Subject: Re: Why is most old furniture so dark?

From: [email-masked] (Robert Klein)
Date: Sun, 30 Mar 1997 08:42:18 GMT

Not a stupid question at all.  

Aside from the practice of using linseed oil in the past (and present)
which darkens with time, remember that houses were heated with fire,
coal, wood,  oil, and other soot producing fuels.  

There were drastic changes in moisture and humidity within the homes
also.  This would soften finishes which were generally oils, waxes,
and spirit varnishes.

=======================================================

On Mon, 24 Mar 1997 08:24:41 +0000, Mike <[email-masked]> wrote:

>Maybe it's a stupid question, but why did the old time craftsmen prefer
>darker finishes? I see so many great older pieces, with lots of
>indivdual style and care, but all seem so dark. Was that the only or the
>best option back then?

Regards,

Robert Klein
Robert's Antiques and Restoration
Pensacola, FL  32505  USA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you can't find time to do it right the first time,
how are you going to find time to do it over?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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From: [email-masked] (ANDREW BARSS)
Date: Sun, 30 Mar 1997 17:25:14 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Rick Haver) writes:
>In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] wrote:
>
>***********
>Mike,
>Hey, there's no stupidity here. Just humble opinions.
>
>I know a large part is fashion. The vogue for light colored woods is a blip,
>I believe. Other than the scandinavian styles of the '50s I believe most
>other periods preferred dark woods. Witness the dark, dark colors on
>mission oak, the dark, clunky Mediterrean stuff, the Age of Mahogany, 
>the Age of Walnut from the 1700's and 1800's. These woods may have
>been chosen for reasons other than color but there's no arguing they're dark. 
>
>And, of course, some woods darken in time, especially cherry and maybe oak.
>
>I must admit to a recent preference for maple myself, tho.
>
>Rick

	You also have to consider larger forces at work.  Prior to
the industrial revolution, there were fewer dust particles in the
atmosphere, so the light from the sun was typically brighter
than it is today.  So, the woods that look so dark to us now, looked
significantly lighter to the original craftsmen who built the classical
furniture of the 18th and 19th centuries.  The main reason Scandinavian
furniture has consistently always been light-colored is simply because
those countries are far enough North that sunlight has always been
moderately weak up there.

	-- Andrew Barss, who firmly believes it's all a matter
of perspective.

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From: Michael Dameron <[email-masked]>
Date: 31 Mar 1997 17:36:29 GMT

>	-- Andrew Barss, who firmly believes it's all a matter
You have a good imagination.  I hope no one believes this nonsense.  Next 
it'll be alien mind control from the space-ship behind Hale-Bopp.
Mike

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 31 Mar 1997 13:45:15 UNDEFINED

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (ANDREW BARSS) writes:
>From: [email-masked] (ANDREW BARSS)
>Subject: Re: Why is most old furniture so dark?
>Date: Sun, 30 Mar 1997 17:25:14 GMT

>moderately weak up there.

Hahahahaaaaaaaaaaaa!  That's a good one, Andrew!  The next time someone tells 
me, 'you should have put a stain on that', I'll just say, 'Nah, you just 
need to use dimmer light!'

Rich
Just say a lot of northerners like Jacobbean, too!