A major restoration for this small Louis XV style desk, richly adorned with bronzes and veneered in rosewood.
The restoration involved replacing the missing veneer while preserving as much of the remaining material as possible. This was achieved by using veneer that was sliced, scraped, sanded, oxidized, and varnished before being re-glued, thus avoiding the need to sand the piece before finishing. Rosewood is a very dark wood that lightens with age, developing a beautiful reddish patina that cannot be removed through excessive sanding.
Re-gluing on the facade
So, after completing my repairs and grafts with veneer applied to the correct thickness on the backing, I only had to lightly sand and then apply a clear French polish finish. The bronzes were then cleaned and reinstalled in their original positions.
Good job
As usual, well done Mathieu. I miss restoration work, but it's so hard to make a living if you don't have beautiful pieces!
Thank you. It's true that I'm extremely lucky to be able to make a living from my passion and to work with increasingly beautiful furniture.
Thanks again