Wood Objects

Wooden Objects

Chinese Chest Our clientele and objects range from complicated private and institutional pieces to simple family heirlooms. We repair broken parts, veneers, damaged finishes, and missing metalwork in a manner that allows you to retain the value of your piece.

waxing buffet What is important about our work is the way it is performed. Reparation of broken items is performed whenever possible with original parts, barriers and reversible adhesives. Holes are conserved, degraded glues are removed, and new era-appropriate or reversible glues are used. We create our own or obtain our hide glue from a reputable, conservation-minded, non-commercial source.

varnish buffet If necessary, we replicate missing or failed parts from vintage or reclaimed wood.

We do not strip finishes, which can damage wood and lift veneer, and destroys histlorical information. Our techniques save the original finish whenever possible, and work with restorative techniques and barriers which are era-appropriate, traditional finish methods or approved conservation products. Barriers are used to protect original finishes as necessary.

WAXES We create our own true shellac and resin varnishes, and many of our own waxes. Traditional finishes are often made from organic materials: tree resins, waxes and oils. MPFC takes that a step further and takes care to choose environmentally safe and sustainable products whenever possible, including our choice of earth pigments.

In the practice of antique conservation of traditional finishes, we do not strip finishes, which means that the highly toxic chemicals used in strip shops are not leached into the air nor into the land via dumping on the earth or in the sewage system. Further, we have little to no disposal, as we make what we need for each project so do not have to send cans of excess to the landfill. (For more information on our GREEN practices see our article.)

In addition, visit these pages for further items:

American Arts & Crafts Greek Revival Buffet Ca. 1900

This family heirloom was badly damaged from years
of use, and held many good memories. Hot foods
and wax candles had caused thermochromatic damage to the oak veneer, and there were also chips and gouges on the top and sides. We thoroughly cleaned the finish, repaired the veneer, repaired drawer glides and the outside back panel, and repaired the damaged finish with infill and amalgamation, then waxed.
Before, left, and after treatment, right.

Before, above, and after treatment, below.

Kentucky Livery Cabinet Ca. 1830

A family heirloom, this Livery Cabinet was passed down thought several generations. We believe it was made in Kentucky, with a Germanic influence. The piece had a broken and missing top edge, broken base, and the finish was in poor condition. We reproduced the missing pieces from vintage wood, infilled holes, reglued and repaired unstable areas, and protected the finish, which also enhanced the patina. KENTUCKY LIVERY CABINET RESUME

Before, above, and after treatment, below.

American Greek Revival Chest of Drawers Ca. 1910

A family heirloom, this chest of drawers had many accidents over its many years of use. Perfume bottles, white rings from water glasses, spills of colored liquid, and numerous scratches had marred the surface, plus the usual nicks, dings, and gouges. Ammonia had been sprayed on the mirror surface, and had seeped into the wood and finish around the mirror. The owner had tried to refinish it herself then decided to bring it to us, so we also had to match the sanded side and drawers with the older finish. Our goal was not perfection, but to bring the piece back to an acceptable appearance with its aged
flaws as part of its history. To that end, we did no sanding other than to lightly
etch the surface. We thoroughly cleaned the piece, amalgamated deep holes,
repaired the minor woodworking issues, then began the long process of finish infill, ending with a wax top coat for protection. This project is both conservation
and restoration with using conservation and traditional techniques.
AMERICAN GREEK REVIVAL CHEST OF DRAWERS RESUME

Before, above, and after treatment, below.

Modern Brazil Wood Desk + Credenza CA. 1960

A family with a collection of modern classics had this desk from the grandfather's office, bleached by sun and caustic cleanings agents, plus dings and other abrasions. The grain was open and unprotected. Their grandfather was now in a wheelchair and the family wanted the desk modified without damaging it to allow for his chair to fit. We treated the conditions and created a reversible prosthetic. MODERN BRAZIL WOOD DESK & MODERN BRAZIL WOOD CREDENZA

Before, left, and after treatment, right.

Sheraton Kidney Leather-Topped Desk Ca. 1950

A family heirloom, this kidney shaped Sheraton mid-twentieth century leather topped desk was in poor condition. The finish on the body of the desk was experiencing loss due to the move from a moist climate to a dry climate; the leather top had many problems besides a layer of deep grime form decades of use. The desk was beloved by the owner, who saw her mother use it her whole life; however, costs needed to be reasonable. MPFC thoroughly cleaned the piece, repaired the finish losses on the body of the desk, and cleaned the leather top. We did not infill color loss to the leather top. SHERATON KIDNEY LEATHER-TOPPED DESK

Before, left, and after treatment, right.

American Federal Chest of Drawers Ca. 1810

Our private client has a great deal of heirloom early American historical furniture; this piece was one of her later pieces. The finish was extremely damaged with nail polish, scrapes, gouges, and loss of color. Both drawers and the carcass had structural failures. AMERICAN FEDERAL CHEST OF DRAWERS RESUME

American Mahogany Footstool Ca. 1880

This piece had a number of severe surface conditions needing treatment. Cracked and delaminating tangential grain on moldings was causing losses. Severe cracks in legs and stretcher posed failures in the future. Damaged shellac varnish appeared clabbered and alligatored from repeated applications of boiled lindseed oil, and the finish was flaking. Reparations were made then the piece was treated with a barrier as was appropraite for infill then waxed to a warm patination.
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 straited the finish as shown below. Deep streaks of "wrap" marks were everywhere on the clock, created a moire 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.

American Walnut Eastlake Cane Chairs Ca 1880

These are good examples of family heirlooms with substantial but easily repaired issues. They also had two improper previous reparations, plus breaks and loose connections. MPFC repaired degraded screw mortices and broken legs, infilled finish as necessary and the finish was cleaned and waxed.

Victorian Cane Chairs Ca. 1880

Our clients family Victorian Cane Chair had a shattered arm. First the arm itself was repaired.The jigsaw puzzle of pieces was restored with hardwood pins and glue. Then the arm was reattached to the chair at the back and seat, and jigs to hold arm during glue-up was created, and the arms were pinned with hardwood dowels. Cosmetic infill with pigmented wax and pigmented resin was performed, then the chair was waxed. Victorian Cane Chair Resume