Restoration by Lise, during her internship at the workshop, of a Louis XVI commode stamped by Jean Lapie, constructed of oak, fir, and beech, veneered in rosewood with hornbeam and amaranth stringing, and adorned with gilt bronze. And since Lise submitted an excellent internship report, I am publishing it almost in its entirety.
Jean Lapie
Jean Lapie (known as "The Younger"), son of the potter Nicolas Lapie, was born around 1734. Brother of the cabinetmaker Nicolas-Alexandre Lapie (known as "The Elder") and cousin of Jean-François Lapie, he obtained his master's certificate in Paris on July 31, 1762. After working on Rue de la Roquette, he set up his workshop at his home on Rue de Charenton in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine. On October 25, 1761, he took on Charles Mathieu, 11 years old, as his apprentice for five years. Charles Mathieu was the son of Joseph Mathieu, a construction worker on Rue de Bercy.1. In 1775, upon the death of his brother Nicolas-Alexandre, he became the guardian of his four minor children whom he had with his first wife Marguerite Lemaitre.2
Jean Lapie's stamp is rather rare because he primarily worked for his colleagues and haberdashers. Moreover, his stamp is mainly found on Louis XVI furniture, corresponding to pieces produced after the death of his brother, for whom he was likely the principal subcontractor. Like many master craftsmen, affected by the Revolution, he ceased his activity on July 1, 1790.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- French Furniture of the 18th Century – Pierre Kjellberg – Les Editions de l'Amateur – 1989
- The workshops Parisian cabinetmakers and joiners in the 17th and 18th centuries – Guillaume Janneau – Serg Editions – 1975
- https://www.siv.archives-nationales.culture.gouv.fr/siv/rechercheconsultation/consultation/ir/consultationIR.action?consIr=&frontIr=&optionFullText=&fullText=&defaultResultPerPage=&irId=FRAN_IR_041782&formCaller=GENERALISTE&gotoArchivesNums=false&auSeinIR=false&details=true&page=&udId=c1p6xhmr1waj–1aos7wei6xb3yh ↩︎
- https://www.siv.archives-nationales.culture.gouv.fr/siv/rechercheconsultation/consultation/ir/consultationIR.action?consIr=&frontIr=&optionFullText=&fullText=&defaultResultPerPage=&irId=FRAN_IR_041783&formCaller=GENERALISTE&gotoArchivesNums=false&auSeinIR=false&details=true&page=&udId=c1p6xi39v9gr-1fhmnmzsgyq60 ↩︎
Introducing the chest of drawers
This commode opens at the front with three rows of superimposed drawers. The top row is divided into three juxtaposed drawers, veneered in rosewood in a butterfly pattern, highlighted by hornbeam and amaranth stringing. The commode is rectangular with a central projection and rounded uprights. It rests on four tapered legs. The bronze mounts consist of rings on the feet, ring-shaped drawer pulls, knotted ribbon keyhole escutcheons, and two drops on the uprights. A red chalk inscription inside the frame (1788 CHARPENTIER) could refer to the year the commode was made, followed by the name of a subcontractor. Indeed, a debt owed to Jean Lapie for March 14, 1781, is recorded. Pierre CHARPENTIER, cabinetmaker.
1788 Carpenter
Condition report, summary of alterations
The veneer was dehydrated, with peeling, several bell-shaped patches, and some gaps. Additions from a previous veneer restoration had been made in a different wood species (cherry) than the original wood (rosewood). The back, top, and bottom panels had shrunk, and some were detached. Joints were weakened or even damaged, a mortise cheek and a tenon were damaged, and the frame was warped. The side panels had visible cracks on the inside.
Description of interventions
The dismantling
Given the gaps in some of the joinery and the unevenness of the frame, dismantling the piece of furniture was decided upon. To this end, measurements were taken of the panels before dismantling to allow for the subsequent creation of protective strips. The panels had shrunk over time, so they will need to be reamed to restore their original dimensions. The bronze mounts were removed and cleaned ultrasonically. After each piece was prepared, the chest of drawers was disassembled. The piece was entirely nailed in addition to having been glued, likely the result of a previous restoration. During dismantling, the nails were removed from the joints.
The panels
The panels were re-glued and reamed, using fish glue for those that had shrunk. The wood chosen for replacement was fir and oak, the original wood of the panels.
Bonding and rehydration of plated elements
The veneered surfaces were rehydrated. Any added veneers that were not rosewood were replaced. Gaps were filled with sawn veneer, and the bells were re-glued. This involved a meticulous examination and careful lifting of all areas where the glue had dehydrated and lost its adhesive properties, using a scalpel. Gaps and additions were filled with wood of the same thickness and species as the original veneer. Each piece was prepared, sized, and scraped/sanded before being shaped and glued with hot glue to ensure its stability.
For rehydration of both sides of the cabinet and the two large drawers, a vacuum-sealed process was used. A penetrating adhesive was applied as a poultice under vacuum pressure. After this period, the pieces were cleaned of excess adhesive and placed under vacuum pressure. Each element was then covered with a piece of hardboard cut to its shape, and subsequently heated and vacuum-sealed for bonding.
For the small drawers, the veneer was glued using clamps and hot glue. This was followed by a poultice of penetrating glue under cellophane. This step retains moisture and prevents the glue from drying out, while also facilitating its penetration into the joints and under the veneer. The glue was then cleaned off. Next, the drawer fronts were clamped to ensure the veneer was flat and the pieces were glued together. A layering process was used: non-stick paper, a hot block (hot hardboard), a soft block (cork), and a hard block. This process leveled the surfaces while respecting the shape of the piece.
As for the central crossbeams, they had the most detachments. The pieces that were loose or no longer attached were detached and re-glued using traditional hot glue. They were then clamped to ensure flatness and proper bonding. A layering process was used: non-stick paper, hot block (hot hardboard), soft block (cork), and hard block.
The two large drawers that had come loose were re-glued with fish glue, making sure to check that they were properly aligned.
Building restoration
All the joints were inspected to ensure they fit together properly, allowing for a dry fit of the chest of drawers in preparation for gluing. Several damaged joints were reinforced with grafts. One tenon was replaced with a comb tenon, and two mortise cheeks were strengthened with grafts. The wood chosen for the replacement was beech, the original wood of the damaged joints.
The chest of drawers was glued together using fish glue and clamps. After removing the clamps, the drawers and their runners were checked and adjusted, making sure they were square or adjusting the runners. The veneer was then re-glued to the uprights, which had been positioned after the rails were glued on. This was done using hot glue and a hot block (hot hardboard), a soft block (cork), a hard block, and then clamps. A patch was made to fill a gap in the back panel. It was cut with a band saw and glued on with hot glue.
Finishing
The chest of drawers was cleaned with hot water to remove the last traces of hot glue and fish glue. The drawer interiors were lined with fabric glued on with neoprene glue, so I had to use acetone to remove the residue. To blend the added pieces with the original wood, an oxidized finish was applied to the rosewood. The entire piece was then filled with pumice. After lightly sanding to remove any pumice clumps, the chest of drawers was finished with a clear French polish.
Before/After
