Varnishes, or polished surfaces of wood, are easily injured
by volatile mineral spirits, such as those used for lamps, or by
any alcoholic spirit, as brandy or wine. The polish is com-
posed of gums and resins which are soluble in spirits. Many
of these polishes or varnishes are made by dissolving the ma-
terials in alcohol, then when they are applied the spirit evapo-
rates and the gum or resin is left in a thin polish or varnish on
the wood. Of course, if wine, brandy, or spirits of wine fall
on it, a portion of it is again dissolved, and the brilliancy of
the surface is destroyed. The only remedy for these kinds of
stains or marks is to have the table, or whatever it may be, re-
polished.
Heat has ths same effect on French polish. A hot plate, or
dish, or cup, or mug, placed on it, leaves its shape as a dull
mi'rk on the table. Therefore dining tables are better not
French polished, but well rubbed with oil. When furniture is
not French polished, it is well to rub it with linseed oil, slightly
colored with alkanet root. Every time the dinner table is
rubbed all the leaves should be put in, so that the portions of
the table may be of the same color, for oil darkens mahogany,
and if the leaves are not rubbed every time there will soon be
a great difference of shade between them and the table.
A Capital Recipe for Polishing Tables. — Cold-drawn lin-
seed oil, one pint; spirits of wine, one ounce; white tonic vine-
gar, one pint; spirits of turpentine, one ounce; powdered gum
arable, one-half once; butter of antimony, one and one-half
ounce; spirits of salt, one ounce.
The abo\'" ingredients to be well mixed together and shaken
previous to being used.
Family Reoipe for PdUsli for Furniture not French Pol-
ttOUSEHOLi). 31S
ished. — Three ounces of beeswax; three ounces of hard white
soap; one ounce of spermeceti, cut up small and simmered in
a pint of water, keeping it stirred all the time. Pour it into a
jar and keep it well covered.
French Polish. — We give the following excellent recipe,
which proves experimentally to be good for those who may-
wish to polish a table or box for themselves, premising that the
surface to which it is applied must be perfectly cleaned first:
Shellac, one ounce and a half; mastic, half an ounce; san-
darac, half an ounce; rectified spirits of wine, two ounces✪ French Polish.
Pound the gums very finely in a mortar, and put them in a
bottle which will rather more than hold the whole quantity;
stand the bottle in a kettle of cold water, which bring slowly
to a boil; let it boil for some time, until the contents of the bot-
tle become like treacle (this requires great care), stirring the
while with a wire rod. Roll several yards of flannel list into
a flat coil, put a little sweet oil on it, and cover with a piece of
old linen; on this apply the polish.
Furniture Polish. — Half a pint of spirits of wine; one-half
ounce of gum shellac; one-half once of gum benzoin; one-half
ounce of gum sandarac.
Page 148 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1883. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Varnishes, or polished surfaces of wood, are easily injured by volatile mineral spirits, such as those used for lamps, or by any alcoholic spirit, as brandy or wine. The polish is composed of gums and resins which are soluble in spirits. Many of these polishes or varnishes are made by dissolving the materials in alcohol, then when they are applied the spirit evaporates and the gum or resin is left in a thin polish or varnish on the wood. Of course, if wine, brandy, or spirits of wine fall on it, a portion of it is again dissolved, and the brilliancy of the surface is destroyed. The only remedy for these kinds of stains or marks is to have the table, or whatever it may be, repolished.
Heat has the same effect on French polish. A hot plate, or
dish, or cup, or mug, placed on it, leaves its shape as a dull mark on the table. Therefore dining tables are better not French polished, but well rubbed with oil. When furniture is not French polished, it is well to rub it with linseed oil, slightly colored with alkanet root. Every time the dinner table is rubbed all the leaves should be put in, so that the portions of the table may be of the same color, for oil darkens mahogany, and if the leaves are not rubbed every time there will soon be a great difference of shade between them and the table.
A Capital Recipe for Polishing Tables. — Cold-drawn linseed oil, one pint; spirits of wine, one ounce; white tonic vinegar, one pint; spirits of turpentine, one ounce; powdered gum arable, one-half once; butter of antimony, one and one-half ounce; spirits of salt, one ounce.
The above ingredientss to be well mixed together and shaken previous to being used.
Family Recipe for Polish for Furniture not French Polished. — Three ounces of beeswax; three ounces of hard white soap; one ounce of spermeceti, cut up small and simmered in a pint of water, keeping it stirred all the time. Pour it into a jar and keep it well covered.
French Polish. — We give the following excellent recipe, which proves experimentally to be good for those who maywish to polish a table or box for themselves, premising that the surface to which it is applied must be perfectly cleaned first: Shellac, one ounce and a half; mastic, half an ounce; sandarac, half an ounce; rectified spirits of wine, two ounces. Pound the gums very finely in a mortar, and put them in a bottle which will rather more than hold the whole quantity; stand the bottle in a kettle of cold water, which bring slowly to a boil; let it boil for some time, until the contents of the bottle become like treacle (this requires great care), stirring the while with a wire rod. Roll several yards of flannel list into a flat coil, put a little sweet oil on it, and cover with a piece of old linen; on this apply the polish.
Furniture Polish. — Half a pint of spirits of wine; one-half ounce of gum shellac; one-half ounce of gum benzoin; one-half ounce of gum sandarac.
Records on this page
French Polish