anyone remembers or knows?  bill

I guess I could do my own search...
http://www.formbys.com/products/refinisher/


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

aardvark said:


> Oak. 1920ish, is correct.
> I have a headboard and foot board bed that matches that last picture identically.
> 
> Depending on what the thing was waxed or oiled with will make a bit of a difference but I think that should easily come off, using the same oil or a mild chemical to dilute the wax. (I defer to others on the chemicals).
> ...


"Don't be so quick to refinish it, due to it possibly ruining the original patina and some value with it."

Be sure that you remember this sentence.

George


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

wood.
We used that Formby's product and it was expensive in it's time but quite effective.
We used their stripper and restored a 6 ft baby grand Vose and Sons piano, 1865 era.
So I am probably far more familiar with the stuff than I would even like to be.
Their oil finish was pretty good. Their strippers were nice since they didn't seem to damage surfaces, and with plastic laid over the surface, it didn't dry fast. 

Might I suggest, never be so sadistic as to take on a project like that.

But always inspect value on antiques before ever ruining the original surface finish.
I would kill for that dresser, since it is the matching piece to the bed we have.


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## chemmy (Dec 13, 2011)

It is most definitely shellac and not wax, at some point it was hot enough to soften and the blanket stuck to it. The best way to handle the damage is to sand it with 600 paper wet or dry [black] paper, and some mineral spirits till you have removed all of it. changing to new paper as needed. 

This is typical of early 20th century furniture, where either shellac by itself or shellac with varnish was mainly used. Most often you see this type of furniture in early Sears and montgomery wards catalogs from the late 19th century to the early 20th. It was by our standards "dirt cheap" though relatively expensive for the time when a dollar a day wages was common for the average worker. A piece in the catalog like this may sell for 2-5 dollars or a whole weeks wages for some. Michigan, Chicago, Indiana, and others all produced pieces like this. It is in that sense very common and at this point not worth much except for heirloom value connected to it such as you and others have. 

But that does not mean, 50 or more years from now others may possibly find it collectible, But i would not bet on it. If it was all solid woods and excellent joinery as first class pieces of the time were, then maybe yes. But this was massed produced cheaply and in great quantities for the average person, wealthy people still purchased from well established manufacturers or cabinet shops.

PS: from what i can see in the one pic that shows a closeup of the top of the mirror frame, the chest drawer behind it looks to be machine or roller grained, not real oak. This to was typical of the time,though not always done. So be careful when you strip, test a small area on the side and see if the graining comes of when removed. If so, then i would advise you to just clean/ sand, and re-shellac rather than strip and finish.As to stripper, i would suggest either ammonia or ethyl alcohol or combination of the two. Or propol or butyl alcohol will also remove it, followed by a cleaning with denatured alcohol a few times wth steel wool and clean rags.


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

Speaking from my particular matching bedframe. 
I'm not trying to be disagreeable with you Chemmy, but on the bedframe it is solid oak except the top rolled piece (like on top of the mirror , shown) is a veneer wrap . There is no other veneer on the entire bedframe. The hand carvings are oak as well.
Possible there were multiple manufacturers?
Dunno.
Value?
Never checked on it.


It does look like the piece here was cared for before it was stuffed away. I would first see if that is a wax finish that someone applied multiple times over it's 90 years of life, that can be slightly dissolved to remove the fuzz before going after it with sandpaper.
But that's my opinion.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

aardvark said:


> It does look like the piece here was cared for before it was stuffed away. I would first see if that is a wax finish that someone applied multiple times over it's 90 years of life, that can be slightly dissolved to remove the fuzz before going after it with sandpaper.
> But that's my opinion.


+1. :yes: I agree. I would try other methods before sanding. Try a waterless hand cleaner and see if that will release the fuzz.










 







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## chemmy (Dec 13, 2011)

aardvark said:


> Speaking from my particular matching bedframe.
> I'm not trying to be disagreeable with you Chemmy, but on the bedframe it is solid oak except the top rolled piece (like on top of the mirror , shown) is a veneer wrap . There is no other veneer on the entire bedframe. The hand carvings are oak as well.
> Possible there were multiple manufacturers?
> Dunno.
> ...


Your not disagreeing with me ARD., i was speaking to the chest drawer i can see behind the mirror frame. And even then I'm not sure, it just looks like it could be a roller grained face. That was just a precaution due to having a friend of mine who had a stripping shop in Holland Mi. having accidentally stripped such a piece not knowing of this. It took me a full week to make up rubber squeegee's and other graining tools to redo the piece and finish with lac and varnish. So it's worth testing to be on the safe side ok?

Again, not all of the furniture then was grain rolled, depended on where it was made and by which company. As you say, yours is solid oak, as much other was to. but as time past and oak became more expensive due to use by most all of the manufacturers, other companies took up this graining technique to use other available "cheaper" woods to use as a ground for this type of affect. Thus keeping the price lower than their competitors prices for real oak. 

I'll try later to post a couple of pics of this process if i can ok?


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

^ Now that might just work. the hand cleaner


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

Chemmy
Thanks.
It is a good precaution, no doubt.
I was just making the point of what I ran into in a matching piece.
And I personally do not like seeing antiques of possible value with that value destroyed or lessened. 
If the piece is beat up and damaged massively, I would think different on this one, but the overall surface looks nearly flawless, so first option in my book is to try and save it without hitting it with sandpapers.

I may be in the minority in that thinking here.


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## chemmy (Dec 13, 2011)

aardvark said:


> Chemmy
> Thanks.
> It is a good precaution, no doubt.
> I was just making the point of what I ran into in a matching piece.
> ...


No your not in the minority Ard., i was a conservator for years and worken on historical pieces as well as highly valued private pieces and ones from Christies and Sotheby's for Deller conservation in Chicago. I'm not playing down anything about this piece or yours either, it's just that mass produced furniture as compared to custom furniture of the time in comparison is a dime a dozen, tens of thousands of pieces were made and much still exist. So unless by chance you have a personality of some type buying and using it to furnish their home with, creating a "fad" of sorts that would make others want to copy them, i doubt if you will ever see it become valuable in that sense.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

chemmy said:


> No your not in the minority Ard., i was a conservator for years and worken on historical pieces as well as highly valued private pieces and ones from Christies and Sotheby's for Deller conservation in Chicago.


Wow...what a coincidence...so did I. Hey, maybe we met at one time or another. I'm trying to remember...are you short, heavy set, brown hair with horned rimmed glasses? I haven't heard from Craig and Wendy for quite a while. You might remember me as the one that did White House restorations, and advised Jimmy Carter with his woodworking. How 'bout that...what a small world.:laughing:










 







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## chemmy (Dec 13, 2011)

cabinetman said:


> Wow...what a coincidence...so did I. Hey, maybe we met at one time or another. I'm trying to remember...are you short, heavy set, brown hair with horned rimmed glasses? I haven't heard from Craig and Wendy for quite a while. You might remember me as the one that did White House restorations, and advised Jimmy Carter with his woodworking. How 'bout that...what a small world.:laughing:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


when were you there C'man?? i was there in 1999-2000?

No i was tall 6', wore a black greek fishermans cap most of the time. no glasses. Was the upholstery girl there working when you were there - tall, can't remeber her name now, think it was linda?? Yes i taught wendy how to finish and touch up, i was her mentor, we've been friends since 1984. She's in florida now, has been for some time. Craig, as far as i know is out of business. I took over the short polish kids place when he went back home, but i can't remember his name either, gettin old. Were you around when i did the wisconsin museums french chest? if i can find the pics i will post them ok?


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

You don't have to worry about preserving the original finish on a common piece like that, the finish was likely shellac. You can confirm that by wiping with denatured alcohol in an inconspicuous place. Hand cleaners and citrus cleaners will turn the shellac white, as will soap and water and probably degrade the finish more. It will dry out and the white will leave but I wouldn't use them. Who knows what grandma did to polish the piece over the years. There were itinerant furniture finishers that used to make the rounds, often quickly slathering furniture with a dark shellac for a face lift. Usually you can see plenty of sags and drips. These old shellac finishes are often in pretty sad shape.

You can use a white Scotch brite pad, using it like you were sanding, with the grain. A few drops of mineral spirits can be used without bothering the shellac and it will help clean up the surface but wipe up frequently as you go with a clean rag. This will dull the finish to a minor degree unless you get carried away, try to go lightly. Shine can be brought back with a very light coat of furniture paste wax buffed up.


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## chemmy (Dec 13, 2011)

hers the only two pics i have


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