As the Arts & Crafts revival has matured, collectors have demonstrated that, like other antiques fields, one of the critical factors in determining the value of any piece is the condition of its finish. In more than one instance, a rather common form with its original finish intact has commanded a higher price than a rare form that has been refinished. If you have been fortunate enough to add a piece to your collection, regardless of the maker, which still has its original finish, you want to be able to preserve that finish to maintain its integrity, its beauty and its value.
Four furniture finishes dominated the original Arts & Crafts era: shellac, wax, an early version of oil-based varnish, and an early form of what we now call lacquer. They all share one attribute - they are fragile. Distinguishing one from another can be difficult, but, fortunately, for our purposes, is not necessary.
Once inside your home, these finishes typically suffer at the hands of four assailants: sunlight, alcohol, water and household cleaners.
The least visible of them all is often the most deadly. Until I went to move it, I had no idea that just one hour of sunlight each afternoon was slowly but steadily bleaching out the original color on one end of my Stickley dropfront desk - and was eroding the finish. The ultra-violet rays of the sun will pass right through a clear finish, breaking it down as it bleaches out the original dye or stain. Those same rays will also harm fabrics and leather.
The solution comes in many forms. First, rearrange your furniture to insure that your most valuable pieces are never in direct sunlight. Second, if you have them, close your drapes and blinds during times when the sun would be streaming into the room. Third, have a protective film applied to those windows you cannot block. Finally, rearrange your furniture and accessories often. Although it acts more slowly, indirect sunlight also affects a surface, leaving darker spots where vases, table runners, bowls and lamps remained for weeks at a time.
All of these original Arts & Crafts finishes are vulnerable to alcohol and water. Accustomed to modern, durable polyurethane finishes, you and your guests might think you can safely place a bottle of wine, glass of water, vase of flowers or hot cup of coffee on an original finish, even for just a few moments. You can't. These finishes did not have great resistance when they were new and, one hundred years later, it has diminished even further. Train your family - and put coasters and placemats out for untrainable guests. After a party or dinner, pick up every glass, every plate, every damp napkin, every morsel of food before you turn out the lights.
With hundreds of cleaning products on the shelves, it would be nearly impossible to test every one of them on every Arts & Crafts finish. Aerosol sprays often contain chemicals which soften and pit an original finish. Anything with ammonia will dissolve wax and shellac. So, what should you use?
Before I answer that question, lets talk about what you can and cannot use to protect an original finish. Auction house catalogs often use the terms "enhanced finish" or "recoated finish" to describe original finishes that have been altered. These are not the same - or as valuable - as an original finish. You should not apply a modern varnish, lacquer, shellac or rubbing oil over the top of an original finish. The only acceptable layer of protection is a high-quality, non-cleaning paste wax.
Pure paste wax is accepted for two reasons. First, it does not significantly change the appearance of the original finish. Second, while it does offer protection, it can safely be removed in the future with a cloth and mineral spirits without harming the original finish beneath it. Those other finishes cannot.
With a coat of paste wax on your original finish, you then only need two common items to safely remove the dust and any spills from your antiques: a damp cloth, followed immediately by a dry cloth.
Bruce Johnson
Next Month: How To Spot an Original Finish