Nice piece. When you ask, "Is it okay..." what are you really asking? Are you asking if you will devalue it? No, it's likely not a high value item so no worries. Are you asking if you will damage if further? If yes, then start with Murphy's oil soap solution and see what happens. Very gentle cleaner for wood.

Nice piece indeed! I love quartersawn oak! Nothing to offer on cleaning - just appreciate the old being used…

Never EVER use Murphys oil soap on anything.... its' water based and likely your piece has a shellac finish and it will cloud with water. Besides the experts say never to use Murphys oil soap on anything but perhaps formica!

It's an awesome piece in great condition. if it were mine I would try to figure out what kind of finish is on it....dab at the back side of a front leg with aQtip moistened with denatured alcohol, if that dissolves the finish, it's shellac. Then if not do the same with lacquer thinner.

If you just want to "freshen" the finish, and from what I see that's all that is needed, wipe down with mineral spirits to remove any wax or oil polish....allow to dry at least over night, then recoat with the finish of your choice. I would use oil based poly. Yes it will yellow a bit over time, but very little and with that lovely oak you will never notice.

If you want to remove the finish but not the stain, then wipe with alcohol if it's shellac, or a mixture of alcohol and lacquer thinner if it's a varnish finish... Sop up the old gook with paper towel and be aware that it may combust is stored ina closed bin.

Than apply your finish of choice.

Patina is less important these days. I suspect it's value was always to separate the genuine from the fixed up (legs from here, drawer from there) That's gorgeous wood, be gentle with it.

I've had vintage or antique furniture refinished. It always looks great. Goes from looking old and beat-up to wow.

Sigrid,

I don't want to refinish, it actually looks pretty good considering the age - and I have a couple pieces going to a professional, can't afford to do another and really don't want to try myself. But what I do want to do is clean it well since it is in my home and will be used... and not to do any harm. I want to make it better, without hurting - and boy is there a lot of contradictory information. I had one guy tell me to use alcohol, then looked it up and it said it takes the finish off. Some places say "NEVER" use water, then I see a bunch of reputable places saying start with dish soap and water... I've seen places that say use lemon oil or murphys- then I see that oil on old furniture isn't a great idea, but wax is. Confusing and keeping me in limbo!

That is one fabulous dresser.

Alcohol removes shellac, but can be used to even out shellac too (like when it gets all cracked). Ideally you'd figure out what finish you have before deciding what to use, but I think you can clean anything if you are careful. Dilute soap and water should be fine (even on shellac which turns whitish if it is wet for long). Just wipe it dry it right away and don't soak it.

I am not above touching up little light scuffs with a stain pen. A tiny bit wiped off immediately will even out the chippy edges nicely.

I don't know what you'd top coat it with or if you even need to. It doesn't look like it needs much from just the photos. I guess it depends on if you think it will get hard use--or if it looks cruddy in person.

Fori,

No, not cruddy - lovely. I've had people say they think at some point someone tried to refinish, others don't think so. Some say the patina is gone, others don't. I just know I don't want to or need to refinish I don't thing, it is in really good shape and that mirror! But, want it cleaned up before using. Thanks so much.

It is a mass produced oak dresser with a veneer. Turn of the century, no intrinsic value. Clean with water and a bit of water, add a drop of oil soap, like Murphy's.

Murphy’s is the worst stuff in the world. It contaminates and softens finishes, turning them to goo. Which looks like has already happened in a few spots.

A damp, not wet, microfiber rag with a bit of Dawn is first stage. Second stage is a light wipe with denatured alcohol, which will pull any cruddy shellac off. Then recoat with a new light coat of shellac.

Verbo - nope, I don't want to refinish, I want to clean it up but not take shellac off, if that is what it is. I had another person tell me to use the alcohol but when I looked it up, yup - it said it will take the finish off, trying to go a more conservative route.

Very pretty dresser. I really like Howard Feed n Wax. Cleans and conditions

Well, after talking to my refinishing guy, I think I am going to try restore-a-finish, and feed & wax. I have started cleaning with soap and water, inside I used simply green and a splash of bleach. That went fine. My big problem now is that HUGE mirror, which swivels and the wood on the sides is fairly delicate. I want to take it outside, clean the mirror and then do the wood, hopefully without damaging anything. Don't want it to slip or slide or the mirror to rotate or the wood to ... get messed up. It really is beautiful - the whole thing, I just want to keep it that way. Wish me luck and any ideas are still welcome. Thanks all.

Hope you have a helper to carry the mirror with you!

Nope. Don't take it outside. Extra travel is how mirrors die. :) Lay it on some beach towels inside.

You can probably remove the swinging part of the mirror assembly so you don't have to deal with it flapping around. Then you can lean the mirror part against the wall (masking tape your beach towel up to protect the wall).

And be sure not to get water behind the mirror!

Since you're sort of refinishing, if the mirror can be completely removed without much effort (and it doesn't look like it) it would just be safest to do so.

“Extra travel is how mirrors die” is the best sentence I’ve read in a long time. Excellent advice!!!

Fori,

When I picked it up yesterday, we saw the things (attachments) that would allow the mirror to come off but didn't seem to be a way to move them, 1 it is very old and 2. ? I don't know, no latch? I'll look again. I also see the hardware where a key would fit? I don't see any screws and want to take those off the drawers to "kinda refinish" and clean up the hardware, but I am stumped, maybe they were just glued on? I keep getting myself in over my head, that is for sure. As far as the mirror, the main reason I wanted to take it outside is the stuff I am using - fumes and don't want to accidentally mess up my hardwood floor. I will look again to see if I can figure out a way to safely get the mirror off the wooden holder and hope I can get it back on. You are right though, almost had a heart attack trying to get that thing home, an hour away, shopping trip between (small town living, had to go to the big city to stock up) and that thing laying on top of the dresser, the dresser on castors that moved several inches and I had to stop to readjust and add more resistance to keep it from moving. Gads, my poor little heart. Some may think this has no value but I tell you, I am loving it and want it to stay in one piece! HA! so far, so good. Lets not mess it up now. I will be sure to update and add photos when done - all in one piece! Do not want my traveling mirror to die! I haven't had a full length mirror in years, want to keep it.

Leave the mirror on....and don't worry about refinishing the locks. Wipe with mineral spirits. And stay away from oil anything.

Those "restore a finish" things...like Formbys contain a stain....so be sure you know what you are doing. They essentially dissolve the old finish, just like alcohol would do and add a stain all in one operation.

As i said before....I would begin with wiping and cleaning with mineral spirits to remove all old grease and wax. Then see what really needs to be done...most likely not much. Remember "do no harm" start with the least invasive process which is a simple cleaning and then move on. As for having the drawers and inside clean.....wipe down and then coat with shellac. It comes in a spray can and will seal the wood on the inside amd eliminate any "old furniture" smell.

Your furniture piece is lovely! It looks like Tiger Maple wood. I have an antique desk that is Tiger Maple. I only use “Old English” furniture spray on it.

kculbers, that does not appear to be maple…I think quarter-sawn oak. Beautiful desk though, nice looking finish too.

No value my a$$! It's beautiful, functional, and in good shape. Sotheby's might not want it but most of us don't shop there.

Don't take apart anything that doesn't want to be taken apart. If the mirror pivots aren't obvious, embrace the mystery and be extra careful instead. The lock surround thingies (escutcheons maybe?) are sometimes attached with tiny fragile nails with little heads that hide in the decoration. Best to let them be.

The knobs are interesting. They don't seem froufrou enough. I hope you'll be adding more photos for fun. :)

Martha Stewart only works with the top people on her museum-quality antique wood furniture. Here are tips from her restorer Eli Rios, considered one of the best in the country. Note that using the wax as he recommends will make the furniture look great, but also can attract dust.

Wood Furniture Care with Martha Stewart and Eli Rios

Eli Rios Regency Furniture Wax

You can skip the first minute which is mostly intro:

Thanks Fori, you crack me up. Yeah, I don't get the people who want to crush dreams, I honestly don't care if this was factory made - I know the company that made it, looked it up, love it, bought it so... why? Anyway - I decided it will fit on my dining room table, will set up a fan if needed, not going to take anything apart and won't remove anything that doesn't want to be removed. I asked my furniture guy about the knob, I thought they were added later because the screws in the back stick way out, he said no, they did that a lot and he cuts them down and sands the end of the screw so it doesn't catch on anything. Somebody noted spray shellac for inside the drawers, he does that too so I might look into it - the other wood in the draws is quit thin, which surprised me. Anyway, hoping to get some work done today instead of drawing this out for a long time like I did my last project. I love all the info and ideas.

Thanks Shannon_WI - that better explains why to use mineral spirits and denatured alcohol - so many people say use this or that, but not why, then I look all this stuff up online and there is so much contradictory information - use this, never use this, this is a great product, don't use that! Makes me crazy.

@kculbers your comment on ”Tiger Maple” & @rlillich on ”quartersawn oak” made me curious. I agreed that your wood desk is indeed oak not maple but thought I recalled Tiger Oak too. Looked it up & turns out that Tiger Oak is created by a method of cutting called ”Quarter sawing”! Just an interesting bit of info while we’re all looking at @Penny S lovely dresser piece. I have 3 oak quartersawn turn of century pieces in my home so I like this stuff too.

@KW PNW Z8 Yes, I found this out a while back while researching another piece, and on a FB group and a guy said they wasted a lot of wood by doing that, but it really is beautiful.

If you're working indoors you might want to brush on shellac from a can instead of spraying. Less overspray. Of course, if the drawers don't smell bad, just drop in a drawer liner (not the adhesive type!) and don't bother.

@Fori - I am doing everything outdoors but the mirror. I have never had a good sense of smell so I will ask my partner - the refinishing guy also said that the restore a finish can be used inside drawers to clean even if bare wood, Not sure about that though so??? May try an area on the underside to see. Might be nice to have shellac on the inside but I am not bothered, the dang thing is in my dining room along with my regular dining table (my grandfathers) my Duncan Pfyffe which needs refinishing and my new old dresser I have already redone... it's getting a bit full in there and I don't think clothes will go in it - hats and mittens probably. So??? Lets see!

@Penny S yes, I learned that quartersawing does result in much waste of wood. That’s why it’s so wanted now since it just is no longer done in production wood furniture.

@kculbers, I also agree that your lovely desk is oak, not tiger maple. Google ”tiger maple” and you’ll see how different tiger maple is from the wood in your desk.

Tiger maple is a natural grain within the tree....as is the birds eye figure....tiger oak is created bys awing the wood on the diagonal....that's why it is also called "quarter sawn".

As for the hardware...not sure I agree with your "guy"...original. Take them off and polish them up....you may find that that long screw also screws into the knob and can be replaced with a shorter one....or maybe not. Don't try to remove the escutcheons, as Fori said....tiny nails hard not to bend the escutcheon when removing. Just use a Q tip and some barkeepers friend to shine them up a bit....of course being careful not to get it on the wood. But those fancy escutcheons point to fancy pressed brass hardware, they are out there....but you ahve to be very careful to match up the "spread" and the holes....but what is there is fine.

@lindac92 This is Tiger Oak or quarter sawn - I think I mentioned that, someone else listed a desk they thought was Tiger Maple. I left the small hardware on, only took off the handles and yes, I'll be cleaning them up and looking for different screws. I am hoping to put it back together today and we will see how it looks, good I hope!

Thanks for the update colleenoz. I see now that my desk is Tiger Oak ( and not Tiger Maple). My Dad gave this desk me as a present when I was commissioned as an officer into the United States Air Force. It is one of my treasured pieces.

@Penny S Simply gorgeous result! And what a difference cleanup of the hardware made. Happy to know the mirror survived too. Thanks so much for showing us the after pictures!

Looks great!

Bummer..... I don'ts ee any updated pictures......

@lindac92 They are the first 7 pics in the original post. You can tell from the hardware.

Aaaah.....lovely....really brought out the grain!

It looks great and the hardware is beautiful! What did you use on the hardware? I think that change alone makes it looks so wonderful.

@justcallmepool I put baking soda in a pan and boiled it, put the hardware in and that gets off the major crud (swirl it around in the pan for a bit). Then I used a toothbrush and bartenders friend and made a paste, scrubbed each piece including the screws etc. and let them sit for a few minutes, then one more scrubbing with the toothbrush and ... beautiful. Now, I did the same on some other hardware and it wasn't nearly as bright but also had a lot more swirly details. Still looked better than when I started.

Beautiful! The piece is lovely and you have treated it well.