Rebuild joinery of antique furniture, repair of furniture and damaged wood or metal. NYC, NY, CT, NJ.

ANTIQUE RESTORATION FOR FURNITURE AND REPAIR ANY DAMAGED WOOD OR METAL IN NYC
Conservation of antique restoration should stabilize an antique for its current use, as well as for future generations. The objectives of conservation may include: 1. functional capability, generally the joinery, so the furniture will survive its intended use, 2. patina of the finish, and endeavoring to identify the clients' needs and how to best accommodate them and the history of the item. 3. replace missing and stabilize existing decorative elements, such as marquetry, gilding, carving, paint, caning, Japanning, pietre dure, oriental lacquer and plaster or composition.

Dutch Marquetry Secretary to be Restored and French Polished	18th Century Cylinder Secretary Desk, French Polished


This mid-18th century Dutch secretary with cylinder top arrived in inoperable condition; the frame had warped enough to bind the cylinder top in its' channel. Partial disassembly and humidity treatments were necessary to straighten out the carcase to allow the cylinder top to roll again.
Joinery or Frame Conservation
Objectives vary, depending on the client and antique. Museums have different concerns from residential clients. We respect both sets of concerns, and whatever the clients actual needs may be. We employ noninvasive upholstery techniques as requested. Our standards are demanding - if a restoration or inlaid element may be seen as different then the adjacent elements, then the work was not satisfactorily performed. Home or residential users also need conservation to provide stability and functionality, to survive the antique furniture’s intended use:
• The furniture frame and joinery, whether mortise-and-tenon, dovetailed or doweled, should be solid and strong under load, and support users or objects stored inside • Chairs or sofas should be secure for people to sit in them, with casters operable and in good condition. Non-invasive reupholstery techniques are available • Drawers must run smoothly and easily with drawers fully loaded • Doors on cabinets, must be hung correctly, hinges must work as intended and not subject the furniture framing to damage from looseness • Carvings or moldings should be secure and intact



Stickley Arts & Crafts Rocker, with broken rocker and back before restored	Stickley Rocker- Arts & Crafts Period with Broken Back



Stickley Bros. Arts & Crafts Rocker with Repaired Original Back, before refinishing	Stickley Arts & Crafts Rocker, disassembled to restore each broken element, and rebuild entirely















We invite client participation in the conservation process, and may request visits to our shop to clarify and guide our craftsmen to obtain the desired result. We will not insert a dowel (or worse, a nail) into a mortise-and-tenon joint that will compromise a tenon function for a cheap "glue job" some might call a restoration? We will not inject glue into the joints of a loose doweled chair (about 9 month, when nothing short of complete disassembly, cutting off and drilling out of old dowels, and reinstallation of newer, larger dowels is necessary to obtain the original longevity of the chair joinery. Our abilities to repair antique period wood joinery on furniture or woodwork ranging from the middle ages to modern, from Rococo to Regency is well known. No matter how complicated the repair or how poor the condition of the furniture, no repair is beyond our expert grasp. Our European cabinetmakers perform complicated, intricate restoration of missing marquetry, carvings, and joinery, on wood that is in good condition, or suffering from smoke or fire damage, or the ravages of powder post beetles.

Italian Rennaissance Carving Repair	European Carved Four Poster 16th century Bed, after conservation


Dutchman inlays necessary due to powder-post beetle infestation damage. The infestation was terminated by anoxic treatment in carbon dioxide gas.
The means of accomplishing conservation is important. Many appreciate that repairs can be done properly, or inappropriately, which can damage the antique and compromise its strength or aesthetics. To attain impeccable, meticulous results, we employ the finest European craftsmen; cabinetmakers, carvers, upholsterers, artists, even metal machinists. They respect the integrity and know the importance of maintaining the original design when repairing your furniture or architectural woodwork. Client objectives vary, many will want more restoration work than just stabilization through conservation. A thorough discussion of condition, usage, and goals for each piece is important to attain the expected conservation or restoration results. Our European craftsmen are attentive to client needs, and have high standards for conservation work. Our work is done inconspicuously, materials are kept consistent. Standards for reversibility discussed with the client and identified at the outset. Our mission is to conserve or restore your furniture, to the level where a stranger cannot tell that conservation, or restoration was done.
Dutchman Inlays and Marquetry • Veneer or marquetry should be intact, and loose veneer readhered, and not fall off when the furniture is routinely cleaned or used. • Inlays of solid wood or veneer should match the original, in thickness, cut, and grain pattern of the wood. Dutchman inlays are done consistent with the original joinery and construction of the furniture. • Wood “dry-rotted” by powder post beetles, may be cut out in structurally critical areas, that may have already broken in use, such as at the junction of chair rails and stiles, and Dutchman inlays inserted, and carved or veneered to match original profiles.
Powder Post Beetle or other infestations - Treatment • Removal of active infestations, such as powder post beetles. Infestations may be eliminated rapidly by traditionally used methylene bromide gas, or by the slow-working, non-polluting anoxic treatment with high concentration of carbon dioxide gas in a tent for a month. The use of carbon dioxide is a green treatment that does not use ozone-damaging methylene bromide, and is the recommended treatment method (although modern fumigation processes do re-cycle methylene bromide and avoid atmospheric release).
Period Antique Glass, Salvaged from Historic Buildings available in Large Sizes • Secretary bookcases or desks should have glass replacements if needed, using period antique glass. We inventory period antique glass in larger sizes than manufactured or distributed by any Restoration Glass company. We can quickly furnish replacement glass appropriate to any period. • Three dimensional “slumped” glass available. We fabricate forms and can fabricate three dimensional sheets of period glass to match .

Glass slumped in kiln to replicate original glass from breakfront


For Kittinger Breakfront, glass baked in kiln to achieve 3D shape

Glass slumped in kiln to replicate original glass from breakfront


Pietre Dure, or Stone Veneer Repairs Pietre Dure can develop problems with the cement holding the stone veneers to the stone substrate. In this case a recently made slate table base was veneered with floral stone veneers. The cement was unstable, and over 15 years the pietre dure veneers loosened. We had to lift the loose veneer out of the top, reattach the loose stone veneers, and replace the missing decoratively colored cement to match the original, adjacent colored cement, and grind, hone, and polish the table top.

Modern Pietre Dure Stone Marquetry Table with stones popping out and loosening	Removing stone inlays and recreating pattern for replacement



Colored cement must be replicated too to repair stone marquetry table	Process of removing stones partially loose is painstaking to avoid damage



Stone marquetry after repair	Stone marquetry (pietre dure) table after repairs- table is smooth, inlays stabilized


Pickups & Delivery by our truck throughout metropolitan NY, NJ, PA, and CT- Pickups of entire assembled Eames Lounge Chair may be inexpensively arranged throughout the Midwest and Eastern US, from Texas to Chicago, Florida to Boston We arrange pickup and delivery promptly throughout metropolitan NY, including NY and NYC, NJ, PA, and at CT at modest cost. We can arrange for pickup and delivery of furniture throughout the United States east of the Mississippi, as well as all of Louisiana and eastern Texas with a recommended common carrier, TSC Moving (Hallandale, FL), They are very reliable, and surprisingly economical for long-distance moves. Fine furniture deserves the best care, and is worth the trip.



Antique Furniture Repair Gallery


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Chinese Lamps Repair and Touchup English George III Period Sideboard

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ANTIQUE RESTORATION FOR FURNITURE AND REPAIR ANY DAMAGED WOOD OR METAL IN NYC

Conservation of antique restoration should stabilize an antique for its current use, as well as for future generations. The objectives of conservation may include:

1. functional capability, generally the joinery, so the furniture will survive its intended use,

2. patina of the finish, and endeavoring to identify the clients' needs and how to best accommodate them and the history of the item.

3. replace missing and stabilize existing decorative elements, such as marquetry, gilding, carving, paint, caning, Japanning, pietre dure, oriental lacquer and plaster or composition.

Dutch Marquetry Secretary to be Restored and French Polished

18th Century Cylinder Secretary Desk, French Polished

This mid-18th century Dutch secretary with cylinder top arrived in inoperable condition; the frame had warped enough to bind the cylinder top in its' channel. Partial disassembly and humidity treatments were necessary to straighten out the carcase to allow the cylinder top to roll again.

Joinery or Frame Conservation

• The furniture frame and joinery, whether mortise-and-tenon, dovetailed or doweled, should be solid and strong under load, and support users or objects stored inside

• Chairs or sofas should be secure for people to sit in them, with casters operable and in good condition. Non-invasive reupholstery techniques are available

• Drawers must run smoothly and easily with drawers fully loaded

• Doors on cabinets, must be hung correctly, hinges must work as intended and not subject the furniture framing to damage from looseness

• Carvings or moldings should be secure and intact

Stickley Arts & Crafts Rocker, with broken rocker and back before restored

Stickley Rocker- Arts & Crafts Period with Broken Back

Stickley Bros. Arts & Crafts Rocker with Repaired Original Back, before refinishing

Stickley Arts & Crafts Rocker, disassembled to restore each broken element, and rebuild entirely

Italian Rennaissance Carving Repair

European Carved Four Poster 16th century Bed, after conservation

Dutchman inlays necessary due to powder-post beetle infestation damage. The infestation was terminated by anoxic treatment in carbon dioxide gas.

Our mission is to conserve or restore your furniture, to the level where a stranger cannot tell that conservation, or restoration was done.

Dutchman Inlays and Marquetry

• Veneer or marquetry should be intact, and loose veneer readhered, and not fall off when the furniture is routinely cleaned or used.

• Inlays of solid wood or veneer should match the original, in thickness, cut, and grain pattern of the wood. Dutchman inlays are done consistent with the original joinery and construction of the furniture.

• Wood “dry-rotted” by powder post beetles, may be cut out in structurally critical areas, that may have already broken in use, such as at the junction of chair rails and stiles, and Dutchman inlays inserted, and carved or veneered to match original profiles.

Powder Post Beetle or other infestations - Treatment

Period Antique Glass, Salvaged from Historic Buildings available in Large Sizes

• Secretary bookcases or desks should have glass replacements if needed, using period antique glass. We inventory period antique glass in larger sizes than manufactured or distributed by any Restoration Glass company. We can quickly furnish replacement glass appropriate to any period.

• Three dimensional “slumped” glass available. We fabricate forms and can fabricate three dimensional sheets of period glass to match .

Glass slumped in kiln to replicate original glass from breakfront

For Kittinger Breakfront, glass baked in kiln to achieve 3D shape

Glass slumped in kiln to replicate original glass from breakfront

Pietre Dure, or Stone Veneer Repairs

Modern Pietre Dure Stone Marquetry Table with stones popping out and loosening

Removing stone inlays and recreating pattern for replacement

Colored cement must be replicated too to repair stone marquetry table

Process of removing stones partially loose is painstaking to avoid damage

Stone marquetry after repair

Stone marquetry (pietre dure) table after repairs- table is smooth, inlays stabilized

Pickups & Delivery by our truck throughout metropolitan NY, NJ, PA, and CT-

Pickups of entire assembled Eames Lounge Chair may be inexpensively arranged throughout the Midwest and Eastern US, from Texas to Chicago, Florida to Boston

Antique Furniture Repair Gallery

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