old wood bookcase restoration questions

[christiner (WavyGlass)]

Since i'm not living in an old house this is the best I can do

I have 2 matching oak bookcases, one is tall (~7ft) and one is about 3ft tall. I'm guessing they are from the 1930's - they have Remington Rand Library Bureau Div tags on them and originally were part of a library on a now-closed Naval Training Center base. They are in pretty good condition, but the finish is "alligatored." It's not terrible or noticeable unless you're pretty close. I don't think they are stained.

Is it bad to leave it like this? I am not sure if the finish is shellac, lacquer or varnish. Does restoring a finish "ruin" a vintage piece of furniture?

[67drake (WavyGlass)]

Sounds like it might be shellac. Take a Q-tip with some rubbing alcohol on it in an out of the way place to see if the finish breaks down. Lacquer and varnish won't be affected by alcohol.
I kind of like the old "alligatored" look of shellac,it gives it character.