Seth Thomas label preservation

[WRLaw57]

I acquired a very nice Seth Thomas adamantine mantel clock. The movement needs cleaning and service, but seems to be in fine shape. I would like to better preserve the original label on the back (see photos). Would it hurt the value to seal over the label with a coat of clear acrylic to better preserve the label? Anyone have any other suggections? I also planned to put a natural oil seal (tung oil) on the exposed wood to reduce further drying.
Thanks

 

[Thomas Sanguigni]

At this forum's top page, there are stickies. One of them is labeled: Label Preservation. There are a number of ways outlined there to help you make a good decision.

On the exposed wood surfaces, I wipe with ebony stain. It will nicely transform the wood. When it dries I use Howard Orange oil. It keep the wood in good shape. If you use tongue oil, it requires vigorous wiping. You could put you label in a bad position.