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

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

Roger — 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.

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

Roger — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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!

A true work of art – The making of a Chinese lacquered room divider/chinoiserie screen

Jasmin — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 13:30:46 +0000

Chinoiserie screens are always a favorite with interior designers and today, we give you a detailed glimpse into the workshop of an artist craftsmen and let you see the many steps required to create a perfect lacquer painting.

Note: The large versions of these photos are online: http://www.flickr.com/photos/acf-china/2243528705/

The art of lacquer painting is a ancient one, originating in China thousands of years ago. In the Neolithic age (about 7,000 years ago), while cutting down trees, the precursors to Chinese people realized that the sap of the lacquer trees could be applied to walls, furniture and other objects, thus giving birth to primitive lacquer art. Painting with lacquer is a meticulous and time-consuming process which most people fail to realize or appreciate. It is a very meticulous labor of love to create a lacquer painting and the process can take at least several weeks or in the case of a series of panels, more then several months to complete. Lacquer paintings & screen panels are traditionally created in three styles which correlate to the color of the paintings background:

Gold leaf
Deep black
Vermilion.

There are other exceptions such as silver background but these are less uncommon.

Step one: Preparing the surface.

Like an artist preparing a canvas, the process is very similar only in this case the painting is done on wood. Normally solid wood is NOT the best choice for these and most vendors will use “plywood” which is less likely to expand or contract (any cracks would ruin the painting). First, a piece of wood is prepared by sanding.
The board is covered with a piece of fine white muslin cloth which is glue down on the board. This fabric serves a duel purpose in that should the wood crack or expand the cloth wrapped around it will remain relatively stable (and thus the fragile lacquer will not crack or become damaged).
Then the cloth is brushed a layer of “nizi” – a kind of Gesso or base adhesive and is then left for the adhesive to air dry for a short period of time.
This covering of adhesive is then sanded smooth to eliminate any bumps or ridges.
This entire process is then repeated so that there is at least several coats of sanded “nizi.

Step two: Preparing the black base surface.

next step brushed a coat of a specially prepared binding agent made from red lacquer flakes which are dissolved in thinner. This binding agent helps the next coat of black lacquer to soak into the cloth below.
After a thin coat its left to air dry for a short period of time.
Then brushed on top with a coat of black lacquer at least two times and left to dry completely – normally about three days depending on the weather and humidity.

Step three: Laying down the gold leaf.

Extremely thin square sheets of gold-leaf tissue (or im some cases silver) placed over-top of the black lacquer and affixed with glue. Generally the final painting will occur over TOP of the gold leaf. This is what creates the vivid yet subtle color effect you can see on the end painting.
If desired, these thin sheets of gold leaf can be wrinkled slightly when they are applied which achieves an aged effect small bits of the black underneath will then show through when it is sanded one last time with a sheet of extra fine sandpaper.
This is again left to air dry for a short period of time.

Step 4: Tracing out the design.

First, a traditional design is selected often from a painting or book.
Then a sheet of white tracing paper with a pattern with small holes (basically these are the tracing lines) in the paper is tacked/taped onto the panel.
A special fine talcum like powder is evenly sprinkled over the tracing paper which then sifts through the holes in the tracing paper onto the surface underneath.
When the tracing paper, is then removed the patterns remain on the panel seen as a series of fine dotted outlines.

Step 5: The painting

Now we start painting. The painter uses white lacquer to rough out the outlines of the forms in the painting.
The colors are applied one by one, layer upon layer until the tones are built up.
After the painting has dried, the artist will brush over it with a clear coat of lacquer . This process leaves a brilliant surface on a painting and also adds additional protection.

Finished! The end result is a beautiful work of art!

If you want to learn more check out this article on Chinese Mosaic Lacquer Paintings

This antique crackle finish is actually brand new.

Roger — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 15:45:12 +0000

I am by far not an expert and to be honest, my main advantage is simply having the opportunity to see, touch & feel different restored, un-restored pieces on regular basis. When the factory is literally right behind you and you can hang out with the workers and see the entire process, one can learn a lot quickly. With that said, if I didn’t have this chance, I would definitely assume this table is a genuine antique.Its a great reproduction and the finish genuinely feels like it has age – from the coloration to the crackle to the rubbed edges and dirtiness of it all. Though hard to see from the photos, it also has a certain dirty feel to it, giving the impression it has been just recently unearthed from the ground. When I get a free moment, I need to talk with the worker to see exactly how they do this particular lacquering technique – though I am guessing it involves a fabric base, some dirt and probably a blow torch.

Wood Finishing Articles & Information

Roger — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 07:37:12 +0000

Here is some great collection of articles I found on wood finish supply.com’s website about lacquers & wood finishing. Its quite technical and really intended for woodworkers and the like but if thats you, then this is a good resource.

Here is a sample of some of the articals:

The Atanomy of A Wood Finish
These 3 basic finish steps apply to all finishes from the most basic wax or oil finish
to high-tec coatings and even painting the exterior of a house or a room wall.
COLOR THEORY for the Woodworker & Furniture Finisher
Mixing Stains or Dyes & Color Computer Instructions.
Glossary of Finishing Terms
Woodfinishing Lingo

Stripping Wood Furniture
Guidelines for stripping wood furniture and other fine wood surfaces.
Lacquer Finishing Check List
Guidelines for spray finishing with Nitrocellulose Lacquer.
Lacquer Retarder & Flash Control
Control of Lacquer Moisture Blushing, or Overspray, and Orange-Peel problems.
LACQUER FINISHING PROBLEMS self help TROUBLE SHOOTING
Common nitrocellulose lacquer finishing problems defined; with causes & remedies.
Finishing Schedule for KITCHEN CABINETS
Spray Schedule for Durability with Nitrocellulose Lacquer
WAX THE PERFECT PROTECTION FOR FURNITURE?
Text from from Wood Magazine article on the proper maintenance of furniture.
” HOT STUFF ” Instant Glues & Solving Clogged Spouts
How to get the most from Cyanoacrylate ” Hot Stuff “. Do’s & Dont’s — How To Use.
Typical uses for Cyanoacrylate Instant Glues
ANILINE DYE
ANILINE DYE Information and Application Guidelines.
LIMING, a Limed Wood Finish also known as Pickled or “Whitewash”
This is a traditional wax finish for decorative furniture and wood surfaces
SHELLAC FLAKE, Mixing and Application Information
A guide to FRENCH POLISHING with Shellac -
ROTTENSTONE & PUMICE for Finish Rubbing Techniques for traditional rubbing of finishes to satin or high-gloss sheens.

The full text of the articles are here on their site: http://www.mcn.org/a/lib/wfs/articles.html

Another cracked laquer effect

Jasmin — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 10:24:10 +0000

Another type of cracked lacquer does not require the use of sheets of fabric. First a layer of “nizi” – a kind of adhesive, is spread evenly over the surface of the furniture, preferably brushing on a thicker coat of “nizi” rather then a thin one. The adhesive is then left to air dry for a short period of time. Water and fine sandpaper is then used to smooth out and polish the surface and again, allowed to air dry for a short time.A coat of lacquer is then brushed over top the layer of “nizi” – usually at least two times depending on the desired thickness. This is again, then left to air dry for at least one full day. The surface is once again polished using fine sandpaper and water and a 2nd layer of “nizi” is applied which is also left to air dry for a short period of time. A 2nd coat of lacquer is also applied again over top of the “nizi,” again using at least two coat. When this 2nd coat of lacquer has dried the surface is again given a wet polish with water and fine sanpaper and after allowed to air dry for short time. Sometimes the color of the laquer is switched in one of the layers to cause a multicolor effect.After this, during the final steps lacquer is sprayed on (not brushed this time, but sprayed) usually in a least two coats and once again allowed to air dry. The final step is to brush the entire surface with two or more coats of paint thinner and again allow to air dry. These two final steps are what cause the crackly effect. The end effect looks quit nice!