What a worn finish is telling you
An old finish rarely fails all at once. It goes cloudy first, then crazes into a web of fine cracks, or alligators into little raised islands. A white ring where a glass sat is moisture trapped in the coating. A dark ring is usually the stain underneath, reached by water.
Then there is the previous refinish. A piece that was sprayed over in a hurry, or coated thick enough to bury the grain, shows it right away: the figure in the wood goes flat and the carving fills in. That is often the real reason a family piece looks tired, not its age.
Bring it by or send a photo and David will tell you which of these you are looking at before anything gets touched.
