| You are here: AW Antiques & Collectibles Before and After Photographs |
AW Antiques & Collectibles |
     
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1930s OAK GATE LEG TABLE. This gate leg table with Oak top and Beech bobbin turned legs needed to be re-polished as the original stained varnish had become dull, scratchedl and was also water marked etc.. It is a very useful size for the modern home as when the flaps are folded down the actual size reduces to 12 inches wide by 24 inches long, so fits in any small space in the room. 
Removing all of the original varnish it was then rubbed smooth with fine steel wool, then stained to match the base.
Finally given several coats of Finishing Oil which enhanced the warm colours of the wood which had been concealed by the old varnish. 
This early 19thC solid Oak Chest of Drawers was rescued from being taken to the local tip for disposal. It had been left out in the rain for sometime and the wood had become saturated . It was left in my workshop for several months to completely dry out. I then stripped away the remaining varnish and made several repairs to the drawers, replacing beading and a new bracket foot which had broken off. After sanding the main body of the chest to remove much of the water staining and filling any holes that were obvious, it was then ready to repolish. After several coats of finishing oil, new brass swan neck handles were fitted to the style it would have had originally. Finally wax polishing the whole piece. 
>This 1930s solid oak extending dining table required the surface finish to be completely stripped off by hand, as the owners request was to lighten the whole appearance. This was done by using a strong varnish remover and lifting off with steel wool when softened. The effect off using the steel wool not only removes all the old varnish but also leaves the wood very smooth for final polishing. This process does not in anyway spoil the natural wood colour underneath. The table top because it had suffered water damage and had become stained was sanded to remove it, then polished to a smooth finish with fine sandpaper. Finally it was given a coat or two of finishing oil to leave a natural mellow colour. 
This German oak cased clock dates from around 1900. Standing 14" high with an 8 day striking and chiming movement. Chiming on the quarters and chiming and striking on the hour. It had lost most of it's original finish along with two of the hands on the advance and retard dial, also the chime and silent dial. The cased was re-polished, the movement cleaned and serviced. The dial was re-silvered to bring it back to it's original state.  Another German clock Circa 1900. The case was cleaned and re-polished and finials replaced. 
Victorian-Chair
19thc SPOON BACK CHAIR
19thc Ormolu Clock (Before and after Cleaning)
CLEANING ORMOLU CLOCKS
Military Chest
This late 19th Century chest holds an interesting story about a man whose military life started in 1891 as a private in the Middlesex Regiment and who worked his way through the ranks, until he became a Major in the Bedfordshire Regiment, in 1915.
In 1917 he left for Gibraltar but was invalided home in 1920, finally retiring to Surrey and later to the Isle of Wight. During this period the chest travelled with him to many places including Aden, Bombay, South Africa and Bermuda. These facts are recorded on the labels printed on the chest, along with the different ranks that he went through. This pine chest has remained within in the same family until the present day, when I was asked if I could restore it but still retain all of the information recorded on it. After cleaning off as much of the discolouration that had built up over a hundred years or so it was waxed polished. The only items replaced were the brass handle and stretchers underneath that had rotted or were damaged. 
Inlaid Table
This rather nice inlaid Marquetry oval occasional table is what is termed a "marriage" meaning that the top and support were not made to match but were taken from two different pieces of furniture and made up. The top is walnut veneered and the base although covered in a dark varnish, showed when removed that is was solid oak.
The original finish on the table top was removed along with the water stain and re-polished. Once the dark varnish was removed from the base stand is was lightly stained to match the colour of the top. 
Chest on Chest Restoration
What can be done by removing the old dark varnish and replacing missing veneer and then repolishing. 
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
