Finish on 17th century grandfather clock.

[plasticpigeon]

I am due to inherit a very old single hand grandfather clock that has been passed down through my mothers side of the family for generations. My mum is fine, but she doesn't want it any more!!!

It is a pretty rustic clock, very unadorned and spartan, and the case is dark oak. It is looking pretty shabby as I think it has been cleaned with various inappropriate solutions and probably oiled at some time too. It looks like a lot of the finish has been removed over the years from cleaning or whatever. What I assume is the original finish is incredibly thin. where I can see the edge between places where the finish exists which is slightly shiny, and where ther wood is bare, I can't relly feel an edge. I'm guessing it would have been french polished, but given the age does anyone have a good idea of the likely finish? I don't have a photo, but this one is as similar as I can find.

 

[88v8]

Very nice. Understated, not mucked around. And not too tall.

This site is interesting, albeit the wrong sort of England.
http://prorestorers.org/notes/earlyFinishes.htm
'Finishing is the least studied and inaccessible aspect of our antique furniture heritage'

I would go for something not overly shiny. Worth getting advice from an antiques restorer perhaps.
Or put it somewhere where the lighting is suitably dim.

If you don't already have some, a little bottle of clock oil might be useful, and a clock oiler to apply it.
They come with various sizes of tip.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Oiler-precision-pen-type-clock-multipurpose-oil-clocks-clockmakers-0-8mm-Tip/123002497567?epid=21016049183&hash=item1ca3852a1f:g:d5QAAOSwmaJcMCS1
Annoyingly, one doesn't seem able to buy a set of tips, other than these which have no reservoir.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PRECISION-FINE-NEEDLE-TIP-OILERS-SET-OF-5-IN-PLASTIC-WALLET/323721318077?hash=item4b5f4b4ebd:m:mQoSS47EDHbAsuPifdEtVTQ
and are more sized for watches.

I am looking for a set, if I find them I'll post a link.

Ivor

 

[Gothichome]

PP, I use this stuff. For all our antique furniture
https://www.baldsbalm.co.uk
If it means any thing I highly recommend it.

 

[livias]

The National Trust use Renaissance wax, which I think is fine grade beeswax. Me, I use normal beeswax polish, no additives, but very rarely, like once a year at most so as not to get a build up

 

[plasticpigeon]

Thanks for the relplies. I think I shall use bees wax as suggested as it seems historically accurate. Apparently French polish was very expensive as it had to be imported from India so gained popularity later in time as transport links improved. The resin varnish around at the time did not take well to oak, so the period finish would have been oil or wax. I'll put up some photos when I get the clock, which should be in a few weeks!

 

[Toby Newell]

Looks like French polish.

Do you have provenance or a date on the clock? As the case looks like 18th or 19th century and certainly not 17th century. Looks very plain, could be Georgian but would tend to have a more intricate molding, very possible for the case to be 1890 onwards, I like plain, looks very nice. Remember clock movements often move in and out of cases.

The original finish will have long gone either way (there is no white in the grain so any French polish or resin (French polish based varnish) is likely to be less than 70 years old.

Cleaning with white spirits or gum turpentine (or an antique restorer like from Liberon) followed by a decent beeswax like from Mylands or Jenkins or Liberon will do, if not after a really good clean apply a careful, thin coat of shellac with a mixed hair brush, leave for a week, gently dull back with 0000 extra fine wire wool, then apply the wax.

 

[plasticpigeon]

Hello Toby, thanks for the advice. The clock pictured is not my clock but very similar. It is very typical of these single finger long case clocks from around 1700, so perhaps 17th century was a bit old, but the single finger clocks weren't made much past 1720 as far as I know so that is as late as it is likely to be. I don't have provenance for the case, but it is absolutely typical so I see no reason to doubt it. I have it now and it is black and very grubby and discoloured in places. I have used the liberon cleaner you talk of and it has come up a nice brown similar to the photos I posted, but the wood looks a little flat where I waxed just the door, so I may strip the wax again and brush on french polish as you recommend which will hopefully bring out the grain a bit. I'm pleased to hear that my actions so far are along the lines you recommend.

 

[Toby Newell]

I see. The clock in the picture does not have a particularly worn 'bottom'.

I'm not up to speed on clocks so yes yours could be early Georgian.

Liberon reviver is very good and should remove most of the wax, if not you can use either meths or a strong soda solution and some 0000 wire wool, this will amalgamate some of the finish into the wood whilst protecting the patination.

Sometimes applying more French polish over faded areas can damage them as the solvent (meths) melts the finish to give a crackled effect (we call this 'frying') to help avoid this using a thicker polish which has not been dewaxed can be useful.

Many polishes are around 2 - 2 1/4 lb cut, ie 2lbs shellac flake dissolved per gallon, you want a 4lb cut. Most polishes are also dewaxed which makes them slightly clearer and less amber, you want a polish which still retains its natural wax as this will reduce the effect of the solvent on the existing finish, that's why I often use 4lb button polish when going over old polish, it's safer. It's quite orange but that's not a problem on old finishes and even a bonus if you have done extensive cleaning. Mylands or Jenkins are your best bet for good quality shellacs.