Original finish is a term we use a lot on this site, but what do we actually mean by it? 

Well.... the  finish you see here is the predominant finish that was applied when the chest of drawers was made. It may have been added to over the years with wax or shellac or even a paint or stain, but carefull removal of these later added finishes can reveal the original finish beneath.

Carefull removal does not include paint stripper or sandpaper! These cut through the whole lot, including the original finish, leaving bare or freshly sanded timber. 

We need to keep the thin original finish intact using carefull and tender conservation methods. In that way we preserve the original character and history of the piece.

Patrick