This is a new page where I will try to upload images and details of the restorations and repairs we have carried out over the past week. This is just as a bit of fun and to show off our works. It may become too much to keep this page up to date each week in which case I will just leave the most interesting furniture up but hopefully I should be able to update at least once a week. None of these items are for sale by us as they are repair and restoration works carried out for our clients.
click images for large version
5 April 2011
This great quality wardrobe came in for a clean and revival to make it ready for immediate use in any home
7 April 2011
This little 1920s bureau came in with a number of faults and needing some care and attention.
13 April 2011
This very smart reception station needed some careful colour matching and snagging.
15 April 2011
A late Georgian chest of drawers with figured mahogany veneers, french apron and splayed feet.
28 April 2011
This superb Victorian dresser base came from the kitchen of a large country house. When our client brought it to us it was in very worn condition and painted with numerous coats of gloss paint.
7 May 2011
Making windows and general joinery is something we normally do not take on but in this case the job was a little different. It was to reproduce a pair of windows for a house with antique leaded stained glass panels that needed to match other windows in the building. For durability re-claimed red pine was used in the construction for stability and longevity. I will add images when the glass has been fitted.
21 May 2011
We had a number of days this week repairing various antique chairs before they went for re-caning. A good deal of these had badly damaged joints with problems such as broken off tenons and broken turnings. shown are images of seven of the chairs from various periods and styles. These included George III, Regency, 19th Cent French provincial, Victorian and Edwardian. Click pictures for more details and larger images.
31 May 2011
This excellent freestanding mahogany inlaid kidney shaped desk had a badly worn leather top and heavily sun faded back panel when it came to us. After some veneer work, a good clean, colour adjustment and a new tooled leather top it is now ready to go back to the client.
11 June 2011
Alfred Cox for 'Heals' walnut dressing table
Heals of London have always championed new designers since their support of the arts & crafts movement of the early part of the last century . This blonde figured walnut veneered dressing table (shown without mirror) dates from the 1950s and was made by Alfred Cox.
Alfred cox was a maker designer of high quality handmade furniture which was retailed through Heals London department store. This modernist dressing table came into us with a badly stained and marked top and looking rather scruffy all over. We removed the old lacquer from the top and re-sprayed it, we then gave the rest a good clean and revived the lacquer.
15 June 2011
Ebonized Candle Stand by Holland & Sons
This beautifully elegant ebonised mahogany candle stand was made by Holland & Sons who were considered to be among the most important furniture makers of the Victorian period. They supplied the entire furnishings for the private homes of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at Osborne and Balmoral among other important works.
When it came into us it had a leg broken off but much worse it had been very badly repaired in the past with epoxy resin (araldite) around the bottom of the stem and legs. We always use tradition hot glue when restoring antiques and almost never use PVA (modern white glue) but the use of epoxy is akin to a crime as it is almost impossible to remove and never allows joints to close properly.
After many hours of painstaking work to remove the epoxy glue the table was correctly repaired and cleaned.
18 June 2011
An Edwardian Inlaid Mahogany Carlton Desk
This Carlton desk came into us as a rather tatty but good quality Edwardian (1901-1907) dressing table with perished and discoloured french polish to the top and sides with a tatty silvered mirror. The brief was to make it into a useful item for the clients study / home office.
First we removed the mirror arms and back and replaced it with a new inlaid back board behind the two small top drawers. We then made a caveto moulding which was fitted above the new back. Next the top and sides had the old perished polish removed then re-coloured and re- polished. All the drawers were checked and made to run freely and all joints were checked and made good. Finally the rest of the unit was deep cleaned and the original polish revived then wax polished.
It was returned to the client with the mirror and components for storing.
