How do you clean the top surface?

Dust it lightly with a dry soft cloth. You want to avoid modern aerosol sprays because they leave a stubborn silicone film on the old polish. Once or twice a year, apply a sparing coat of clear microcrystalline wax. Buff it off gently along the grain.

I have limited space in my bedroom and was wondering if the stool for a kneehole dressing table usually fits underneath the central drawer?

Most antique pieces were designed to hold a matching stool in the recess. You will find they generally clear the shaped apron below the central drawer without an issue. Just measure the height from the floor to the lowest point of the kneehole before buying a stool. Proportions changed slightly depending on whether the piece was made in London or a provincial town.

Can these hold heavy modern cosmetics?

Yes, the solid wood carcase handles everyday items easily. However, you need to be careful with liquids. Spilled perfumes or makeup removers will dissolve the shellac finish and leave permanent grey marks on the wood.

There are little splits all over the veneer on the top of mine, should I be trying to get those filled in so they stop spreading?

Those tiny splits are a natural reaction to changing humidity. Thick hand-cut veneers expand and contract at a different rate to the solid carcase underneath. Leave them alone. They are part of how the timber ages and rarely cause structural problems unless the wood starts lifting away from the base. Trying to fill them usually makes a mess. The filler shrinks over time and ends up looking much worse than the original shrinkage cracks.

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Antique Walnut Dressing Tables

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Often standing on cabriole or turned legs, an antique walnut dressing table provides a flat veneered surface above an arrangement of shallow drawers designed for storing cosmetics and grooming tools.