Gallery

Conservation repairs were carried out for the National Trust at Nostell Priory for this important documented Chippendale supplied artist’s table from the library, where it has remained since being supplied in 1767 for the sum of £8 8s.

The locked end drawer was released, and a suitable fine shanked complex key was fitted and supplied. Splits in line with the hinge screws carrying the rising top were consolidated and glued, and split veneer facings outlining the kneehole arch were adjusted to correct misalignments caused by shrinkage of substrate to which they are fitted. The broken top of the front right leg was consolidated where split, and missing handles were also replaced.

Illustrated photo #396, and details in text p170, Christopher Gilbert’s two volume work The Life and Works of Thomas Chippendale.
He states this was originally covered in green velvet.

A fine faded rosewood sofa table with brass mounts and inlaid lines, shown on completion of treatments, from around 1805.

This fine table was displayed at the B.A.D.A Art Treasures Exhibition in Bath in 1958, and later that year the present owners purchased it.

The satisfying overall simplicity of line of the old base, carefully counter-balanced by the lavish use of boldly shaped anthemion mounts, brass-beading and cast brass mouldings to the leaf edges, are all indicative of a quality all too rarely encountered today (the handles are later replacements).

Before repairs, there was an unsightly jagged break running the length of the centre board where the oak base timber, to which the rosewood veneer is fitted, had shrunk relative to the end cleats which run front to back across the main leaf, causing damage.

Shrinkage problems are often encountered on sofa tables which are vulnerable to damage of this type in today’s drier, warmer home environments. The shrinkage of the top had also caused the inlaid brass to spring up above the surfaces of the leaves to which they were fitted.

We carefully removed the end cleats of the centre leaf section, their position approximately corresponding to the mitred end veneers fitted next to the rule joints; we were then able to carefully work a very discreet jointline where the fracture breakage had occurred, removing only a minimum of timber, and in reassembling we were careful to ensure a flush fit of the old polished surfaces at the glueline. To make up the loss in width of this centre section, an additional strip of antique oak was fitted on the underside of the leaf near the back brass line, and the missing narrow strip of rosewood was replaced with faded antique old surface rosewood with suitable grain and figuring.

The inlaid brass lines were straightened where distorted, and refitted, trimming the mitres slightly where necessary. The cast brasswork was returned to clean polished condition although the bright gloss appearance was gently toned down, as was felt to be appropriate. (This cleaning work was contracted out to a specialist metalworker.)

The colour of the top was modestly modified; not primarily by staining, but instead by careful removal of a perished layer of faded polish which had turned grey-white in strong sunlight; on removal of this clouded polish, the glorious warm honey-coloured tone of the faded rosewood veneers was revealed below.

Great care has to be taken when working with faded rosewoods as the desirable faded tone of the timber surface is only paper-thin; this colour is rapidly replaced by the intense purplish-black colour of unfaded timber if even modest abrasion or scraping is carried out; bleaching of these purple-black rosewoods to return a lost faded colour is rarely completely successful. As can be seen from the photograph, the colour of the completed top is now more consistent with the drawer-fronts and frieze below.

One mahogany hall chair from the set of 12 originally made for Richard Hall Clarke of Bridwell House, Devon, with the family crest painted on the back panel. Manufactured by the well-known London firm of Seddon, and with original surviving invoice dated 17th June 1790.

As a responsible furniture restorer I have been concerned, given the exceptionally untouched condition of the chair, to conserve the surviving original surfaces and structures, and to only carry out those repairs necessary to ensure their undamaged survival for future generations.

We gently improved scuffing damage at exposed corners and edges, smoothing the rough timber fibres, colouring down the bare areas and sealing with polish. One back seat rail, made from beech, needed treatment and consolidation works for woodworm damage. Other structural defects found during the course of my work were remedied sympathetically and with minimum disturbance to the original construction.

To complete our work the polished surfaces were given a thorough wax polishing to provide a protective mellow gloss which retains all the undulating texture of the surviving old surfaces.

Unusual and highly original walnut bureau table, c.1725. Conservation repairs included consolidation of loose veneers and cross grained mouldings using traditional scotch glue, and replacing minor losses.

Drawers and top have burr walnut panels, trimmed with herringbone inlays. The top veneer is quartered and there is a broad crossbanded outer border, outside of the herringbone inlay. Work carried out for a private client.

Illustrated in Adam Bowett’s book Early Georgian Furniture 1715–1740, p122.

These images show an unusual, exact pair of small proportioned, finely scrolled window seats from around 1755 when chinoiserie style was highly fashionable. When taken in for treatments, as on the right stool, there were remains of previous top covers; these were carefully lifted to minimise frame damage, and recorded. The window seat on the left is shown pulled down in calico prior to fitting the final cover of clients’ choice.

Apart from one stool having replaced webbing and canvas in the seat, both stools retained almost all their original stuffings and upholstery profiles, including hay/meadow grass held by original webbing on the scroll arm tops. All possible original materials and profiles were retained, whilst providing additional support with unseen good quality webbing and canvas. Note how crisp the outlines of the scrolled ends are – so often this is lost by poorly executed heavy profile reupholstery work.

Repairs were carried out to breaks in the beech scrolls, and chipped edges to outlines were patched. All frame timber was made sound throughout and details were recorded of original close nailing pattern to be used when top covers were fitted.

Blind fretwork on the legs is carved in the solid timber, and even follows the rare, slightly curved outline at the tops of the legs, just below the upholstery line. Minor losses to fretwork were patched and tidied, and the well worked chamfers of the stretchers were retained.

This pair of window seats is known to have been in one Yorkshire country house for over half their life; they now belong to a private client who also lives in the area.

Late 18th century mahogany serving table, at the head of the dining room it was originally made for in North Yorkshire. The room is conceived in the form of a classical temple with apse end, and the table is neatly fitted following the apse curved outline.

The fluted frieze rails and legs accord with the other classical fluted architectural friezes in the room, and the miniature columns supporting the upper tier reflect the series of freestanding lines of columns at the opposite end of the room. Similar freestanding columns and apses can be seen in the nearby Newby Hall, although that dining room was later converted to a library. Sheraton’s trade card of similar date also shows a column in a similar room setting where a series of tall windows runs down the side of the long wall, as it does in this room.

Work was carried out to correct shrinkage and distortion damage, especially in the upper tier, to tidy splits in the main wide serving board, to patch and tidy damage to crossbanded edges of the top, and to replace missing decorative corner brackets with turned rounded centres.