ruby450•1mo agoMost Upvoted

Update: I saw a museum piece in Chicago that changed how I think about shellac

I was at the Art Institute of Chicago last week and saw a 19th century French writing desk. The finish was flawless, and the card said it was original shellac. I always thought shellac was too soft for daily use, but seeing it hold up perfectly for over a hundred years made me reconsider. Has anyone else worked on a piece that old with its original finish intact?

3 comments

3 Comments

black.pat1mo ago

Museum lighting and climate control do a lot to preserve old finishes, lol.

rubyschmidt19d ago

No coffee cups or sunlight" - are you saying museums have never seen a spill or a sunbeam in their entire existence?

clark.robin1mo ago

Are you sure it was the original finish and not a really good restoration? I've seen museum labels get stuff wrong before. Plus, that desk probably never had to deal with coffee cups or sunlight like a piece in a real home would.