Cabinet Restoration - Painted detail

Hi all,

I'm just embarking on a restoration of this little oak cabinet.
http://www.sharperstill.com/jonreid/pics/cabinet.jpg
On the front door it has a little painted feature. It's a little hard to tell how it was originally applied but it kind of appears as though some of the grain is visible through the colour. Like the paint used is a tint rather than opaque.
http://www.sharperstill.com/jonreid/pics/detail.jpg

If anyone has any ideas on how to recreate this, specifiaclly with regard to materials, I'd appreciate it. I have copied the pattern, dimensions etc but want advice on paints, tints, and how to finish over the top of it. I was planning on finishing the cabinet probably with Feast Watson Floorseal (tung oil).

Regards,

Jon

Hi Jon

It looks to me that it has been inlayed and that the inlays are either natural colour or have been stained. Then the black outlines have been painted on to cover the joins - a little like a stained glass window effect. You may need to carefully remove some of the black lines to confirm this.

If this is the case, then cleaning off the lines and varnish/polish will get you back to the original inlay. Then re-apply stain if needed, painted lines and french polish.

But then again I may be totally wrong :)

Ken

Looks like a decal to me the way it is crazed,and the edges.