Visited an old furniture auction in Portland and saw something that took me back

I was at that big monthly auction off SE 10th last weekend, checking out the pieces before the bidding. I saw a 1950s dresser that had been totally stripped and refinished with a thick, plastic-looking poly coat, you know the kind. It just felt wrong, like it lost all its warmth. The original milk paint or shellac would have been so much nicer for a piece like that. Does anyone else feel like we've lost the touch for picking the right finish for the age of the wood?

2 comments

2 Comments

torres.drew9d ago

Know what you mean, but I actually like seeing those old pieces get a tough new coat. My grandma's oak table got wrecked by water rings because it only had that old soft finish. A good polyurethane means someone can actually use it daily without panic. That dresser will probably look clean and solid in a busy home, not hidden away as a showpiece. Sometimes a practical finish lets the furniture live a second life.

wyatt_green9d ago

Ever notice how we treat a lot of stuff like museum items now instead of things to be used? You're right, @torres.drew, that's exactly what happens with furniture. We get so worried about keeping the original finish perfect that the piece just sits there. Giving it a tough finish is like giving it permission to be part of the family again. It stops being a fragile relic and becomes a table you can actually put a drink on.