Rocking Chair

[comicman]

I was given a rocking chair by my landlord in the late 80's, she said it was her father's, and he purchased it at Montgomery Wards sometime in the 1930's maybe early 1940's.
We want to restore it, but really have no idea what it looked like when it was new.
Can anyone email me a picture, or any information about this chair?

[kerrybee]

Okay, here's a suggestion - there were lots of rocking chairs of the era, even catalogue -

so use minimum restoration - get some triple ooo steel wool, some old wash rags, old english lemon oil polish, and some mineral spirits paint thinner but NOT lacquer thinner - clean it first with the oil and rags - briskly - wipe clean, set overnite - clean it same way again, leaving a heavier coat of lemon oil, and let this oil set for a couple of hours - rub with the steel wool, wipe excess with rags - like what you see?  that's all you need to do.  If there are heavy dirt areas, then re-assess.  GENTLY rub with the paint thinner on a rag - if that does the job, then lemon oil it again.  This is my method of over 40 years experience with old furniture - I love the worn look, and this kinda' restores the sheen without taking away the look of the old wood which is why I buy these to begin with.  Oh, and once you get that nice worn sheen, use some paste wax.  And avoid spray wax stuff.  

Congrats on a nice vintage piece.          KB