Overheard a customer at the flea market say they'd never strip a piece with original paint again.

They said a dealer in Savannah told them the patina adds $200 to the value, which makes me wonder if we're over-cleaning some antiques.

3 comments

3 Comments

joelwells13d ago

Absolutely, that dealer is onto something. I scrubbed the original milk paint off an old toolbox once and it went from looking like a real farm find to just a sad, plain box. The right wear tells a story. I've seen people pay way more for a beat-up advertising sign with its chips and rust than a repainted one. Sometimes cleaning it up just kills the soul and the price.

tylermartin13d ago

Is that really a hard rule though?

lee729d ago

Well, my own "restoration" projects are basically a hard rule for destroying value (and my pride).