Jackie,

I have been away, and apologize for a delayed response.  Painted furniture 
can be very complex, particularly that from the 1830's.  While I can't make 
specific comments without seeing the pieces, the following general 
information may be helpful.

1) Often painted furniture was constructed of many layers.  These are a base 
layer, which itself can be several coats; additional decorative base layers 
such as graining; a primary decorative layer of stenciling, painted 
decoration, painted scenes, etc.; glazing or toning layers; and protective 
coatings, often more than one coat.  The solubility of each of these layers 
is different, and thus care must be exercised when treating aged painted 
furniture, including during cleaning.  It is extremely common for the 
coating layers to darken and change color (generally becoming more yellow, 
orange or brown) with age.  Sometimes this is mistaken for dirt, and 
attempts at "cleaning" can be disastrous.

2) "Dirt" consists of dust, grime, hand oils, accretions of various types, 
and many types of polishes and coatings that may have been applied over time 
by previous or current owners.  "Cleaning" each of these without damage to 
the original surfaces may require different materials and techniques.  It 
may not be possible to safely remove some of them.  I have seen far too many 
pieces that have been inappropriately cleaned with damage to, or removal of, 
original surfaces.  The result is not pretty!

3) You are correct to be concerned with cracking and cleavage of paint or 
coatings.  The first step in a treatment (after documentation) would be to 
set down the loose paint/coatings.  This would be done prior to cleaning. 
Otherwise, cleaning processes, even dusting with a soft cloth, can remove 
original surfaces in these areas.

4) If you would like more specific comments about the furniture you are 
concerned about, I may be able to glean adequate information from 
high-quality digital photos emailed to me.  Close-ups of areas of concern 
(cleavage and dirt) are best.  In general, I would suggest not doing 
anything, including dusting or waxing, until you can get customized 
information, ideally provided by a painted wood conservator.

Marc

American Conservation Consortium, Ltd.
     4 Rockville Road
     Broad Brook, CT 06016
     www.conservator.com
     860-386-6058

*Collections Preservation Consultation
*Conservation Assessments & Surveys
*Low-Tech Environmental Control
*Moisture Management Solutions
*Collections in Historic Structures
*Collections Care Grant Preparation
*Conservation Treatment of:
     Furniture
     Painted Wood
     Horse-Drawn Vehicles
     Architectural Interiors

Marc A. Williams, President
     MS in Art Conservation, Winterthur Museum Program
     Former Chief Wooden Object Conservator, Smithsonian Institution
     Fellow, American Institute for Conservation (AIC)


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jackie Killian" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, June 29, 2007 11:18 AM
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Treating painted furniture


> 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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