You remember the Empire chest of drawers with the quivers. Well, here is the secretary desk with the quivers. It is built in exactly the same way as the chest of drawers: same construction, same solid woods used and same mahogany veneers.
Missing molding on the left rear leg 
Missing veneer on the right side baseboard 
Misaligned cladding and missing section of cornice 
Lack of mahogany 
Veneer detached 
Before restoration 
Lack of veneer 
Missing molding on the left rear leg 
Previous repair of the lower baseboard 
Lack of veneer 
Rear panels detached 
Bronze before cleaning 
Lack of solid wood and veneer 
Veneer missing and old mahogany graft 
Top crossbar broken in two 
Lack of veneer 
Toilet seat before restoration 
Split side 
Panel detached 
Missing rebate cheek of the toilet seat lighter
As for the restoration, it was identical to that of the chest of drawers. The aim was to preserve as much as possible and restore the piece of furniture to its original function without altering its history. The work therefore involved reattaching the structure and the few detached veneer elements, as well as grafting some mahogany burl. Finally, the hinges of the drop-front had to be reinforced, and the drawer and doors adjusted.
Re-bonding by vacuum infiltration 
Re-gluing the structure 
Solid wood grafting 
Regluing the foot moldings 
Re-gluing of the veneers 
Cleaning the glue off the leather
For the finishing touches, I restored the old varnish using pumice and alcohol. The grafts were oxidized, and the cracks were filled with watercolor. Finally, I applied a dabbing of clear varnish to even out the finish. The bronzes were dewaxed and cleaned in hot water and Panama wood, and the Saint Anne gray marble was cleaned and rewaxed with a pad.
After restoration 
After restoration 
Bronze after cleaning 
After restoration
To see previous restorations : https://ebenisterie-mathieuvath.fr/en-ce-moment-a-latelier/
