Restoration of a chest of drawers from the first half of the 18th century, curved in elevation and convex in plan, opening with four drawers in three rows, known as in a tomb Or during the Regency, However, it belongs to a much smaller group of so-called chests of drawers. to bridge And with moustaches. The frame of this chest of drawers is typical of Regency models, with oak uprights, high-quality softwood for the majority of the structure, and walnut for the inset drawers. The veneer consists of only two types: kingwood and satinwood. The bronze mounts, including the faun mask drops, are all stamped with the C crowned, which indicates that this chest of drawers was made between 1745 and 1753, the year of Mallerot's death.
This is the second time I've met this cabinetmaker, and if you'd like to know more about Michel Mallerot, I invite you to read the following article: https://ebenisterie-mathieuvath.fr/2023/02/16/commode-dentre-deux-regence-estampillee-michel-mallerot/
State of affairs report
Regarding the structure, there were some visible cracks and fissures on the panels, drawer bottoms, and front panels. At first glance, the main alterations appeared to be simple chips and missing veneer, but it was the previous restorations that had ultimately done the most damage. Indeed, rosewood grafts were mixed with violet wood, and rosewood was also used instead of satinwood, and even some elm, which significantly obscured the chest of drawers' original appearance. And of course, the two rosewood plaques used to replace the original handles were completely unsightly.
The Restoration
After the rosewood veneer elements were removed, they were replaced with sawn, scraped, and sanded violet wood, then cut to the correct thickness as a backing before being glued in place with hot glue. The rosewood plaques on the mustaches were removed, and the curve was then reshaped with a solid conifer plaque before being re-veneered. All veneered surfaces underwent a glue regeneration process using infiltration.
After being filled with pumice, the veneer restorations were oxidized before receiving a coat of shellac varnish. A microcrystalline wax was then applied to obtain a satin finish.
