WWII Japanese Abacus - Clean, Oil & Polish... Or No?

[Sean Rippen]

Hello,

I inherited two Japanese abacuses that my grandfather brought home after WWII. I essentially have two questions:

1. If I were to clean & oil the wood, and polish the metal, would it decrease their historical value?
2. If the answer is no, how would you restore them? I certainly don't want to damage them. Mineral spirits to clean them... and what kind of oil? I have metal polish, so removing the oxidation from the metal would not be a problem.

Thank you!

507497507498

[Ron Citerone]

I wouldn’t mess with it personally based on possible $ value or heirloom value. Just my thoughts.
Hello,

I inherited two Japanese abacuses that my grandfather brought home after WWII. I essentially have two questions:

1. If I were to clean & oil the wood, and polish the metal, would it decrease their historical value?
2. If the answer is no, how would you restore them? I certainly don't want to damage them. Mineral spirits to clean them... and what kind of oil? I have metal polish, so removing the oxidation from the metal would not be a problem.

Thank you!

507497507498

[Bill Howatt]

I would check out the value, historical or otherwise, before doing anything. I've seen a lot of articles and antique shows indicating making things pretty is a big mistake. If there is no value then clean them to your satisfaction.

[Jim Becker]

I agree with the others. Outside of simply cleaning off dust, etc., I'd leave them as-is, even if they were not actually valuable. They may very well be exactly how they were completed so long ago and that has aesthetic value for sure.

[Sean Rippen]

Great - thank you for the responses. I'll leave them as is.

Thanks!

[Richard Coers]

Oiling wood can dramatically change the color of the wood due to oxidation of the oil over time. Vacuum it with a soft brush head and leave it alone.