The Desk

To my taste, stains and scratches sometimes add character when left underneath the new finish if the style is right.
Otherwise, you could bleach the entire piece (or matching parts thereof) with a product like this;

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=5535

It will even out the wood color, make it very light. You would then stain or dye the piece.
It looks like a fine desk and worth the trouble.
Besides it survived all those harsh conditions because it wanted to LIVE.

-- http://dustynewt.webs.com/

If you are happy with the color and condition of the desk I would simply hit it with several coats of wipe-on poly and enjoy it. This looks like a nice piece of furniture please, please don’t let it spend any more time outside. I am sure that once you put a finish on it this will be the last thing on your mind.

How about posting some pics of the finished piece. I would really like to see this.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

All I can say is that the desk looks good as is, so I’d do something clear like Scott’s suggestion of a wipe on polyurethane. I wouldn’t do anything else, but that’s just me.

-- "Give me your poor tools, your tired steel, your huddled masses of rust." Yep, I ripped off the Statue of Liberty. That's how I roll!

Nice looking desk – no matter what you decide, it will be a vast improvement over the old finish. I personally would go with the wipe on poly.

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

Ditto on the wipe on poly. The desk is fine “as is”. but we want more pics of the final look. please post as we are addicted to more, more, more, something to the liking of “splinters in your blood” Thanks

-- so much wood, so little time. Bradford.

Can’t wait to see the finished product. Some stains and discoloration on a nearly 70 year old piece…, not a problem in my book.

-- Maplewood, MN

Then it’s decided. I’m headed to Lowe’s tomorrow to get a good wipe on poly. Stay tuned for the finished product!

-- "Creativity is...seeing something that doesn't exist already. You need to find out how you can bring it into being and that way be a playmate with God."

I’m wondering if the dark area at the bottom might be water stains rather than part of the original finish since you said this spent some time outside. If it might be, try some Oxalic Acid wood bleach. It is the easiest kind of wood bleach to find. It comes as dry crystals that are mixed with water and its primary use is to remove that type of stain while leaving the original wood color. Still, if you go that way, try it on a hidden area first. Can’t wait to see the final product!

-- Tom, Southwest Florida

You know, a quick wipe-down with a coat of Boiled Linseed Oil would enhance the grain patterns while at the same timedarken the white areas. That would bring the lighter areas a bit closer to evening out with the color of the stains (whatever their origin, but I suspect ErsatzTom is absolutely correct about that.) The oil would have absolutely no detrimental effect on you or on your furniture. Just be sure to give it enough time to weep out (if you used a light coat, a week is safe) and once cured, the wiping poly can be added right overtop of it with a very nice effect. Just a thought.

-- There's no tool like an old tool...

I second both Tom and Texasgaloot. First, use Oxalic Acid wood bleach on the water-damaged area on the lower legs. (Available at most hardware stores and probably the borgs as well.) Then try BLO all over to even and darken the color. Finish with wipe-on poly. My choice for the latter is Minwax Satin. Great stuff and easy to use.