What a Difference a Day Makes

I bought this fabulous antique Empire pine dresser yesterday morning at the flea market. It is just the most wonderful thing, with boldly turned feet and gently curving sides. I sanded the drawer fronts as the wood grain below the old dark varnish was too good to ignore, and painted the remainder of the case in a pale blue layered over a pale aqua, distressed and waxed. I kept all but the top two original knobs (as one was cracked) and replaced those two with antique knobs I already had on hand. When I started working on this piece I made a most extraordinary discovery, on the interior backboard twice, and on the back of one top drawer is a brand, "S.G.L.". It's also stamped on two of the drawer blades. This tells me that the piece was handmade, not in a factory, which is interesting as the construction and style place it right at the point when furniture production moved from small craftsman run shops to large factories. I would regret painting it were it not for the fact that the surface I removed was not the original red wash I saw remnants of, but a later early 20th century sticky ugly shellac. I do hope that absolves me of my refinishing sins for still I feel I tiny twinge of guilt.