Cal has good ideas!
There also are a lot of books available on this, or ones that at least reference it.
IMHO, it depends a lot on what sort of wood you’re trying to age.
Oak can be fumed using the aforementioned ammonia; I never tried it on other woods. I think it has to do with the acids (tannins) in the oak reacting to the ammonia somehow.
Basically, to fume with ammonia, you want to put the piece in a realtively airtight (very enclosed) space with a source that will produce strong ammonia gas. I have heard of a box truck left in the sun with pans of liquid ammonia sitting on the floor and furniture sitting inside. I have also heard it done with a “tent” of black plastic sheeting and pie tins of ammonia, the furniture being inside. But two things to keep in mind are that: 1. This was being done on finished pieces, not lumber, and 2. That the ammonia gas needs to circualte arond the piece fairly freely, so that if (for instance) you made a “tent” and the top of it contacted the piece directly so that the ammonia couldn’t really get to it, then you’de end up with an un-aged spot.
Cherry and Mahogany will sun-bleach badly and somewhat quickly.
Generally, people in the antique business will often have “old wive’s tales” about what they’ve heard or used to “age” (usually just ruin) wood, and they aren’t always so reliable. These would be more like junk shop dealers and second hand furniture dealers rather than true antiqe dealers.
Your best info would be from an actual antiques restoration/conservation expert or top-end antiques dealers, or failing that from a dealer in hardwoods who sells to furniture makers. You want someone who knows repair and restoration, as opposed to a faker (however expert they may seem).
In the former category (conservation), I had some interesting conversation with Rau’s Antiques in the Old Quarter of New Orleans. On Royal Street, IIRC. (Super nice people, and I wil always be grateful to them for turning me on to K-Pauls for lunch and martinis.)
[As an aisde, many antique dealers nowadays are actually consignment sellers; the best REAL antique dealers purchase theiriventory and sell it for themselves. Since it’s their money and reputation that is beng risked, they have to be more knoweldgeable and choosy --even about making their pieces rpesent themselves best.]
Wax is very important in getting the right patina, and restorers and museums are big into it. The best conservators swear by it, and you should take heed there. Wax is reversible, if need be, which is why museum conservators go that way so often. I believe someone at Rau’s told me about a conservator coming over from te UK or somewhere; he wanted to bring his own waxes and all with him. But of course, the TSA confiscated his special supplies, and so he was up a creek without a paddle.
Briwax makes special waxes that you will find very useful. There is one with some brown in it that should do you way better than burying your pieces in a pile of shit. Good antiques dealer often carry Briwax, as do quality distributors like Van Dyke’s.
If you can, go to the cabinet makers shop at Colonial Williamsburg. They are an excellent source and will very freely provide information. They prefer thinking of themselves as an educational resource, and enjoy talking to someone with a common serious interest.