PRINTED BYWILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED,LONDON AND BECCLES.

AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

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Early in the present century the method generallyadopted for polishing furniture was byrubbing with beeswax and turpentine or withlinseed-oil. That process, however, was neverconsidered to be very satisfactory, which factprobably led to experiments being made for thediscovery of an improvement. The first intimationof success in this direction appeared in theMechanic's Magazine of November 22, 1823, andran as follows: "The Parisians have now introducedan entirely new mode of polishing, whichis called plaque, and is to wood precisely whatplating is to metal. The wood by some process ismade to resemble marble, and has all the beautyof that article with much of its solidity. It iseven asserted by persons who have made trial ofthe new mode that water may be spilled upon itwithout staining it." Such was the announcementviof an invention which was destined ultimatelyto become a new industry.

The following pages commence with a descriptionof the art of French Polishing in itsearliest infancy, care having been taken by theAuthor, to the best of his ability, to note all thenew processes and manipulations, as well as toconcisely and perspicuously arrange and describethe various materials employed, not only forFrench polishing but for the improving andpreparation of furniture woods, a matter of greatimportance to the polisher. The arts of Stainingand Imitating, whereby inferior woods are madeto resemble the most costly, are also fully treated,as well as the processes of Enamelling, both inoil-varnishes and French polish, together with themethod of decorating the same. The conditionof the art of polishing in America is dwelt upon,and various interesting articles written by practicalpolishers in the States, which appeared intheir trade journal, The Cabinet-maker, have beenrevised and printed in this work.

A number of valuable recipes, and other instructivematter, useful alike to the amateur andto the practical workman, are also given.

CONTENTS.

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