The assorted shellac choices provide a wide range of color,and are not photosenstive and prone to fade nearly as much as are the old plant dye stains. They body up quickly, and may be coated with a variety of 'finishes', from some oil-rich concoction or a light marine varnish or a true natural resin 'rubbed out' varnish [tricky, that one] to a full filled French Polish of shellac. And a good waxing, of course. A gentleman always waxes his own wood. ;~`)
I've been 'shop' testing some oil finishes, commercially, and find that their virtue are two-fold for the home and amateur finisher. First is the ease of a low-tech application and second is the ease of obtaining a decent appearance with relatively limited experience.
For those two reasons alone, which will provide a feeling of accomplishemnt and pride of creating beauty, I do not just relegate them to the dustbin of finish history. Otherwise, there are far better performing products that require a modicum of reading ability, hand skill, and willingness to fail a time or ten.
Since I realize that 'the oil experience' provides a good deal of reading pleasure in it's 'arcanity' and a sort of retro glow from using it successfully, then I wish those people well. For those who wish to explore other aspects, there is more well-founded, finishing scinece literature available today than ever before. Find it and learn.
Until somneone is wishing to fund the research for imbedded microscopy, FTIR, and other accepted methods for investigating extant finishes, much of what we accept as heritage is nothing more than guesses, wishful thinking, and hands on observations. I can tell you that such a book would be enthralling reading, but for how many people that would be so, is a rather disnmal projection.
At any rate, it is pleasing to see varieties of shellac mentioned and people using as finish components. Fine figure requires a fine optical surface-window for it's viewing, and there is none better for that purpose than shellac. [Actual fact, that.]
John
