Is it Antiqued or Dirty?

We bought a corner china cabinet from a consignment shop. I don't have any details about age, manufacturer, etc. It's a medium brown wood with glass shelves. At the upper shelf is a sort of shell-shaped piece of the same wood forming a curved top. It has one-inch wide ridges...I don't know exactly how to explain this, obviously...On the ridges there is a gray substance. It comes off easily with a finger rub. It's kind of attractive and I wonder if it's some kind of antiquing color...or just gray dust that accumulated over the years. Anyone have any ideas whether I should clean it or just leave it the way it is and enjoy it? Thanks.

If it comes off that easily, it's probably dirt or dust. I would clean it off.

Sounds like a tinted wax that's put on last to give an antiqued effect. If that's the case, it will come off if you clean it with something that removes wax. Of course you can always clean it all off and put on more antiquing wax if you wish.