this is a bit off topic.
We bought an "antique" rocking chair. Wife has a bad back.
It is probably from 20s or 30s. Sculpted bottom, turned rails etc.
It is tight. I suspect the seller used some of the stuff squirted in
joinery to tighten it us but maybe not. It is tight now.
The problem is the finish. I thin the chair is Maple. It has some kind
of flat fine crackle almost black finish on most of it. Some of it has
rubbed off on chair arms, supposedly from being used. Curiously the seat
bottom finish isn't worn off. The finish is especially textured on most
of the rocker.
The rocker has a handsome form and is quite comfortable.
Is it possible the finish is a product of natural aging?
How would be a good way to do something with this finish?
I really wouldn't want to dismantle it and refinish especially if it as
old as it's form suggest possibly mid to late 1800s.

In article , Lil Abner
says...

this is a bit off topic.
We bought an "antique" rocking chair. Wife has a bad back.
It is probably from 20s or 30s. Sculpted bottom, turned rails etc.
It is tight. I suspect the seller used some of the stuff squirted in
joinery to tighten it us but maybe not. It is tight now.
The problem is the finish. I thin the chair is Maple. It has some kind
of flat fine crackle almost black finish on most of it. Some of it has
rubbed off on chair arms, supposedly from being used. Curiously the seat
bottom finish isn't worn off. The finish is especially textured on most
of the rocker.
The rocker has a handsome form and is quite comfortable.
Is it possible the finish is a product of natural aging?
How would be a good way to do something with this finish?
I really wouldn't want to dismantle it and refinish especially if it as
old as it's form suggest possibly mid to late 1800s.

If the texture is a pattern of little tiny cracks that's natural aging,
probably of shellac. Try some denatured alcohol in an inconspicuous
place and see if the finish melts together and consolidates--if so
you've got shellac and you can give it a wipe down with alcohol to melt
the cracks together if you want to, possibly followed up with some more
shellac. Where the finish has come off, if the existing finish is
shellac then more shellac will do the trick.

It may be lacquer, in which case you can try the same but with lacquer
thinner, or it may be some kind of varnish in which case you'll probably
need to strip it.

Warning--both denatured alcohol and lacquer thinner are highly flammable
and in a confined space the fumes can knock you flat.

You can also try some stuff called "Howard's Restor-A-Finish" which is a
mixture of solvents that will slightly soften most finishes and includes
a stain to touch up any scratches and the like--it comes in a variety of
colors. If you decide to go that route, read the instructions and
follow them.

J. Clarke wrote:


It may be lacquer, in which case you can try the same but with lacquer
thinner, or it may be some kind of varnish in which case you'll
probably need to strip it.

A word of caution with respect to laquer and laquer thinner... Applying
laquer thinner to a laquered surface will literlly melt the laquer finish.
Expect an ugly result. This is not a technique you would want to attempt to
restore a finish in short order. You can melt laquer and sand it to a
refinishable surface, but just go into this exercise knowing that that's
what you're heading into. There's no real short cuts with laquer.


Warning--both denatured alcohol and lacquer thinner are highly
flammable and in a confined space the fumes can knock you flat.

Bah! Don't they drink this stuff straight out of the can in Arkansas?


--

-Mike-

In article , Lil Abner
wrote:

this is a bit off topic.
We bought an "antique" rocking chair. Wife has a bad back.
It is probably from 20s or 30s. Sculpted bottom, turned rails etc.
It is tight. I suspect the seller used some of the stuff squirted in
joinery to tighten it us but maybe not. It is tight now.
The problem is the finish. I thin the chair is Maple. It has some kind
of flat fine crackle almost black finish on most of it. Some of it has
rubbed off on chair arms, supposedly from being used. Curiously the seat
bottom finish isn't worn off. The finish is especially textured on most
of the rocker.
The rocker has a handsome form and is quite comfortable.
Is it possible the finish is a product of natural aging?
How would be a good way to do something with this finish?
I really wouldn't want to dismantle it and refinish especially if it as
old as it's form suggest possibly mid to late 1800s.

Be aware that refinishing is the quickest way to destroy value of
antique furniture.

"Lil Abner" wrote in message
...
this is a bit off topic.
We bought an "antique" rocking chair. Wife has a bad back.
It is probably from 20s or 30s. Sculpted bottom, turned rails etc.
It is tight. I suspect the seller used some of the stuff squirted in
joinery to tighten it us but maybe not. It is tight now.
The problem is the finish. I thin the chair is Maple. It has some kind of
flat fine crackle almost black finish on most of it. Some of it has rubbed
off on chair arms, supposedly from being used. Curiously the seat bottom
finish isn't worn off. The finish is especially textured on most of the
rocker.
The rocker has a handsome form and is quite comfortable.
Is it possible the finish is a product of natural aging?
How would be a good way to do something with this finish?
I really wouldn't want to dismantle it and refinish especially if it as
old as it's form suggest possibly mid to late 1800s.

Without a picture, it's not possible to conclude the value of the price
but from experience, rocking chairs from the 1920s and more recent are very
common. The style dates back to the late 1800s. Turned rails, sculpted
bottoms, etc. are very common. They are not valuable antiques but may have
significant emotional value to you.

I would completely strip it and refinish it. Based on your description,
the finish has deteriorated to the point where it is missing on the arms,
and crackled on the rest. Thus, the finish is no longer protecting the
piece. I would not dismantle the chair in anyway since you state that it is
"tight". It is possible that the original glue-up has held quite nicely or
that it has been reglued in the past. Missing finish on the arms is quite
common since that is where skin oils and abrasion are most common.

Please be aware that many rocking chairs of that period were intended to
be painted. You did not state if you could see through the remaining finish
to the wood grain but do not be surprised if the lumber you uncover after
stripping reveals a less that aesthetically pleasing selection. Fresh
paint, especially milk paint, is usually a good choice for such a chair. My
Customers tend to like a satin to flat opaque finish. It is also possible
that the chair has several layers of finish put on it over the years. There
may even be a coat of pigmented lacquer.

Good Luck.

On 12/30/2010 2:47 PM, Baron wrote:
"Lil wrote in message
...
this is a bit off topic.
We bought an "antique" rocking chair. Wife has a bad back.
It is probably from 20s or 30s. Sculpted bottom, turned rails etc.
It is tight. I suspect the seller used some of the stuff squirted in
joinery to tighten it us but maybe not. It is tight now.
The problem is the finish. I thin the chair is Maple. It has some kind of
flat fine crackle almost black finish on most of it. Some of it has rubbed
off on chair arms, supposedly from being used. Curiously the seat bottom
finish isn't worn off. The finish is especially textured on most of the
rocker.
The rocker has a handsome form and is quite comfortable.
Is it possible the finish is a product of natural aging?
How would be a good way to do something with this finish?
I really wouldn't want to dismantle it and refinish especially if it as
old as it's form suggest possibly mid to late 1800s.

Without a picture, it's not possible to conclude the value of the price
but from experience, rocking chairs from the 1920s and more recent are very
common. The style dates back to the late 1800s. Turned rails, sculpted
bottoms, etc. are very common. They are not valuable antiques but may have
significant emotional value to you.

I would completely strip it and refinish it. Based on your description,
the finish has deteriorated to the point where it is missing on the arms,
and crackled on the rest. Thus, the finish is no longer protecting the
piece. I would not dismantle the chair in anyway since you state that it is
"tight". It is possible that the original glue-up has held quite nicely or
that it has been reglued in the past. Missing finish on the arms is quite
common since that is where skin oils and abrasion are most common.

Please be aware that many rocking chairs of that period were intended to
be painted. You did not state if you could see through the remaining finish
to the wood grain but do not be surprised if the lumber you uncover after
stripping reveals a less that aesthetically pleasing selection. Fresh
paint, especially milk paint, is usually a good choice for such a chair. My
Customers tend to like a satin to flat opaque finish. It is also possible
that the chair has several layers of finish put on it over the years. There
may even be a coat of pigmented lacquer.

Good Luck.


Didn't figure it would be worth a whole lot.
My wife was comfortable in it was the how we ended up with it.
It apparently is flat wrinkle or whatever paint.
The wood is nothing great, from what I can see.
I hate the paint, if that is what it is. Feels like sandpaper, on some
parts.
It has a nice shape and is tight though.
I don't know how or I would post a photo link.
I've looked at over a hundred sites for a similar chair to see what its
pedigree is. Cant find the first one.
Found one chair dated 1830s, Mass but it was small without arms designed
apparently for use in nursing a child.
I'll have to refinish it at some point.

On Tue, 28 Dec 2010 22:03:59 -0500, Lil Abner wrote:

this is a bit off topic.
We bought an "antique" rocking chair. Wife has a bad back.
It is probably from 20s or 30s. Sculpted bottom, turned rails etc.
It is tight. I suspect the seller used some of the stuff squirted in
joinery to tighten it us but maybe not. It is tight now.
The problem is the finish. I thin the chair is Maple. It has some kind
of flat fine crackle almost black finish on most of it. Some of it has
rubbed off on chair arms, supposedly from being used. Curiously the seat
bottom finish isn't worn off. The finish is especially textured on most
of the rocker.
The rocker has a handsome form and is quite comfortable.
Is it possible the finish is a product of natural aging?
How would be a good way to do something with this finish?
I really wouldn't want to dismantle it and refinish especially if it as
old as it's form suggest possibly mid to late 1800s.


If this thing is as old as you think it is, get it appraised before
you mess with it. Screwing with the finish may reduce it's value as
an antique. On the other hand if the chair is more about comfort and
look, then by all means try the alcohol, laquer thinner, preformulated
solvents to tidy it up.

You need to pay attention to the "Antique Road Show".

P

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