The bottom line is having a cabinet finish that you will enjoy/like for years to come .
In the U.S. , during the late 1960's through the present , many pieces of antique furniture became available to buy (presumably due to previous owners passing away) .
Along with this small 'flood' of furniture , came businesses that specialized in stripping off old finishes (as well as individuals who'd strip their own stuff) .
A majority of original oak furniture of the era as yours is , sapphire , (that I have seen) was stained quite dark .
This gave pieces a 'dark & heavy' appearance esp to buyers in the late 20th century .
With the advent of so many items being made from/with synthetic components , I think folks became a bit nostalgic for solid wood furniture .
The fashion became to be , in a fair portion of the 'refinished' market , light-to-medium stains on oak , making the wood grain quite visable and the cabinet less 'dark & heavy' .
In original finishes on some old oak furniture , dark colors were applied so as to mimic more expensive woods (esp. walnut & other hardwoods) , which would/could be placed alongside of existing furniture & would 'match' .
The purpose of any wood stain is to alter the appearance of the actual bare wood (some would say 'enhance' , rather than 'alter') .
Dark stains can be used to 'hide' many imperfections in a piece , and often work for the purpose .... sometimes not so much .
Whatever color you choose , you should use a 'filler' (since oak is an 'open-grain' wood) prior to staining your piece , for a really nice finish that looks like a grown-up did it (IMO) .
