Philippine Mahogany Refinish

[um saudade]

Hello,

I have searched the existing threads and did not find anything on this so here goes: I am adding some new woodwork below decks. The interior of the boat was originally advertised as Philippine mahogany which I understand to be meranti, not luan. I am assuming the original finish was varnish.

The meranti I have purchased gives a good match as to grain and color when compared to places on the old work where there was no finish applied, allowing for the 35 years of exposed surface on the old boat interior pieces.

I came up with a way to duplicate the fiddles and the spindles. I can match the woodwork in all regards but the color of the finish. My work is far less red in color that the original. I have rummaged through the paint locker and tried nearly all the possible combinations that I had available of shellac, different stains, etc and I can’t match the red hue of the old finish, which I assume is mostly from the aging process of the varnish?

Anybody dealt with this and had any luck?

Um Saudade