The specialists guide to Chinese antiques » Lacquers, Finishes & Patinas

Hidden beauty: Careful cleaning reveals beautiful color on this Chinese antique sideboard from Shanxi

Roger S. — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 08:03:59 +0000

You never really know what you will find when you start on restoration of an antique. Experience helps but its nevertheless often times more art then process. Since some customers, particularly those in the know, prefer to select antique pieces in un-restored form, which while exciting and educating, can present some tricky problems for the restorer, especially if what the customer is after is the color of the piece. So where does the problem lay? Well… what you are seeing is not color. That beautiful patina on the un-restored piece is actually dirt and grime built up over the years, as opposed to actual color. Like that rustic “limed finish look” on that un-restored antique table? Then know that its actually just gray dust and after restoration we will need to somehow recreate that effect. For the restorer, the challenge is to remove dirt and build up while retaining the patina. Other times though, this is all part of the fascinating and revealing process with at times, very pleasant surprises.

Take this antique sideboard from the Shanxi – Shandong region in northern China. Though a fairly common sideboard, the eight painted figures were remarkably well preserved and this alone makes this piece worthy of a purchase decision. The image above was taken at the time of purchase.

Note that this sort of sideboard would open across the top front in three half depth panels which lift up. Many of these antique Chinese sideboards seen on the market today have been in fact been modified for contemporary use and the doors are rarely original. In this case, the customer (wisely) choose to retain its original form and opted out for such modifications, which would have detracted from the value of such a wonderful cabinet. The next step is careful cleaning to remove the years of use in the countryside and in this case the results were better then expected.

Five of the size figures depicted separately on each panel are carrying swords. Before cleaning this was barely visible, so much that I neglected to even notice this and it was not apparent until after each panel was cleaned. I was also surprised to see vibrant red, blue and green hues spring forth in brilliant color, the kind often seen in antiques as most chinese antique reproductions today use commercially available synthetic colors which lack the richness the ones used in times past.

The next question: who are these figures, what do they symbolize and what story do they depict?

You tell me?

This content comes from The specialists guide to Chinese antiques located at http://www.antique-chinese-furniture.com/blog/ For more articles please visit The specialists guide to Chinese antiques - A unique insiders peek at the world of Chinese antiques & reproductions, Asian culture, exotic decor and oriental-inspired design from the far east.

Faux and distressed finishes: A “start to finish” look at creating a hand-rubbed black lacquer finish.

Roger S. — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:46:11 +0000

I find the processes used in the workshop fascinating, and though others might enjoy it if I share some of them here. Today we look at the steps taken from start to finish to create one type of finish: a slightly distressed thick black lacquer finish with hand rubbed edges.

In this case, the project was a large floor standing mirror with thick rounded edges.

Step one: After applying a base layer of gesso, multiple coats of black lacquer are applied to a wood frame allowing for time to dry in between each coat. Elmwood is used for the frame in this case, due to the large size of this particular mirror frame.

Step two: After the lacquer has been given sufficient time to properly dry, edges are scraped away, down to the bare wood, with a dull blade or scrapper.

Edges and any other protruding surfaces are then scraped again this time using the flat portion of the blade to create and irregular effect and to imitate wear and tear.

Since each piece is hand rubbed, no two will ever be exactly the same and this is a highly subjective process which varies depending on the overall structure of the item.

Depending on the structure of the piece, one would normally scrape away areas of heavy use, joints or areas likely to be easily rubbed over the years in passing. If the intended look is just distressed, this will suffice. For an actual “antiqued” effect, the the bottom areas would require more attention as these areas would normally be subject to more wear and tear. Opinions may vary on what is “natural looking” and whats not depending on the artisan and the intended recipient.

Step three: Lots of gentle hand sanding to smooth out any hard contrast between the lacquer and the bare wood as well as to increase the “naturally occurring” distressed feel. This looks much easier then it is and takes quite a bit of time to smooth out the edges of the tick dried lacquer.

Step four: A brown stain is then hand applied to the exposed bare areas of wood. The actual color of the stain may be darker or lighter depending on the desired effect. In this case we used a darker brown for that slightly worn look.

Step six: Several coats of clear lacquer are then evening applied (sprayed) over the entire surface. This not only seals in the stain but also give the appearance of an even thicker finish. After the lacquer has dried it is then lightly sanded and waxed for a smooth, even and slightly glossy finish.

The final result: A beautiful slightly worn finish with just enough character and its own unique hand crafted beauty.

A quick look at some beautiful antique shanxi painted furniture in unrestored form

Roger S. — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:45:45 +0000

During a recent buying excursion, I stumbled across these beautiful lacquered / painted armoires, from Shanxi province in Northern China. While not nearly as prized by Chinese buyers, who often prefer hardwoods like Hua li or Hong mu, the status of Shanxi painted furniture has nevertheless risen significantly over the years for its beauty and stunning colors and is a favorite of the noted Chinese collector Co La Ma.

Particularly interesting, is this close-up section of a door panel. Notice the change in color and patina which has occurred over the years? Once covered by a brass plate which was removed/lost within the last twenty or thirty years, (possibly during the great leap forward), the left side (where the colors are beautiful and subtle) has survived the years, protected by the brass or iron plate that would have originally been there. The colors on the right are faded and muted by comparison. The effect of daily life, pollution, coal dust and years of rough handling and exposure to the elements is clearly visible.

And yet, it remains beautiful. Known as “Bu Wen Qi” or “Da Qi,” the process used in this style of Chinese lacquering is both complex and unique. The first step would have involved covering the raw wood construction with a base layer of hemp, horsehair, straw or other fabric depending on the period in which it was made. This allows for the wood frame construction to shift to some degree without damaging the rigid upper layer of hardened lacquer. On older pieces this sometimes still visible in damaged areas and can be a good indicator of age.

The second step is the application of an even layer of gesso known as “ni zi, ” consisting of plaster mixed with pigs blood (which must be applied within a set period of time lest it spoil). This provides the base material and smooths any impurities or flaws in the wood, straw or fabric below. The third step is multiple coats of natural resin based lacquer, with vibrant red or “ink black” being the two most commonly used colors. Each coat of lacquer must be dried, and carefully wet sanded by hand with a very fine abrasive paper before receiving the next coat. The process is then repeated several times with even the most common pieces receiving at least five to seven coats, until the surface becomes smooth, glassy and mirror like. Finally in the forth step, an artist carefully hand paints motifs ranging from flowers and vases to city scenes to people.

Restoration of such pieces requires a extremely skilled craftsman in order to avoid further damage to the piece and to restore it to its former beauty.

The real deal: Looking back a few hundred years at an authentic chinese alter table

Roger S. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:57:10 +0000

This enormous solid wood console (over two meters) which probably dates back to the Ming Dynasty, originally made its home in a temple in Shanxi province before being stumbled upon by us in the far off, dusty dirty corners of the antiques trade. Known in Chinese as a “Gong An,” or roughly a”temple table” the name alludes to its former use and one can’t help but imagine monks keeping quarters with this table. Modestly estimated to be approximately 300 years old, there are several clues to look that allude to its age starting with the wood below the hardware worn to the bone from endless contact over the years.

Note: All images are clickable.

A common feature on many genuine antiques is defacement from the cultural revolution or “Wénhuà Dà Gémìng,” a period of great political and social turmoil in China’s recent history. From roughly 1966 to 1976 Mao Zedong launched a massive campaign to destroy the “four olds”, namely old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits. During this time, Red Guards burned antique books, ransacked architecture, shattered old porcelain and destroyed or defaced carvings and even whole pieces of furniture. On the table below, the faces have been rudely hacked away.

The “chao tou” or wing-like swooping edges of the table are carved from a single large log with no visual seams or joints; a practice rarely used in contemporary times.

A second clue to its age and origin is the thin layer or coarse horse hair mesh, between the wood and the lacquer. Not quite refined enough to be considered fabric, this rough layer of hair allows the wood below some freedom to expand and contract according the climate and humidity without cracking the lacquer above.

And then there is the original finish, crackled beautifully through the endless passing of time.

Needless to say, this amazing piece of furniture will not be showing up on ebay anytime soon.

Restoring a Chinese mahjong table with a bit of pyrotechnics!

Roger S. — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:45:33 +0000

I get so backed up with blog posts, because there is so many interesting and fascinating things to see and talk about. And being detailed oriented, I really want to spend the time to talk about each item in detail, the history behind it, where it comes from and all the other details that make it all so interesting. Unfortunately work calls and so I must to sometimes, just simply be brief! With that said, here is an interesting photo I took in the factory a few days ago. This is a Chinese mahjong table which needed to have the top floating panel replaced due to cracking or some other form of damage. What makes this so interesting, is how they accomplish this.

In order to match the color of the original wood, the replacement panel must be lightened. To darken a piece there are several methods the most common one being a coat of stain or varnish. However, in this case the issue is the opposite: the wood here is too dark to match the base color of the original material. So how does one lighten the color of wood? By applying an alcohol based solution and some heat, the color of the wood will essentially lighten thus matching the color of the original color.

The end result would look something like this table sold by EMWA Furniture in Australia.

Wood furniture polishes and wood furniture care

Roger S. — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:40:57 +0000

We carry two main brands of wax polish for furniture. Both are hard wax polishes.

Golden Rooster is domestic brand which seems to be partnered with Kiwi. While this works fine, there is chemical smell to the wax which I personally find undesirable. It relatively inexpensive.
Harrell’s Traditional Wax Furniture Polish contains beeswax and is a bit more expensive but is an imported brand which has been around for over 75 years. It is a well known brand and many professional restorers prefer this wax. Its available in 5 colors (Antique – Khaki – Colorless – Red Mahogany – Georgian Mahogany) though we may not always have all colors in stock.

Golden Rooster (domestic brand which seems to be partnered with Kiwi).

Harrell’s Traditional Wax Polish

A bit about wax polishes

Furniture waxes are generally grouped according to their origin with the main three types being:

Animal based: Beeswax is a very common componant of furniture waxes though is typically combined with other waxes to avoid what is know as fingerprinting. (Pure bees wax fingerprints easily due to its low melting temperature). Lac wax and Lanolin are also sometimes used.
Plant based: Carnauba wax is a yellowish hard vegetable wax and together with beeswax is one of the two most important waxes used in woodworking. It is non toxic and harmless to use and is derived from a the leaves of a Brazilian Palm tree. It can be applied onto bare wood or preferably onto wood already protected by a finish. Because it is significantly harder, it provides a higher polish when buffed though also requires additional labor for the same reason.
Mineral based. These occur as byproducts in the process of plant decomposition towards eventually becoming coal. Paraffin waxes are mineral waxs made from paraffin oil and are normally soft clear white waxes used usually in combination with other waxes to produce a soft polish for use on furniture and flooring.

Wax is an ideal finish for country style furniture, where the timber needs feeding and waxes and wax resin mixtures have long been used as adhesives and fill materials. Beeswax in particular has been know to have been used as a polish as far back as 200 years ago by Egyptian craftsmen. Wax is one of the easiest of the finishes to repair and is achieved by simply re-waxing the affected area. Wax is also often used over polish, varnish, or oil finishes to create an extra barrier for protection against damage from water, heat, and alcohol. In general waxing performs two main functions.

moisturizes and adds to the patinas of the wood
adds a protective and sweet-smelling finish.

Things to avoid or look out for:

According to experts, Lemon oil (a commonly recommended treatment) simply gives a wood a superficial shine only, but it isn’t actually beneficial as commercial lemon oil has nothing to do with lemons and is essentially kerosene (which can be harmful to a finishes).
If possible avoid aerosol sprays like Pledge which contain chemicals that will overtime cause build up and also damage the wood. Most of these sprays are really designed for contemporary furniture and are not appropriate for antique furniture.
Use wax in moderation which means polishing generally should occur twice a year, though for dry pieces it may be worth it to apply an additional second coat after the first coat – preferably after 12 to 24 hours in order to give the wood time to soak in the wax. If applying this rule, wax should never create a buildup problem because the wax you apply will not remain forever – generally over time it scuffed, worn off, and even oxidizes. Heavily useds areas such as table tops or chair legs, can be waxed a bit more frequently as needed.

How to wax your furniture

Dust first and make sure the furniture is free of any grease or oil.
You will need to use either “0000 steel wool” (make sure it is oil free) or a soft cloth to apply the wax with.
Scoup out a small bit of wax on the cloth or steel wool or alterately spread some wax across the surface of the cloth or rag.
Spread evenly across the surface of the wood in either a circular motion, or with the grain of the wood.
Wait 10 to 30 minutes to allow the wax to dry before buffing it with a separate cloth.

Some tips on waxing and polishing antique furniture:

Soft cloths like flannel, cotton are best – always remember to make sure the cloth is clean and free of any gritty dust which may cause scratches. The softer the material used to buff, the higher the gloss.
Allow the wax to dry before you buff it – otherwise you are just spreading around the wax rather then polishing it.
Floor wax tends to be softer then furniture wax which is harder to provide more protection.
To bring out the best coloration, select a polish appropriate for the color of wood.
One tip for those with the extra time, is to make your own furniture polish from a mixture of beeswax and turpentine. Generally you will need about a pound of beeswax which must be chipped or shaved into small pieces with either a chisel, cheese grater or a utility knife. Add the chipped pieces into a jar (must have a lid) and fill with about half as much of the wax worth of turpentine. Let it site in a sunny spot (to melt the wax) and once soft, mix thoroughly into an even paste. Apply while still warm and liquid. You may need to gently scrape away excess wax the next day using a piece of stiff cardboard before hand-buffing the piece with a clean, soft cloth.
The amount of optical saturation of wax increase when applied hot as opposed to being applied cold thus effecting the clarity or cloudiness of the application.
For a new peice which has not be waxed before, put down two or three fairly light, successive coats at four- to eight-hour intervals. If the item is exceptionally dry, apply an additional second coat after the first coat after 12 to 24 hours. The extra time allows the wood to soak in the wax.

Fun and funky distressed finishes to brighten up any room

Roger S. — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:50:40 +0000

In this recent gloomy economic climate, it would be nice to add a bit of color and I though sharing some of the neat distressed finishes we have been working on, might brighten up the days a bit.

The hand rubber, distressed finish sky blue hutch adds some pleasantness to the room and may even pass as French Provincial, as does the lemon flavored traditional Chinese stool with a worn down finish for that “clean but aged look.”

Lacquer colors like Popsicle, Cherry Candy, Green Apple and Salty Licorice bring more to mind then just plain old furniture.

French country – Chinese country – whatever it is, its pretty cool. These pieces were on their way to new homes.

Even darker browns and “plain ol” black and white take on a new life with a bit of hand rubbing to add character.

The effect shows just nicely on this unusually shaped Chinese bookcase.

So? Why not brighten up your own rooms?

Whitewashed, bleached and lime finishes are all the rage in furniture

Roger S. — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 13:04:41 +0000

Recently we discussed the popularity of furniture constructed from salvaged materials like this reclaimed elm wood dining table and therefore it should be no surprise that the according to House Beautiful, the whitewashed look along with lightened wood, bleached finishes and limed finishes are growing just as much in popularity as well whether in Asian home furniture or European styles. Known in Chinese as “Shi ni,“ Lime, is a naturally occurring calcium compound which has a wide range of applications and used from livestock products to concrete.

Limed finishes as sometimes also called Cerused or “pickled finishes” and vary depending on the nature of the underlying materials. Reclaimed wood will generally produced a more rustic and “aged look,” whereas new materials will feel a bit neater – even if deliberately antiqued. A look at two sample below illustrates the differences seen in materials. Both have been given a limed finished.

The first board is reclaimed material. The second is new but “antiqued” to look more aged. The difference is even more pronounced when viewing whole pieces. A recent factory visit turned up these two examples. The first is a rustic farm table from ACF China and is constructed using salvaged materials. The second is a rattan chest on a stand from Four Hands and is from new materials. Both have pickled finishes.

Basic materials needed are usually just lime, wax and often some wood stain depending on the desired final color. The process (in brief) tends to be as follows:

In order to enhance the effect, the grain of the wood is exposed sometimes with a wire brush.
The surface is then dusted clean and color then applied is desired.
After any applied color is thoroughly dry, a coat of lime and wax is also applied and hand rubbed into the grain of the wood.
After the lime and wax is dried, any excess is removed and a final top layer of wax is applied.

For a more detailed overview of the process have a look at this page.

Its also worthy to note that limed and bleached finishes are a different then finishing effects achieved using lacquer like this antique sideboard which has a faux limed finish, achieved with white lacquer hand-rubbed into the grain of the wood.

Who is selling whitewashed furniture?
Lets look at a few nice examples.

Warrenton Tea Table from tomlinsonerwinlambeth

Low coffee table constructed from old doors from ACF China

Contemporary entertainment console from bungalowclassic.com.

Better examples? Comment them!