Cellulose Nitrate Coatings on Furniture of the Company of Master Craftsmen

This paper describes the development and use of cellulose nitrate coatings on wood surfaces through a study of clear cellulose nitrate coatings on furniture of the Company of Master Craftsmen, a New York-based company producing furniture between 1926 and 1942. The first patents in this field, as well as published recipes, are compared to results of material analyses. The study's emphasis is on the analysis of cellulose nitrate coatings and changes in their appearance as they age, and types of damage and their causes. Different methods of consolidation, loss compensation, and saturation of the degraded coating were tested. Limits to the known treatment solutions are discussed.