I went and had brunch with a friend on my birthday this year and we ended up popping into the op-shop that was a few doors away. I saw this box propped up with all the terrible paintings, initially I ignored it but then I saw the sides of it and thought to myself “Wait, I think that’s oak.”
I had a bit of an inspection and worked out the horrendously damaged top was just to the layers of varnish and none of it seemed to be that deep.
So I bought it. Of course I did.
That night I took it out and started sanding just the top. Because the rest of it was in good used condition, and I like my objects to be left alone as much as possible as they have a really nice patina (who gives a rats ass about scuffs and bumps and scratches on an object that is 80 or so years old?), I decided to only sand back the top and re-varnish that.
Eventually the top was revealed and it was in utterly perfect condition. Incredibly fine, well joined, blackwood veneer with inserts of lighter wood. I brushed and dusted it all off and then started on the polish. I used shellac dissolved in methylated spirits – this is my always favorite polish. I don’t like modern varnishes, they add a layer of remove between you and the wood. Ok – that sounds wanky – but I’d rather touch the wood than touch plastic and that’s what they are.
There has been a heatwave in Melbourne this week, it’s been horrible. The varnish was drying as I was applying it, leaving streaks. So I was applying, sanding, applying, and then I started applying by dipping in a bit of fabric and rubbing it onto the box; it applied flatter and I had more control. I did about 10 layers and then I put furniture wax on it and buffed it up.
I’m so pleased to have restored this to the former glory. And I had a use for it! I first had to do a bit of moving of jewellery boxes in my bedroom on my sideboard to make room for it.
Yes I have a think for early/mid century oak. Why do you ask. This my underwear/cardigans/handbags and knitwear storage.
So I do like nice boxes and I do like jewellery and I’ve always loved brooches. I wear them a lot. Nothing is particularly valuable – a few silver pieces in there, but it’s mostly non precious metals and sparkly rhinestones. I’ve got a partiality for cute animals and plastic and laser cut pieces. Lots of vintage from the 30s,40s and 50s, a bunch of dress clips, a whole collection of ‘Celtic’ stuff I got on a trip to the UK in the 90s.
So I’m really happy with the result. With a $10 outlay on a box, a few cents worth of meths and shellac (that I already had), some effort, I’ve got myself something super pretty and useful!
