Can I use these tables daily?

Most occasional tables and desks tolerate normal placement for display or light writing tasks if treated with care. Protect the surface from heat, moisture and direct sunlight to preserve the brittle lacquer and prevent wood movement underneath.

How do I spot a later revival piece?

Examine the timber shrinkage, screw types and the composition of the lacquer layers under magnification to determine age. Nineteenth-century revivals often utilise machine-cut elements or distinct chemical varnishes that differ from eighteenth-century originals.

What is the difference between japanning and lacquer?

Japanning is a European varnishing technique simulating Asian lacquer using resin-based paints cured with heat. True Asian lacquer derives from the sap of toxic trees native to East Asia, resulting in a different chemical composition.