How to Care for your Antiques
Sept 24, 2014Regardless of whether you own a freshly purchased antique armoire or a family heirloom that's been sitting in your home for several generations, you need to take care of the condition of the piece. Wipe a finger across the smooth varnish of the chair or table, appreciating the effort that went into the upholstery. Regard the rich veneer on a colonial era bookcase and imagine the aged hands of a craftsman polishing the wood, his strained features as he sanded the grain and lovingly applied a protective coating to stop wear-and-tear from prematurely aging the classic form of the furnishing. From this deep appreciation rises the motivation to restore an antique, to care for its present state.
Step one in expressing care is to remove the antique from high-traffic areas. It's inevitable that a few bumps and scrapes will take their toll on furniture over the years, but placing the antique away from these constantly occupied areas will minimize the wear. The same maxim should be practised when nature makes an appearance. Direct sunlight bleaches unprotected wood, warping the grain. Dry wind has the same effect, as does changes in temperature. Apply an environmental control strategy, reducing humidity and keeping the temperature within a strict limit.
Kick the inevitability of impact damage to the curb by making an effort to be proactive. You can beat of sticky hands and careless impacts by placing your own barrier around the antique in the form of a special wax. We add the qualifier 'special' to the word wax because standard waxes aren't up to the job of protecting antiques. They leave oily deposits that look unattractive, and they can actually damage the delicate varnish when used incorrectly. This last instruction acts as a perfect segue to French polishing. A near lost art, French polishing restores lost lustre, energizing antique wood with a silky finish, but the process doesn't always lend durability to the item. Instead, the finish is thin and intense hand work is required to work a pad cross the surface of the item being polished. A professional refinishing shop or a craftsman working within an antique store may be the best option if you're considering this high-quality finish.
Stick with the basics if you're looking at a light coating of dust. There's no need to pull out an abrasive cloth and a chemically active furniture polish when all that's needed is a light wipe with a dry cloth. Natural cotton is a good choice for the wipe, but the main point here is to avoid any material that's abrasive. Some of the newly available microfiber fabrics make excellent wipes for dusting antiques. These tips are focusing on the wooden parts of your furniture, but there's purpose in this move. Wood is organic, a breathing material that reacts to its environment. Wood simply requires more care. That's not to say we should ignore metal handles and fixtures. These too age over time, but a quality metal cleaner soon wipes away obtrusive layers of tarnish.
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