John T Kirk and the “Ratty” Furniture

John T. Kirk trained as a journeyman cabinetmaker. He later graduated from Yale University and was Professor of Art History at Boston University.

In a 1975 book titled The Free Resource Collector’s Guide to American Antiquesit had a chapter titled “Buy It Ragged and Leave It Alone”.

The idea that he proposed was that you do not radically revise an antique piece of furniture, for example, because you will degrade its value as an antique. This is especially true of painted furniture, even if it has been painted and repainted several times. The habit of stripping and restoring to “enjoy the beauty” of wood may be a matter of personal enjoyment, but it should not be recommended for its artistic or antique value.

This “buy it tattered and leave it alone” practice became so popular, and so recognized as a good idea, that dealers and collectors for a time would actually refer to a piece as having “a Kirk surface,” so called. by John T. Church.

Now, “untouched” is mandated in most circles, and some have even repainted pieces that were originally removed when that style was all the rage.

Here are some suggestions gleaned from Kirk himself:

If you value a piece of painted furniture for its beautiful surface, leave it untouched and only carefully dust it.

If a piece was only finished with varnish, you can “feed” the surface to give it a shine. Don’t use a liquid, says Kirk, not even a spray. You’re not “feeding” the wood itself, just the finish, and the liquids will soak into the finish and get into the wood, eventually turning it dark, dull, and fuzzy.

Use paste furniture wax (only good quality) without chemical additives. Beeswax softened with turpentine is a traditional fine. Use a soft cloth and apply thin layers. Buff with a soft cloth after each layer dries. You can use a soft, clean shoe brush on trim, carving, or other intricate areas. Do not allow wax to accumulate in depressed areas as it will turn yellow.

Don’t put brass cleaners on the wood, even if they say they won’t affect the wood. They will eventually darken the wood with chemicals, tarnish and particles. You need to protect the wood, perhaps by sliding tabs under the brass (you may need to loosen the nuts slightly). Or remove the brass, making sure to mark their locations for reattachment.