Featured chest on chest

I bought it at a store that “repurposes” furniture and paints everything. She said I could paint it white and make twice what I paid for it, lol. I will never do that.

 

Thank you for respecting history. It is too old to be painted to suit a fashion.

 

Couldn't have said that any better myself!!!!!!!!!!

 

Georgian furniture plus paint... oy. I hope someone rescues her stock before she "pretties it up"! Eek!

 

My parents had a new version of this from Ethan Allen stores. They called it a High Boy.

 

The only reason this piece had not sold was because it was not painted. It is not an antique store. The vendors all have painted furniture so it stuck out like a sore thumb

 

Well, good for you cat. And if they were a thousand short, they had it coming for going round painting good furniture.
They call these both, chests on chests or highboys (as opposed to lowboys, which are chest-on-stands), buy I think highboy is used more frequently applied to Boston and other period American pieces.

 

I have always wanted an antique one. I saw one years ago in an antique shop near Gettysburg for over $2000. When I saw this one for $319 I knew it was mine

 

The wood is very dull looking. How do I clean it and the wax it?

 

Soft rag damp with hot water followed closely by a clean dry one is usually a good start.
Judith Miller has a formula I've used with relative success, which is a one part of vinegar, one part of linseed oil, and one part of white spirit, plus a drop or two of ammonia and alcohol. One is meant to wipe the surface with patches of cloth soaked in it until they start coming clean, rather than apply it to it and leave it. But that is perhaps for someone into that kind of thing.
There are good off-the-shelf products readily available these days really. Ask your hardware store. Goo Gone might be a bit too drastic, I am told.
As for wax, a good beeswax based polish (silicone free) will do. Thin layers and lots of elbow grease.
Hope this helps.

 

Extremely helpful. Thanks so much. It’s not meant for a museum but I want it to look like it is I feel blessed to own it.