This is a major restoration project for this Louis XV commode veneered in rosewood and violet wood (originally). It took me a while to be sure it was indeed violet wood. This chest of drawers has undergone so many restorations that it now contains almost as much rosewood as violet wood. Fortunately, the drawers are still in fairly good condition, and they are definitely violet wood. I deduce that the chest was originally veneered with both woods.
As for the restoration, the veneer requires a lot of work, but the structure is in fairly good condition. Therefore, there's no need to completely dismantle the chest of drawers. A full dismantling is always a major undertaking, which is best avoided.
I first filled the gaps with new veneer, scraped and sanded before gluing. I then re-glued all the surfaces by infiltration of glue, and with hot glue for the raised areas and grafts.
I worked on the drawers using vacuum. For the sides and the front, I proceeded in a traditional manner: presses, hard and soft wedges, and the application of heat.
A rather interesting case from an ethical point of view. Should we "un-restore" in order to remove the rosewood, or should we leave the old grafts?
Well, in my opinion, we need to take a holistic view. The old restorations are part of this chest of drawers' history. As long as they don't detract from the aesthetics or the overall design, they can remain. However, restorations that are too visible, and that oxidation cannot correct, should, in my opinion, be replaced. Their location also influences this decision. A poorly executed repair on the front will be problematic. On a back leg, which is invisible, I don't see the need to replace it.
So I chose to keep some of the old grafts despite their poor color, and to revive them by oxidation before varnishing the chest of drawers.
This photo clearly shows the old and new grafts: various rosewoods and violet woods, some older than others. The main task was therefore to harmonize all these woods in order to restore a uniformity of color.
The chest of drawers was then cleaned and stripped. Next, I filled the indentations using pumice and alcohol. I oxidized and tinted the grafts, then applied a clear polish with a pad. I cleaned the gilt bronze mounts in an ultrasonic bath.
