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Email @ d.chapman.restoration@hotmail.co.uk
Workshop telephone 07814520970
Restoration of Georgian antique furniture
Throughout the year I will often restorer chest of draws for private and trade customers. A good quality chest will give you plenty of storage as well as a decorative peace of furniture and good value for your money
Often they come in to the workshop looking for some restoration and polishing. Often they come in with chips of veneer missing. Wear on the draws and runners, ring and water marks to the tops.
These two recent chest of draws will hope to give you some idea of what can be achieved with some restoration and polishing
This straight fronted chest of draws come in for attention to the draw runners as well as the cockbeading around the draws. The beading will tend to brake and damage due to the wear on the draw runners over a period of time . The top had water mark over it and had gone through the polish and in to the wood. The chest had tapering legs which appeared to be original and were missing some boxwood line as well as the toes. 
The first job is remove the brass work from the draws. These will be cleaned put back on at the end. The cockbeading was replaced and draws runner had worn out wood cut and and new wood replaced. The next was to repair the feet some missing toes were replaced along with the boxwood line. The chest rails had some damage and old repairs .this was removed and replaced for new wood. This was down partly to the draws catching on them as they were opened and closed over time. Next for me was to removesp the water damage from the top . Small amount of meths and set a light helps to lift the water marks from the surface ready for polishing.
After all the repairs were carried out the draws fitted back to carcass and the job was cleaned back for French polishing. This was done over a period of time and once done the furniture was waxed and ready for the handles.
The next job was the bow fronted Georgian mahogany chest
This had much the same problems as the other chest.
Wear to the draw runners
Cockbeading around the draws
Water damage and faded polish
This chest originally had woodern knobs and was replaced with brass ring handles. This is common practice as fashion and styles change.
Again the the chest neede repolishing. The furniture was cleaned back and repolished. This doesn’t involve stripping the polish as this would remove the patina from the furniture. After polishing the furniture was waxed and with the handles cleaned they were put back on . The furniture was now ready for delivery .
