British Windsors were frequently bare wood, but American Windsors were always painted. This paint in period would be milk paint, often a light color overpainted with a dark color and then coated with linseed oil for protection of the fragile paint. With wear in use, this paint wears off around the edges and displays a characteristic wear pattern that reveals the paint colors underneath.

As for any antique, this original finish often survives best in unworn areas such as the bottom of the seat or around turnings. Later repainting, even well-intentioned restoration, will diminish the value of an original finish.