Went to an estate sale in St. Louis and the old shellac finish was still perfect

I was at a sale in a house built in the 1920s, and this massive oak sideboard was there. The finish was that old orange shellac, and it hadn't cracked or clouded at all, just had a deep glow. It made me think about how we use so many coats of poly now, but that simple stuff from a century ago is still holding up. Has anyone else seen old shellac work that's lasted way longer than you'd think?

3 comments

3 Comments

jade6471mo ago

Shellac yellows and gets sticky though.

amyg231mo ago

Tell me about it, my old dresser looks like it got a bad spray tan and now everything sticks to it. I tried to move a lamp the other day and it left a little base-shaped footprint in the finish. It's got a vibe, but maybe not the one I was going for.

finley_lopez988d ago

Ever wonder if that sticky finish could be old wax or polish buildup?