Can anyone recommend a course of treatment for 1830s stenciled furniture?  
These are pieces in a private collection and the owner would like to "clean" 
them and then asked about perhaps using a wax on them to seal the surface.  
Some of the furniture exhibits actively cracked and possibly loose paint on 
the surface. On these pieces I don't feel comfortable doing anything other 
than dry dusting, let alone subjecting them to the vigor needed to wax them 
as well.

Other pieces, however, are in much better condition. I am afraid to use 
anything without knowing what the composition of the paint is and I'm not 
sure of what the least reactant wax might be.  Any advice is greatly 
appreciated. I've consulted the technical leaflets of the NPS and also the 
AIC, but consulting a conservator specifically about this is unfortunately 
not in the budget. I would like to improve the appearance of the furniture, 
but not at the cost of ruining the surface.

Thanks for all input.

Jackie Killian

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