A few months ago, a family friend gave me an old secretary desk that had been sitting in their garage. I had been looking for one for a while to allow me to get a little work done in the living room here and there. This one wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but it was free! After I gave it a good cleaning with Murphy's oil and polished with Old English, I debated whether or not to polish the brass hardware. I liked the patina, but I knew it would make the desk feel less dated if I polished the hardware. When I bought this brass task lamp to sit on it, my decision was made. Polishing would make the hardware match the lamp!