A Presentation Box
AFTER
Stolen from a client's home. It was recovered two years later discarded in a hedgerow.
A George II walnut veneered chest on chest
AFTER
This chest has lived a hard life and at some point has been cut into four and re joined possibly to reduce it in size or to enable it to be taken up narrow stairs. The maker spent all the money on the drawer fronts which are nicely veneered with English walnut and have a herringbone inlay and crossbanding. The sides are of plain oak with the through joints showing.
I renewed all of the drawer runners with oak, repaired missing veneers and mouldings and re built the feet. The client, a newly wed wanted to position it in pride of place at her new home and asked that the veneers be cleaned and the whole piece given the 'loved' look achieved with much wax polishing. All bar two of the handles seem to be originals and have been left un polished.
A Pair of Mahogany Occasional Tables
BEFORE:
One of a pair of occasional tables,
this one damaged by an overturned candle.
DURING:
An old piece of mahogany with a similar antique surface finish was cut to shape, the edge moulded and the original raised rim repaired and fitted into a rebate cut for it.
AFTER:
On the left is the new table top, on the right the undamaged table and in the foreground the old damaged top.
The colour of the new top was modified slightly to match as near as possible that of its pair.
Romsey Abbey Settle
BEFORE:
The settle had suffered various alterations, was missing a foot, and also had some beetle/rot damage.
As a result the settle was unstable to sit on, and it was felt that for health and safety reasons repair and conservation were essential.
The settle is on display and can be seen from both front and back so appearance was important.
DURING:
It was decided to treat all infestation, stabilise any friable oak that could be preserved, make the new foot match the old and remove only enough old oak to facilitate repair. It was then coloured to blend the new wood with the old but leave the repair otherwise obvious.
The picture shows the settle inverted and all repair work completed.
AFTER:
The finished repair
Romsey Abbey.
The settle to the right of the alter.
Four Walnut George II chairs
BEFORE:
Each chair had been repaired/altered over the years. All four chairs had had their back legs shortened and two show Victorian porcelain castors in the picture.
On inheriting the chairs the client wanted the old back leg repairs/castors removed and replaced with feet that would fit the period of the chairs' manufacture.
DURING:
New blocks of walnut spliced onto the leg and marked out for further shaping.
AFTER
Mahogany Bureau
BEFORE:
This mahogany bureau had suffered extensive damage to the apron, probably caused by feet or a vacuum cleaner catching the veneer and pulling it off.
DURING:
The damaged veneer has been replaced with new mahogany veneer.
AFTER:
The finished repair, coloured and finished to suit.
Drop Leaf table
BEFORE:
A Georgian drop leaf table, bleached of colour by sunlight & badly stained..
AFTER:
Stains largely removed & the top refinished.
Dining Chair
DURING:
One of a set of ten dining chairs, both front legs were snapped off and damaged beyond repair. Picture shows old legs/fragments and the new legs in place..
AFTER:
The same chair re-upholstered with the old top cover material re-fitted.
Display Cabinets
A near pair of walnut veneered Art Deco 'rocket' display cabinets, repaired and surfaces cleaned & waxed..
An Art Deco cocktail cabinet veneered with macassar ebony & olivewood, cleaned & surfaces revived.
Mahogany Bow-fronted Victorian Chest of Drawers
AFTER
Handles have mother of pearl inlay
My Hobby
This old bowtop gypsy wagon was in need of much repair when we acquired it. About 75% needs replacing, even the springs were beyond repair.
The stub axles are dated 1915, the top was re-made in the 1960's and painted by the late wagon painter Tom Stevenson, some of the artwork is still in good condition and I intend to preserve it.
Axle bridge made from American Ash
We're almost there!
