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RESTORATION
The restoration of antique furniture is a rather complicated matter because it requires quite diverse skills and knowledge.
Most of the time people think that removing the polish or sanding a piece of furniture and then giving it a few hands of shellac with a pad, they have completed a restoration. Things become even more complicated if a cabinetmakers who does not have knowledge of antique techniques or materials, fabricated missing pieces for an antique piece of furniture. Most of the time in those case we have to re-restore a piece, if it has not been so "ruined" that it has lost all of its value as an antique. Bad restorations are not exclusive to Spain. Many also come from England-cradle of great restorers-and other countries, where the price of restoration is several times higher than Spain. Due to this high cost many people settle for the "easy fix" rather than restore a piece professionaly.
First and foremost a restorer needs to be expert on antiques and their history, in order to understand their specific origin, their style, the technique and tools utilised at the time, how to use them, the various woods etc. If the restorer must veneer, what veneer should it be? What thickness, what figure or grain, where could one obtain that specific wood, is it primary or is it structural? In some occasions, in the workshop of Anticuarium we have to cut our own veneer at the same thickness of the antique. Most of our fine or exotic woods come from other countries, although sometimes that is not even sufficient; and we have to look for them at depositories of antique furniture parts.
In our workshop we use techniques and tools from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, but also modern ones when it is permitted. We are members of various associations of Fine Cabinetmaking and Restoration and we receive a wealth of information from U.S. universities where a lot of research takes place on the subjects of cabinetmaking techniques and woods used in past centuries, studies that we also started during our 30 years of life in the U.S.
Although we restore a great variety of antique furniture for our clients, we would only purchase original pieces for Anticuarium, such that they might only require minimal restoration. This way we ascertain the originality and authenticity of what we sell and as a consequence its value as an investment. However, having studied restoration and having dismantled hundreds of pieces, it would be difficult for us to make a mistake if part or all of an antique piece furniture is not original or for a restorer to deceive us even if he/she is a master.
DETALLES DE LA RESTAURACIÓNFine Large Circular Dining Table of French origin dating to the second half of the 19th century extendable to 3.70m(146") of fine "bird's eye" poplar veneers over solid beechwood decorated with all around fluted brass mouldings, one wider above and a thinner one at the lower edge of the skirt, both in excellent condition. Additional brass reeded rectangular decorations over the 4 main tapering legs which are of solid burr poplar with gilded fluting, terminating in ebonised brass casters. There are 2 additional permanent supporting legs at the center below. The table closed has a diameter of 130 cms(51") and it extends via smooth sliding action up to 370 cms(146") using 4 skirted extension leaves, each of 60 x 130 cms (24" x 51"). You may see the fine quality cabinetmaking structure below which is all dovetailed and "tongue and groove". It has been professionally restored and in fine original condition.
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These represent some of our skills performed in our workshop and just a few samples of our restoration work.
C/ La Candía 35, Rucandial 39012 Santander, España - Spain
