How to get this color

The golden glow in the photo is an example of a color I admire and would like to reproduce on some of my refinishing projects. This photo is of a maple (or birch) piece which is 150 years old.

I've tried a few combinations of 'golden' oak with 'dark' oak or 'maple' oil based aniline dyes with shellac, orange shellac or tinted shellac on vintage oak, maple and birch but haven't been satisfied w/ the result.

I'd appreciate any suggestions! Thanks.

 

Unless I'm wrong, the piece you're showing looks like a nice Tiger Maple cupboard? Lovely color too!! @verybrad might be a good one to tag, which I just did! How dark is the wood on the project or projects you're looking to get close to this color?? That would be a huge factor, I would think! Although, I do know wood can be bleached.......that's about the extent of my expertise though!

 

Which results have you been getting with the ones you used so far?
Maybe mix some colours, and add cherry wood colour?

Also tagging @Ghopper1924 and @Jeff Drum .

 

To answer 'Any Jewelry', I'm seeing either a 'too modern' washed out tan like you'd see on office furniture or a 'muddy' darker shade. Not the 'golden' glow I'm looking for.

 

Hard to replicate 150 years of aged natural wood with a stain. Maybe some Minwax Golden Pecan with a touch of cherry added in. The golden pecan is pretty light so you may need more than one staining to get some depth. Another option might be Minwax Early American cut by at least half with mineral spirits. I use this stain for a lot of things, as it has a good balance of yellow and red. As mentioned, the type of wood you are staining will determine outcome tremendously. The example you show is maple. You will have better results with hard maple or birch..... Not so much with pine or oak.

 

Thomas Johnson might well have mentioned it in a video somehwere. He's a professional furniture restorer who mainly works on real antiques and I know he mixes his own stains. After 50 years on the job he's picked up a trick or two.

 

Also, don't underestimate the depth that a good coat of paste wax can impart once stained.

 

Gotta love paste wax. It's a bit of a pain, but it's far better than that crap in the spray can.

 

Is there a particular paste wax you recommend? I have a couple of antique carved chairs that could use some wax.

 

I like the Johnson's but it seems it has been discontinued. I see some cans selling for rediculous prices on ebay. I still have a personal stash

Minwax makes a pretty good one. I know that some swear by Butcher's wax but find it just OK and pricey.

 

You may be able to find beeswax furniture wax, but which one is good I have no idea. It's what was used when the furniture was new.

 

Just found Thomas Johnson on YouTube a week ago, he is a master. My observation so far is that he is pretty conservative in his finishes. He sticks pretty close to what a piece “tells” him (my words). You may not get a how to from him on the kind of change you want to make. But do watch him!!
In addition, I watch four restoration channels on YouTube, and they are each fairly different from each other in the pieces they pick, the tools and materials they use, and the solutions they find to every possible problem in restoring furniture. I learn something from every one of them every time I watch.
Crigun, in DE
AT Restoration, Lithuania
Mad City Modern, WI
Transcend Furniture Gallery, Canada
I promise you that the last two have done the kind of color adjustments you seek.
These are just a few, many other great artists are out there.
Last, furniture finish has a cultish, alchemical culture around it; bitter words can be exchanged over tung oil aliphatic glue. Start at the library and check out Bob Flexner ‘s primer, “Understanding Wood Finishing.” I was blown away and ordered my own copy. Ok, go!

 

I'm subscribed to Thomas Johnson. I don't even refinish furniture or want to, but what he can do is really cool and I like his voice.