Can you polish over the inlay?

You can wax over it safely. Most stringing and banding sits flush with the main veneer. A good quality beeswax feeds the surface and protects the edges of the inlay from drying out. Never use chemical strippers. They dissolve the old animal hide glue holding the delicate patterns in place.

My dining room has an alcove that is exactly right for one of these but there is a radiator on the wall, will the heat cause damage to the wood?

Radiators and veneered furniture do not mix well. Constant cycles of heating and cooling dry out the timber carcase beneath. The wood shrinks slightly, but the veneer moves at a different rate. This movement breaks the bond of the old glue. You will soon see the inlay popping out and the crossbanding starting to split. Keep it on a different wall. If you have no choice, turn the radiator off.

What goes in the deep drawer?

That is the cellarette drawer. It was built to hold wine bottles. Many retain wooden divisions to stop the glass clinking when the drawer is opened. Some are lined with lead. This kept the contents cool and caught any drips.

I was trying to pull out the middle drawer to clean behind it but it seems to hit a wooden stop at the back, is there a trick to removing them?

Cabinet makers often fitted wooden stops to the drawer runners. These prevent the drawer from pushing too far in and ruining the flush line of the front. They were fixed with a single iron nail or a wooden dowel. Sometimes you can tilt the drawer upwards at a sharp angle to clear the stop. Pull it out halfway, lift the front up, and try pulling again. Do not force it. If it refuses to budge, the stop might be glued or the carcase slightly bowed.

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Victorian Inlaid Sideboards

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Designed for dining rooms from the late eighteenth century onwards, an antique inlaid sideboard is a wide serving table incorporating drawers and cupboards, decorated with contrasting woods laid in patterns across the front and top.