Answering Shellac Question-pics

I received this comment regarding this post. (partial comment)

I have a 100 year old house that has Mahogany woodwork throughout. I am trying to replicate the finish which was shellac. I am not sure if is was tinted or garnet or just age. It has a very deep red wine look to it, similar to your oak.

I'm working on some woodwork now using the dewaxed, garnet shellac and I'll try to post video of my process. I'm not an expert but I've learned to do it with good results. If I could find free videos of the process, I'd link to them but I can't find any. They all want you to buy their videos or books. Mine won't be expertly produced but for the beginner who just want to see how it can be done, it will serve that purpose (and they are free.)

To start, I'm posting a photo of my mixed garnet shellac in a plastic jar with true daylight (and snow) behind it. [Also is the color of the shellac on my white oak woodwork in normal daylight lighting in the room. The wood has no dyes or stains, just garnet shellac.] I tilted the jar (see photo) and took the picture. As you can see, the color looks very yellow in the lighter areas. As it gets down to the heavier areas it turns a color with more red tones (garnet). When you apply the first coats, it looks yellowish. But if you keep applying coats, you can build up to the garnet color. How many coats? It depends on the color of your wood and how thick you made the shellac. You'll probably have to order the garnet shellac over the internet in flake form and mix your own. They have shellac dyes, also that can achieve similar colors with less coats. But the multiple coats builds the beautiful depth. If the color you are looking for is one of the shades in the jar, then garnet shellac may be what you are looking for. It will take multiple posts to explain working with shellac.

Still Thrilled With Antique Gift

by: F W Guerin of St. Louis
When showing my sister around Pennsylvania and New York during her visit from California, we happened across an antique shop in Westfield, NY. I spotted a beautiful framed antique print of a little girl and a St. Bernard-type dog. I loved it but wasn't sure if I should spend that much money. With many more shops to look at we moved on. My sister and I often referred back to that wonderful print.

On Christmas Eve a large, wrapped, what looked to be a frame was in my pile of gifts. I don't know how he managed to get to NY and back without my knowledge but my wonderful husband did it. I just adore the print and it goes well in our old house.

I have come to find out through hours of researching the internet, that this is actually a photogravure from between 1850s to 1900. I had never heard of photogravure or intaglio before. So this print was from an actual photograph that was etched onto a copper plate and retouched with an engraver. That is why it looks a lot like it is a picture of a painting. I'm including a few closeups to see the hand engraving. I guess the process wasn't entirely reliable enough to not have to touch up until the first decade of the twentieth century. If you click on the dog to enlarge it, you will see the whiskers were touched up, the background I think was added or was a backdrop. I find it all fascinating. It looks a lot like a painting. I found other original photos by the photographer in the Library of Congress but not this one.

The photographer that took this photo served in the Civil War. He was from St. Louis, MO. Luck would have it that we will spend a few days this summer in St. Louis for a conference. I know I'll be scanning the library there for info on the artist while my husband is working.



Click to enlarge.