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Tables + Clocks

This page is dedicated to tables + clocks, whether painted/polychrome,or traditionally finished with resin varnishes. Using conservation methods, we repair everything from small breaks, shattered legs, to finish failures.

What is important about the work is the way treatments are performed. Our techniques save the original components and original finish whenever possible, and work with restorative techniques which are era-appropriate traditional finish methods. Barriers are used to protect original finishes when appropriate. We mix our own true shellacs, resins, and hide glues.

Look to the Pembroke Gateleg Table for examples of simple polishing techniques. For more information go back to our opening page on Wooden Objects.

 

Kentucky Cherrywood Gateleg Pembroke Table Ca. 1820

This Kentucky table began its life with a smaller table top. The original top was made of cherry sapwood, and was made with small knots intact and unusual tangential grain. Imperfections of this sort are more typical of country folk furnishings. However, the original craftsmanship exhibits sophistication of technique and intent toward perfection. During the early 20th century the table top boards were separated at their joins and other additional boards from cherry heartwood and possibly from another table were joined to the original table to enlarge the top. The table top had structural failures as well as problems with the leg joinery, gate hinge and apron joinery. MPFC disassembled the table, cleaned joins, reglued joinery, repaired the gate hinge and repaired the apron joinery. All surfaces were thoroughly cleaned, pounced, and rubbed; the finish was then waxed and polished. Gateleg Pembroke Table after treatment, top right. Before, below: note the warped tabletop, left, the broken leg, center, and the finish problems.

Rottenstone pounced, left, and mineral oil laid onto the table top, above right.
Rubbing begins, center left, and wiping excess off, center right.
Waxing, bottom left, and polishing, bottom right.

 

Marston & Quina Arts & Crafts Family Table Ca. 1900

This family table has lived in many climates, from Florida to NYC to California to Oregon, all of which has contributed to some of the problems in the structure. While technically Arts & Crafts, it possesses influences of Victorian Bavarian style within its legs. Conditional issues included: damaged loafer guides, table top underside riddled with large screw holes (some of which went through the top), pest infestation which undermined the leg supports, delaminating and abraded veneer, and damaged wood substrata, and damaged finish. MPFC thoroughly inspected holes from pests for current pest infestation (and found none), replicated guides and leg supports, filled all holes to stabilize existing wood structure, repaired delaminating veneers, and repaired and preserved the finish. In addition, we preserved the label so no further damage could occur. RESUME COMING SOON.

Before, above, and after treatment, below.

 

Buck's County Tilt-top Table Ca. 1750

A family heirloom, this Bucks County Pennsylvania piece circa 1750 was
passed down through the generations. It came to us with several cracks in the
base and a cracked top. The finish was compromised. Our goal was to repair all compromised areas; assess previous repairs (but not necessarily "fix" them);
clean, repair (where necessary), and preserve the original finish. We offer the full
BUCKS COUNTY TILT-TOP TABLE TREATMENT REPORT

Before, above, and after treatment, below

 

American Gateleg Pembroke Cherrywood Table Ca. 1810

This Pembroke table had severe condition issues from delaminating joins on the table leaf to loose leg and apron joinery. The hinge bores were undermined. The varnish was original but had a modern over coating. MPFC reglued the failed join; disassembled the leg and apron joinery and cleaned the joints, then reglued with hide glue; and conserved the screw holes so the hinges were properly secured. The modern varnish overcoat was removed to the greatest degree possible without damaging the undercoat of historical pigment and varnish. The table received a proper top coat of shellac varnish, then was waxed and rubbed to a beautiful historically accurate patina.

 

Family Danish-style Table Ca. 1950

This Connecticut table was created in the 1950's out of cherry solids in a modern Danish-style. The finish was original, nicely patinated, but scratched and imprinted with white heat and water marks. The original oil-based varnish was agreeable to polishing. The top was repeatedly pounced with fine rottenstone and rubbed with cork and felt pads and mineral oil until the fine scratches and white blemishes disappeared. The slurry was thoroughly cleaned from the surface and the top was waxed with our hard carnauba wax and polished. Before, below, and after treatment, above right.

 

American Family Table Ca. 1920

A sentimental family piece from the 1920's, this table suffered extreme color damage to its leaves, damage to the table base, and needed preservation treatment to the overall top. After reparation
of severe cracks, the family requested that we create a reversible prosthetic
to stabilize the table from excessive wobble. We added cotton felt underneath
the stabilizing bar to keep the table from creaking.

Before treatment, above left, and detail above right. Prosthetic added with wool felt between prosthetic and table, bottom left, and prosthetic installed, bottom right.

 

Lunstead Copper Table

A modern family heirloom made in Harry Lunstead's studio in Seattle Washington. Acid etched copper top 48-inch table. We properly conserved the top which
had several bad scratches. LUNSTEAD COPPER TABLE

Before, left, and after treatment, right.

 

Dad's Clock Ca. 1930

Our client's father had made this clock in his shop class in Texas as a young man in he 1930's. It was a sentimental item, and when his mother died the clock was sent to him from Texas to Oregon. The movers wrapped it in rolled plastic wrap and the wrap embedded itself into the shellac on the long drive and Striéd the finish as shown below. Deep streaks of "wrap" marks were everywhere on the clock, created a moiré pattern. A few structural repairs were made prior to the process of amalgamation, infill, and a top coat. Understand when viewing these images, his father applied a very thick shellac on the wood. We worked with that thick coat.
Above, before treatment, left, and after treatment, right.

Before, above, and after treatment, below.

To see NPS Tables, visit the following pages:

McLoughlin House NM Game + Drop Leaf Tables

 

Imperial Monterey Tables, Crater Lake NP

Dining Table + Two Library Tables

Tilt-top Table

 

Additional pages offer specific wooden items:

• Chairs + Rockers + Footstools;
• Desks + Cabinets + Chests of Drawers and other Storage;
• Painted Polychrome and Lacquer Objects;
• Visit the collection of wooden objects at the McLoughlin House.
• Visit the collection of Imperial Monterey Furniture from Crater Lake National Park
• Visit the collection of Mason Monterey furniture at the Oregon Caves National Monument (in process.)