blackchisel.typepad.com > FINE PIECES

GRANDFATHER CLOCK

Once again, worst damage caused by climate changes. Humide storage, and moving to the warm dry spot. It did happen probably a few times. Animal glue, used century ago, was very strong, and kept pieces together very well, as long as they were kept in a stable humidity. During 130 -150 years, piece was often moved from place to place, changed the owner, and environement. Warped case, loose veneer, and remains of an old fading finish, covering, instead of showing beautifull flame mahogany.

DESK

That was a challenge. Beside warped, and cracked front panel, several spot were veneer was missing, loose legs, and split sides, interir structure suffered from climate changes. Pigeon holes were falling apart, writing surface was warped, and drawer guides loose. Worst of all, someone have tried to repair a few things, using wast amount of glue. Whole interior had to be removed, taken apart, cleaned from old adhesives, and assembled back together. Long story, but finally was time to start polishing, and bringing back to life. Another success.

TABLE

This table didn't get enough TLC. Chipped, and missing veneer spots were covered with a black paint, so they weren't noticable from a distance. Pedestal shared the same fate. Top cracked lenghtwise, and had some dark rings - water damage spots. Was not much to save from original finish. After all necessery repairs, table was washed with alcohol, and finally repolish with shellac.

MAHOGANY SIDEBOARD

Overall condition wasn't bad, except for missing part of door mouldings, which had to be duplicate, and split top. Original glue joint dried, and separated, but also shrunk about 1/2". Mahogany strip was inserted, to restore original width, color matched, and whole top repolished with shellac. Underneath, crack was secured with a butterfly splines.

VICTORIAN DESK

Pulled from a barn, where horses pushed around, and chewed remains of leatherette top. After being exposed to weather, and humidity changes, all joint were loose, veneer lifted, with severel pieces chipped, and missing. Original finish gone, and wood discolored, not mentioning leatherette- damaged beyond repair. After good cleaning, and re joining, all veneer spots were repaired, stain applied, to restore original colour. Top was covered with a dark green leatherette - faux leather, and entire piece - polished with shellac. You can see the results on the other picture.

VICTORIAN DESK

That is the same desk, after restoration.

OAK SECRETARY-DESK

That desk came from Holland. It did suffer from wood beetles, destroing upper moulding. In some spots all was left, was just a outer shell with a finish - probably did not taste as good as a clean wood inside. Corner pieces of upper moulding, and one lower had to be replaced. Drawbridge hardware was damaged, and desk cover suffered from falling down. Part with pigeon holes had to be removed, to provide acces to interior. Colour on the drawers differ, couple of them were much lighter, probably stored in a different place, exposed to a sunlight. After completing all necesery repairs, and cleaning, drawers were stained to match, and piece was repolished with shellac, and then waxed.

WALNUT SIDEBOARD

When I got that piece, it had an old, almost black varnish, hidding completely beautifull wood underneath. Gradually, when removed, it started to reveal its beauty. Black walnut, and burl walnut door panels, and drower fronts. Original mirror was lost, and had to be replaced. Wooden drawer guides were removed, cleaned, and glued back. Top had a long crack, which I filled with a string of walnut, and secured with butterfly spline underneath. A big surprise to the owner, who never suspected what is hidden under heavy coat of old dark varnish. And a great pleasure for me, to see there faces, and satisfaction, that one more piece has been given a new life, and maybe saved from being destroyed.

CHESS TABLE

Table had an extensive damage to the top veneer, many pieces were lifted. Often happens, when a piece does not have enough time to climatize itself, moved from humid, to dry location, placed in direct sunlight, or close to a heat vent. All loose pieces were cleaned from remains of dry, old adhesive, and placed back. Top was cleaned, and refreshed with shellac polish.

ROSEWOOD BOX

ROSEWOOD BOX

Recently restored for a customer, solid rosewood box with ivory inlay. Due to the wood movement, several pieses were lifted and loose. A few small and larger pieces of ivory were missing, and had to be duplicated. Primarely, I was going to use vegetable ivory ( Tagua nuts ), then I found some old ivory covered piano keys and decided to use them. They were about right thickness and just need to be cut into desirable shapes, or strings and inserted into the piece. Whole interior structure was loose and had to be removed, cleaned and assembled together. I had some fun with that, because they had to go in the certain order. Finally, after a few more repairs - securing crack in the bottom piece with a butterfly spline, re joining legs, whole piece was cleaned and polished with shellac. Two interior compartments were lined with a blue velvet. Original lining wes deteriorated beyond repair.