Appreciation post: Saw a 100 year old bar in Savannah that made me miss shellac

I was on a trip to Savannah last week and stopped into this old bar downtown, and the bartender pointed out the original mahogany countertop from the 1920s. The finish had this incredible, deep warmth and soft glow that you just don't see with modern clears, and it was clearly all hand-rubbed. Does anyone still use garnet shellac for a period-correct shine, or is it all conversion varnish now?

3 comments

3 Comments

anthony_lane552mo agoMost Upvoted

Man I get the vibe but it's just wood with old varnish lol. People act like shellac is some lost art but you can still buy the flakes at any decent hardware store. That bar top probably looks cool because it's been wiped down for a century, not because the finish is magic. Modern stuff is just more durable, which matters if you don't want your table ruined by a sweaty glass.

stella6272mo ago

Didn't some old finishes actually get harder over time?

evanpalmer1mo ago

Totally get that, old finishes can feel like they have a life of their own. Makes you wonder what we're missing with modern stuff, right?