How do you clean brass inlay on these tables?

Use a soft cloth and a gentle microcrystalline wax to wipe the surface. Harsh metal polishes strip the finish from the surrounding wood. They also leave a white residue embedded in the grain. Leave very dark brass alone. The aged patina looks far better than a scratched surface.

I inherited a large dining table with extra leaves but the top is dull and water-marked, so how should I tackle restoring the finish?

White water rings usually sit trapped in the old wax layer rather than the wood itself. Buffing the surface with a high-quality beeswax often blends these marks away without removing the original polish. Stripping the table back to bare wood is rarely a good idea. You lose the historic colour and risk damaging the thin veneers. Consult a professional conservator if the finish is flaking. They can revive the original shellac polish using traditional methods.

What holds the tilt top mechanism down?

A brass catch clicks into place when the top sits flat. Most feature a spring-loaded mechanism hidden underneath the main board. Keep the screws tight.

The legs on my pedestal table seem a bit loose where they join the main column and I am worried about it collapsing if we put too much weight on one side, can it be fixed?

Pedestal joints take a lot of strain. The sliding dovetails connecting the legs to the central pillar often work loose after years of being dragged across uneven floors. A cabinetmaker can easily separate the loose legs to clean off the dried animal glue. They then re-glue the joints for a tight fit. Thick metal plates screwed underneath usually mean someone has already tried a quick repair.

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Regency Tables from the 18th Century

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Regency tables are solid, dark wood pieces built between 1800 and 1830, often featuring brass accents and pedestal bases. They served wealthy households as focal points for dining, reading, or displaying sculpture.