Restoration of a Louis XV corner cabinet inlaid with various woods (maple, hornbeam, boxwood, and holly). Except for the green leaves, the colors of some of the flowers and ribbons have faded. This marquetry is executed on a rosewood background framed by a boxwood border and a rosewood frieze. The frame of this corner cabinet is made of solid oak assembled with dovetail joints.
State report
As you can see in the following photos, the varnish surface was heavily sun-faded, the glues holding the marquetry on the doors were in an advanced state of dehydration, and there were some missing veneers. The frame panels are all shrunken, and both doors are cracked.
The Restoration
With the client's agreement and after discussion, the restoration approach focused on conservation. Indeed, this piece of furniture will serve no other purpose than decoration. The frame was therefore simply partially re-glued to restore its rigidity, capable of supporting the marble without warping, but the gaps in the panels were not filled. The cracks in the doors were reinforced with backing, and the veneer adhesives were rehydrated and regenerated by vacuum infiltration. Any missing veneer was replaced with veneer that was sawn, scraped, sanded, and cut to the correct thickness on the backing before gluing.
The varnish was then thinned and reworked with alcohol and Roubo varnish. The grafts were oxidized, and chromatic reintegration was carried out on the most prominent perforations. The varnish was then burnished with a Venetian tripolis polish, and a light layer of wax was applied to achieve a more matte finish, closer to the original appearance and improving the legibility of the marquetry.
Before (left door) / after restoration (right door)
After restoration
To see previous restorations : https://ebenisterie-mathieuvath.fr/en-ce-moment-a-latelier/
