Help Please! I recently inheirited a bed. I am told it is pre-Lincoln.?

Question

Does anyone know of a place on the net that shows antiques? I want to keep it so I don't want to go to the expense of calling in an antique dealer. Just want to find out more about it. Thanks

Answer 1

the bed he slept in during his campaign is in the white house right now, an

Answer 2

The finish on the wood can also date the piece. Until Victorian times, shellac was the only clear surface finish; lacquer and varnish were not developed until the mid-1800s. The finish on a piece made before 1860 is usually shellac; if the piece is very old, it may be oil, wax, or milk paint. Fine old pieces are often French-polished, a variation of the shellac finish. A lacquer or varnish finish is a sure sign of later manufacture.

Testing a finish isn't always possible in a dealer's showroom, but if you can manage it, identify the finish before you buy. Test the piece in an inconspicuous spot with denatured alcohol; if finish dissolves, it's shellac. If the piece is painted, test it with ammonia; very old pieces may be finished with milk paint, which can be removed only with ammonia. If the piece of furniture is very dirty or encrusted with wax, clean it first with a mixture of denatured alcohol, white vinegar, and kerosene, in equal parts.



http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-identify-antique-wooden-furniture-for-refinishing.htm