Antiques by Lydia Wood

Patina is something that we talk about a lot when it comes to antiques but it can be hard to put into words. You know when the patina of a piece is just right because you want to touch it! I'm talking about ancient English oak that has been used and polished for hundreds of years that has given the wood such a depth of colour and shine.

Imagine an old farmhouse table with a thick scrubbed top that has been in a kitchen for years and one end has been used to prepare food and all the chopping has worn marks into the surface. Some may say this is damaged or imperfect but to me this shows its history and gives it character.

Sometimes patina might also be used to describe layers of original paint or stain that have built up and perfectly worn away where an item has been touched or used such as the seat of a chair or at the end of the arms.

Patina is the one thing that cannot be replicated or reproduced. It develops over years of use (and sometimes abuse!) and it takes time to build up. A good patina can add a lot of value and desirability to a piece. We have to be very careful when restoring items in our workshop that we preserve the patina. Bad or hasty restoration or over-cleaning can strip away this history and actually end up devaluing a piece!

The pictured Victorian chest of drawers is another example of a fabulous patina provided by the beautiful flame mahogany drawer fronts. 'Flame' describes the particular grain of this cut of mahogany and this striking flame-like figuring is produced by cutting the wood where a branch meets the trunk. There are only small amounts of large branches on any tree trunk, so this cut was rare and sought after by the best cabinet makers. It also has a deep rich colour that you only find on old mahogany.

During the mid-1800s, when this chest of drawers was made, most exotic timbers such as mahogany were imported by sea directly from places like Cuba, Africa and the West Indies. It was brought into ports such as Liverpool and from there the finest cabinet makers of the time would have the first pick of the timbers. They were able to choose the richest, best coloured and thickest timber to use in their furniture making. The rest of the timber would then go down to the London workshops with the poorer quality filtering out to regional craftsmen. So, the rich colour and beautiful grain on this chest of drawers not only makes it look good but it is also a sign of top-quality cabinet making.

We think the chest of drawers is most likely Scottish because of the scale and the architectural columns flanking the drawers. As well as the beautiful flame mahogany drawer fronts it also has an unusual drawer configuration. The three deep drawers would have originally been used to store hats – imagine that! It even has a concealed drawer in the plinth base as well.

If there's something you'd like to know more about or have any questions you'd like answering don't forget you can send me an email: contact@inanutshellantiquesandinteriors.co.uk