Jackie,
I'm very interested in this because of the many issues surrounding it. For
what your contending with, it's most important for the owner of the collection
to be aware of all the options in order to make an informed decision.
However, since the furniture is from a private collection, and I
assume from what you've written, that the furniture is on loan and
displayed/housed at your facility...it probably would be wise to not consider
treatment/cleaning the furniture any further at all while it is there. Even with
the proper advice/research, I don't feel it is your responsibility to take on
actually doing much more than that. It would be important to consider this
issue in the context of the loan agreement. Light cleaning -dusting as you
are doing is most appropriate as far as I can see from what you've
written.
It may be best for you to simply pass along copies of technical leaflets,
etc., to the owner and recommend that he consult with a furniture conservator. I
feel that doing anything beyond this...such as possibly doing the work yourself
(other than dusting) is not your responsibility not that of your organization.
Nor would it be wise to allow the owner to do the actual cleaning while the
furniture is in the possession of the museum.
I've never been a big fan of wax because dust/dirt/debris becomes imbedded
in the wax so easily. Wax and polish can inhibit mold growth if proper RH isn't
maintained.
Dust and perhaps lightly cleaning with a soft (except where loose paint is
present), damp cloth are the least invasive methods of cleaning. Anything much
more than that may go beyond surface cleaning and disturb the original patina.
Besides this...a determination would need to be made as to whether the
paint is original to begin with. And if it's the only layer of paint.
In regards to monetary value, the example Dave of how a piece can be
devalued by removing the original finish and thus the patina is a something I've
heard so many times before and it is so true!
I love older furniture and I refer to my home decoration style as "Early
Tag Sale". Most of the antique furniture I've acquired aren't pieces that are
rare or of much value, but before I do anything to them, I keep in mind that
they may become valuable in the future.
I have an oak chest of drawers that my mother bought for me when I was
little and she had spray painted it. The paint was very easy to remove by
lightly sanding with very fine sanding paper. "Ingrained" in the wood, beyond
the original finish, were burn marks and rings, from a coffee cup perhaps. At
first I wanted to see if I could remove these by sanding a little further or
using a product to lighten them up so that they wouldn't be so
'unsightly'.
I for sure didn't want anyone who saw the chest to think I was the one who
caused the burn marks, etc. But I consider this damage part of the history of
the chest and it adds character to it. I'd even find myself imagining who the
previous owner(s) was and how she or he caused the damage. (It was a 'he' and he
was being careless and otherwise, hadn't thought much of the common, cheap oak
chest).
I've brought home so many filthy, seemingly ruined pieces and...if the
stain was still there I'd simply take a damp cloth and clean off the dirt and
then poly them (hand-rubbed, usually).
I mention my personal methods of cleaning furniture because it is important
to know how the owner has cared for them. We can't assume that every antique
piece that we come across has been meticulously cared for over time. But what we
can find out is how they were typically cared for throughout time and the types
of products they may have been available and may have been used. And also what
methods/habit of cleaning may have been used by the owner(s).
Had the furniture that you are caring for been previously waxed by the
owner? Even if there doesn't appear to be a wax on it now or most has been worn
off, there may still be some residue. These sorts of issues also need to be
known before deciding on a method for cleaning the surface.
I also get the sense that the owner may turn out to be dissatisfied by the
results of any cleaning. More intensive cleaning and/or stabilization of the
paint will not assure a better appearance of the furniture.
Pam
In a message dated 6/29/2007 11:21:15 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
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