How do I clean the brass handles?

Take them off the doors if you can. It stops polish marking the surrounding wood. Wash them in warm soapy water with an old toothbrush to remove finger grease. For tarnished metal you need a mild brass polish. Rub it on sparingly and buff well with a clean cloth. Never lacquer them afterwards because they will just tarnish unevenly underneath it.

My husband wants to put this heavy old mahogany cabinet in our bathroom to hold towels but I am worried the steam will ruin it?

Bathrooms are hostile environments for antique furniture. The constant swings in humidity will cause the carcase woods to swell and shrink. Solid mahogany handles damp better than pine but the underlying structure will suffer. If the piece is veneered the hide glue will eventually soften and the front surfaces will peel away. Keep it in a dry room.

What goes in the shallow drawers?

Most people keep cutlery or table linens in them. If the piece lived in a dining room it held the flatware and serving spoons. Some drawers feature faded green baize lining. It stopped silver scratching against the bare wood.

The glass on one of the doors is cracked right across the middle pane so is it better to replace just that bit or all the glass at once?

Leave the original panes exactly where they are. Old cylinder glass has a distinct ripple and minor imperfections that modern float glass lacks. It reflects light differently. Only replace the broken pane. A glazier can cut a piece of salvaged antique glass to match the remaining ones. Replacing the lot destroys the character of the doors for no reason.

Home > Cabinets > Mahogany Cabinets > Page 3

Victorian Mahogany Cabinets

← Page 3 of 12 →

Standing tall as imposing wooden storage pieces, antique mahogany cabinets feature rich dark surfaces and glazed or solid doors designed to store and display books, china or household linens.