School Bench (Retired)

I got the bench on eBay and love it. It's beautifully made and very sturdy. Now I need to get teh bucket and ladle since AG doesn't have it as a replacement. I was wondering if anyone else's was lightly varnished - including the bark! I guess it keeps the bark from flaking off but it looks a bit odd, especially since the table and chairs aren't varnished!