The use of a proper wax will retard the oxidation vary well and it will
take a long time to darken down. If you leave the bed exposed it will
darken much faster, but you run the risk of an uneven tarnish as it will
react to the acids fron being touched leaving fingerprints burned into
the serface. Now it will eventualy all darken and become more even and
the the fingerprints will not be noticeable to the naked eye.
        To accomplish what your looking to do, you might be better served to
use something like "Pledge" spray dust and wax ( OK every one don't
explode here! ) This will help protect the serface form being touched.
When The brass has reached the color you want, use a solvent, (alcohol)
and a cloth ( non abrasive ) to remove any resadue and any dirt, Apply a
proper wax ( Getting the wax the museums use may be difacult but the
Minwax Company makes some vary good tough furnature waxes. One is almost
pure Cabana. )
        As you are not tring to preserve an archalogical treasure and not tring
to deal with thousends of items in a colection all screaming for
preservation you will have the time to strip the wax from time to time
and redo it so as not to get to gerst a build up.
        You could lacker the brass, the problem then becomes stripping it at
some point as any scrach or chip must be recoverd and getting it to
match and not show the repair is a pain. ( can be done but a lot of fuss
)
        Sooner or later you will have to re polish the brass and start the
whole process over as it will in time darken beyond what you want.
Though it should be many years unless you live down wind of some sulfur
dioxide producing facility ( in which case it is an unhealthy place to
live so move.)

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