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French polishing is a wood finishing technique that results in a very high gloss surface, with a deep colour and chatoyancy. It consists of applying many thin coats of shellac dissolved in alcohol using a rubbing pad. The rubbing pad is made up of wadding inside a square piece of fabric and is commonly referred to as a fad (amongst many other names).

The finish is considered to be one o... More

French polishing is a wood finishing technique that results in a very high gloss surface, with a deep colour and chatoyancy. It consists of applying many thin coats of shellac dissolved in alcohol using a rubbing pad. The rubbing pad is made up of wadding inside a square piece of fabric and is commonly referred to as a fad (amongst many other names).

The finish is considered to be one of the most beautiful ways to finish highly figured wood, but it is also recognised to be sensitive to damage. It is softer than modern varnishes and is particularly sensitive to spills of water or alcohol, which often produce white cloudy marks. However it is also simpler to repair than a damaged varnish finish, as patch repairs to French polish may be easily blended into an existing finish.

"French polish" is a process, not a material. The material is shellac, although there are several other shellac-based finishes, not all of which class as French polishing.

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Early in the present century the method generally adopted for polishing furniture was by rubbing with beeswax and turpentine or with linseed-oil. That process, however, was never considered to be very satisfactory, which fact probably led to experiments being made for the discovery of an improvement. The first intimation of success in this direction appeared in the Mechanic's Magazine of November 22, 1823, and ran as follows: "The Parisians have now introduced an entirely new mode of polishing, which is called plaque, and is to wood precisely what plating is to metal. The wood by some process is made to resemble marble, and has all the beauty of that article with much of its solidity. It is even asserted by persons who have made trial of the new mode that water may be spilled upon it without staining it." Such was the announcementvi of an invention which was destined ultimately to become a new industry.

The following pages commence with a description of the art of French Polishing in its earliest infancy, care having been taken by the Author, to the best of his ability, to note all the new processes and manipulations, as well as to concisely and perspicuously arrange and describe the various materials employed, not only for French polishing but for the improving and preparation of furniture woods, a matter of great importance to the polisher. The arts of Staining and Imitating, whereby inferior woods are made to resemble the most costly, are also fully treated, as well as the processes of Enamelling, both in oil-varnishes and French polish, together with the method of decorating the same. The condition of the art of polishing in America is dwelt upon, and various interesting articles written by practical polishers in the States, which appeared in their trade journal, The Cabinet-maker, have been revised and printed in this work.

A number of valuable recipes, and other instructive matter, useful alike to the amateur and to the practical workman, are also given.


vii

CHAPTER I.
THE IMPROVING AND PREPARATION OF FURNITURE WOODS.

PAGE
Improving 2
Matching 3
Painting 5
Dyed Polishes 6

CHAPTER II.
STAINS AND IMITATIONS.
Imitation Mahogany 8
Imitation Rosewood 8
Imitation Walnut 9
Imitation Ebony 10
Imitation Oak 11
Imitation Satin-wood 12
A Blue Stain 13
A Green Stain 13
A Purple Stain 13
A Red Stain 14
Imitation Purple-wood Stain 14
Chemicals used in Staining 15
Process of Staining 16
Ready-made Wood Stains 17

CHAPTER III.
FRENCH POLISHING.
The Polish Used 18
Rubbers 22
Position 24
Filling-in 25

viii Applying the Polish 26
Spiriting-off 30
Prepared Spirits 32
Antique Style 32
Dull or Egg-shell Polish 33
Polishing in the Lathe 34

CHAPTER IV.
CHEAP WORK.
Glazing 37
Stencilling 39
Charcoal Polishing 40

CHAPTER V.
RE-POLISHING OLD WORK 42

CHAPTER VI.
SPIRIT VARNISHING.
Varnishes 46
Brushes and Pencils 47
Mode of Operation 47
East Indian Varnishes 48

CHAPTER VII.
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS.
Remarks on Polishing 51
and more, look inside

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