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" I have recently become interested in vintage painted furniture, but I&amp;#039;ve heard that these items may contain lead. I have two small children. How careful do I need to be when purchasing these things? Does all vintage painted furniture contain lead? Is the danger in ingesting paint chips and inhaling dust? Or is even touching these items dangerous? Please give me as much information on the subject as possible. Thank you.   Heather I.  Not all painted furniture from the past was created with lead-based paint, but much of it was, so you do need to be careful, especially with small children in the house. The danger lies in ingesting paint chips and inhaling paint dust, not in touching, so chipping surfaces pose the greatest threat. Country Living columnist Helaine Fendelman, who raised two sons in a home filled with painted furniture from the 18th and 19th centuries, reports that the very old pieces most likely do not contain lead. The bigger worry is furniture from the early- to mid-20th century.   The best way to proceed would be to find knowledgeable furniture dealers who can tell whether or not a piece is coated with lead paint. If a dealer is unsure (or if you fall in love with an item at a flea market and simply have to have it), you can test to see if the paint is lead. According to the Lead Poisoning Bureau of New York City (212-676-6100), there is a kit available at most hardware stores that lets you test whether old paint is lead-based.   If you find that an item does contain lead paint, you can either display it in a place where your children do not play, or you can varnish it to seal in the harmful paint. (Be aware that varnishing may affect the appearance of the piece.) Refinishing does not seem like a good option for anyone drawn to the look of old painted furniture. Plus, anyone wishing to strip old furniture needs to take great care and wear a mask so as not to breathe in any potentially harmful dust. Unless a dealer can guarantee that a piece of furniture is lead-free, the safest option for households with young children may be to choose new pieces that look old for now and purchase authentic pieces when the children are a little older. Hope this helps! "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.countryliving.com/shopping/antiques/a338/lead-paint-antique-furniture/>