Removing Old Finishes And Preparing For New Ones
WHEN we reach the point of removing old finishes from our early furniture, we must first consider whether or not we really do want to remove them. We shall, of course, find some pieces which have had one, or many, coats of varnish now possibly cracked and stained. But, in such cases, cleaning and smoothing are easy. Sometimes we may find furniture of light-colored wood, such as maple or pine, which has been deeply stained in imitation of mahogany. Such examples are extremely hard to restore to...
Tavern And Stretcher Tables
This class of tables covers a delightful variety of sizes and styles, ranging from the extremely rare and valuable oak tables of the seventeenth century to the smaller and more easily found sorts so much in use throughout the eighteenth century. Tavern tables were turned out in large numbers and were the favorite tables in the kitchens of the old homes, where they suffered much rough treatment. They often come to us minus tops, drawers, and feet. The loss of height, through wear, decay, or the...
inlays
If we except the marquetry of the early Dutch furniture, we shall find little use of true inlay in woods of contrasting colors until after the year 1725. From about this period we find an increasing use of inlay, the fashion reaching its height in the time of Hepplewhite and Sheraton, and decreasing in Empire and Victorian days. Various sorts of line inlay were in common use, as well as intricate and beautiful scrolls, fans, medallions, wreaths, garlands, and festoons of flowers. Bands of inlay...
Linecuts in Text
3 table tops and leaves 55 4 incorrect restoration of table top 56 5 drop-leaf table joints 57 6 correct and incorrect edges of table tops 58 7 the joining of boards of table tops 59 7a the joining of boards of table tops 60 8 end cleats on old tavern table tops 62 9 foot and stretcher of tavern table 63 10 incorrect restorations of tavern table feet 64 11 restoring stretchers of tavern tables 65 12 seats of windsor chairs with wedged leg-ends 75 13 wedges of windsor chair legs 76 14 making a...
A Word On Collecting
a growing interest HE interest in all sorts of early American articles both _ useful and decorative has tremendously increased throughout our land. It would seem that almost every cultured American home shelters at least one member who collects or at least has some knowledge of those things which were made and put to daily use by our ancestors. Museums which, not so long ago, gave scant attention to things American, now have fine collections properly classified and displayed. Local historical...
Ornamental Hinges
I am not at all sure that the hand-forged hinges which were placed upon the outer surfaces of our early furniture may properly be called ornamental, but to distinguish them from the plain hinges used on drop-leaf tables, desk lids, and cupboard doors locations where they were hidden from sight let us use this term. H, HL, or butterfly hinges certainly appear to us as ornamental features when found upon the doors of cupboards, and they are always to be preferred to the hidden butt hinge. Of...