Restoration. Conservation. Creation
Here are some images of the restoration of this desk, with a solid mahogany base and mahogany burl veneer for the rest. Note that the recessed top is made from a single 12mm thick plank of solid mahogany burl. Here is the desk before restoration. The bulk of the work is on the legs. They are broken at the middle joint. They have already been repaired and are held together only by additional screws. Two cracks can be seen at the […]
A beautiful restoration and, above all, conservation effort has been undertaken on this lovely Empire-period dressing table. Its frame is made of oak and poplar, veneered with mahogany burl. The drawer sides and bottoms are solid mahogany. It rests on four column legs ending in casters and joined by an H-shaped stretcher. The frieze opens with a drawer revealing a writing surface lined with blue morocco leather, a pen case, and two compartments for inkwells, as well as two large drawers on either side for essentials […]
Restoration of a drop-front secretary desk built in oak and veneered with mottled mahogany and mahogany from Saint-Domingue. Its design dates from the late 18th century. Its white Carrara marble top is surrounded by a partially openwork brass gallery. It opens with a drawer at the top, a drop-front in the middle, and three drawers at the bottom; all the original locks are secured with a clover-shaped key. All the panels on the front and sides are framed with brass quarter-round moldings. The drop-front is veneered in mahogany […]
This week marks the completion of the restoration of a Louis XVI period secretary. Martin Ohneberg (Master in 1773), the cabinetmaker who crafted this piece, was an excellent marquetry artist and used very high-quality rosewood. He produced numerous pieces of furniture with very simple lines but exquisite marquetry, including an endless variety of drop-front secretaries. This particular one is veneered with rosewood and amaranth, and features a mosaic marquetry of maple blossoms on a red satinwood ground. The framing bands […]
Remember that slant-front desk? Well, it's finished. It was quite a task, but now it's regained its former glory. Only the drawer keyholes and the leather upholstery remain to be fitted before it's returned to its owner. A large part of the legs has been remade from sawn violet wood. This was cut to the correct thickness, scraped and sanded, then oxidized before being glued, so as not to have to sand the entire piece of furniture […]
This week, a small Louis XVI style games table left the workshop. As you'll see, there wasn't much work to be done. It just goes to show that a simple cleaning, revarnishing, and a fresh coat of leather can breathe new life into a rather dull piece of furniture.
