This section is from the book "Practical Hints For Furniture Men", by John Phin. Also available from Amazon: Hints And Practical Information For Cabinet-Makers, Upholsterers, And Furniture Men.
It sometimes happens that the cabinetmaker has a table-top of marble to remount, which is scratched, and requires re-polishing. The following is the process used by the mason, and will, therefore, be acceptable in a work like the present. With a piece of sandstone with a very fine grit, rub the slab backward and forward, using very fine sand and water, till the marble appears equally rough, and not in scratches; next use a finer stone and finer sand, till its surface appears equally gone over; then, with fine emery-powder and a piece of felt or old hat wrapped round a weight, rub till all the marks left by the former process are worked out, and it appears with a comparative gloss on its surface. Afterward, finish the polish with putty-powder and fine, clean rags. As soon as the face appears of a good gloss, do not put any more powder on the rags, but rub it well, and in a short time it will appear as if fresh from the mason's hands.
Make a thick paste with rotten stone stone and olive oil, and vigorously rub the marble with it on a cloth.
Wash it with warm soap and water, and when dry rub it well with furniture paste or French polish, and then rub it with an old silk handkerchief. After one or two trials it will become quite bright.
To Clean Marble - Mix the strongest soap-lees with quicklime, to the consistency of milk; let it lie on the stone, etc., for twenty-four hours; then clean it off, and wash with soap and water, and it will appear as new. The polish will require to be renewed by the process given above.
Mix with ¼ pint of soap lees, ½ a gill of turpentine, sufficient pipe clay and bullock's gall to make the whole into a rather thick paste. Apply it to the marble with a soft brush, and after a day or two, when quite dry, rub it oft" with a soft rag. Apply this a second or third time till the marble is quite clean.
Apply spirits of salt and carefully wash off.
 
Continue to: