ANTIQUE FURNITURE CONSERVATION, NYC

Conservation of antique, period furniture should stabilize it

For current use, and for future generations. The interests of a museum are different than for residential users.  Museum conservation requires the furniture stand up under its own weight, and not deteriorate from infestation of powder post beetles, rot, sunlight or other lighting, humidity changes, or other degenerative causes.  Home or residential users also need conservation to provide stability and functionality, to survive the antique furniture’s intended use:

Conservation of French Polish and Other Clear Finishes

• Table or other furniture finishes that are damaged should be conserved to appear original, conserving the patina consistent with the clients goals.

• French Polishing should match original for the period furniture.  High-style French Empire or Rococo pieces will have a “mirror”polish, much glossier and perfect than is appropriate for most English George I, George II, or George III furniture.

• Dark rings from water-related  bacterial discoloration should be removed as non-invasively as possible, chemically bleaching, without altering the adjacent wood, or requiring sanding which would destroy the original patina that is present when the dark ring is removed.

• Other finishes should also be kept consistent with the original, with the use of oil or copal varnishes, and wax.  We custom produce varnishes to match as needed.

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.

Decorative Finishes- Milk Paint, Japanning, Oriental Lacquer, Gilding, and Other

• Stabilization of decorative finishes, such as milk paint or other paint, Japanning, pietre dure or stone inlays, Oriental Lacquer or Coromandel, gesso or composition molded elements, loose gilt finishes readhered, or re-gilt.

• Milk paint should have similar formulation to original.

• Gilding should use gold leaf, or other leaf of the same composition and application as the original.  Water gilt gold leaf and oil gilt gold leaf must be done the same as originally applied, and glazed to match.  Burnishing of water gilding should also mimick the original

• Japanning should be done with the same base of clay and whiting or other ingredients as used in the original furniture decorative finish.

• Oriental Lacquer varnishes prepared with copal varnish and pigments matching original ingredients, for the same consistency and appearance as the original screen or decorative object.

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).

Caning, Rush, Splint, Bamboo, Rattan, Wicker, and Cord- Match Original

• Caning should be replaced to match original, with cane width, weave, and attachment matching the way it was installed originally.

• Rush, splint, bamboo, wicker, and cord should all match original materials and weaving patterns.

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 .

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.