apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

How refreshing to see an AT post that doesn't advise painting anything and everything glossy white. Kudos.

Oh, and a note that ties into an earlier post about antique/vintage metal medical cabinets: If you hope to someday sell your piece to a collector, don't sandblast it and paint it yourself -- have it professionally restored or just leave it as is and pass off the rust as patina. I've been watching one gorgeous old cabinet sit unsold on eBay for a year now because the owner tried to "restore" it himself using 21st century stripping and paint. Alas! Alas and woe.

"I've been watching one gorgeous old cabinet sit unsold on eBay for a year now because the owner tried to "restore" it himself using 21st century stripping and paint. Alas! Alas and woe."

You're so right - I've seen vintage furniture with great bones on eBay that I refuse to bid on because the owner tried to do some "decorative painting" that ended up coming out a tragic mess.

No oil? Really? I bought 2 Wegner wishbone chairs on craigslist and the wood is knicked up and very dry. What should I be using to protect these? Paste wax? Nothing?

Really? I had heard linseed oil is pretty mild and good for conditioning furniture.

I used Danish and Linseed oils over old finishes all the time. They did not develop any oxidation problems. I think with each piece you have to look at the original finish of each particular piece. If the original is an oil finish (ie. most danish teak pieces) going with a linseed or danish oil is fine even good for the wood. In most cases of Mid Century pieces oil is fine.

But antiques on the other hand are different. Wood that has 100 years of patina on it will behave a bit differently. Especially in the case of painted furniture when the oil can actually damage the original paint. Or in heavily lacquered pieces where large amounts of oil can settle in the cracks (thus making oxidation an issue). When a wood oxidizes it goes darker. This may be fine on ebonized pieces but if it were a light wood like maple it will be a problem.

Thank you for not suggesting antiques be painted white to look like the $59 Ikea special of the month. I am so weary of seeing bad glossy white paint jobs ruining nice old furniture.

We at the American Institute for Conservation suggest people reading our brochure on Caring for Your Furniture. You can access this guide and others on caring for various types of items by going going to the link below:

http://aic.stanford.edu/library/online/brochures/index.html

Just curious why the chair in the picture has a hole in the seat. Is it an antique toilet chair?

thank you bether!!!!

thanks@retrostyleguy81 for that useful Link!

Matt - often the Wishbone chairs were produced with a soap finish. It requires upkeep, but it is very easy, and can be used perpetually.

Go to Carl Hansen and Sons, to their 'caring for materials' page for upkeep on Soap finishes.

Why I think that IS a potty chair!

I hate when people try to "antique" a piece of new furniture They srtip it, paint it, strip it again, and then perform some masochistic ritual on it involving chains to get that "perfectly aged" look.
Gag me with a spoon.

aww man! I hate typos.
S-T-R-I-P.

It's called a RIM chair, people.

I just say Norm Abrams distressing a brand new piece of furniture. It looked like fun to do.

Modfan-thanks!