05-07-2012, 02:44 AM
I can't imagine anything stronger than the argument of personal taste. There would be no way of knowing which techniques to polish or the resulting polish was fashionable or popular etc. in the period. Obviously they didn't have the high rpm buffers or modern abrasives but I don't doubt they could use other materials and techniques to achieve a decent finish. I'd say it's any of a range of finishes would have been seen.
Michael