Restoration of a Louis XIV period double-decker display cabinet veneered in cedar, ferreol, and cherry wood. The moldings are made of blackened fruitwood. With a flat front and sides, it opens with two doors in the lower section and two grilled doors in the upper section, with a straight cornice, resting on ball feet. This type of cabinet is found marquetry on furniture from the second half of the 17th century.
State of affairs report
This piece of furniture showed numerous signs of damage. The nailed supports, which were meant to maintain squareness and structural integrity, were partially detached, and the reduced wood due to shrinkage prevented them from fulfilling their function. There were many chips in the moldings and one molding was missing on the right side. As for the marquetry, there were no significant losses, only small chips, but the veneers showed severe dehydration. Furthermore, the cracks in both door panels had been filled with resin and concealed.
The Restoration
To restore the piece of furniture to its full strength, the backs were disassembled, reamed, and then reassembled using the original nails. All veneered surfaces were rehydrated with glue infiltration. Missing moldings were replaced with grafts of the same wood and then worked with a gouge. Cracks filled with resin were re-colored. The old varnish was thinned before being restored, and a colorless shellac varnish was applied.
