Our client’s Louis XIV Revival Fauteuil, above.
We started, as we always do, with an assessment.
Then patterns were made and the textile and buildup was excavated.
The  frame finish was conserved.
The tapestry was cleaned and small reparations performed.

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The frame was in very good condition: two issues, numerous tack holes in the frame needed to be stabilized, and the corner blocks needed to be replaced.

Hide glue.

Driving hard picks into existing tack holes.

Hard picks applied.

Hard picks applied.

We repaired the damage created by many tack holes.
Nail holes were filled with hide glue and hard picks were tapped into each.
This effectively fills the voids and creates a stronger frame.

Sawing picks to edge.

Further leveling as necessary.

A Japanese saw carefully cuts the pins to the surface,
and Mitchell used a chisel remove any unleveled nibs.

Removing old inadequate and damaged blocks.

Glued and nailed.

The blocks had hard edges.

The blocks had hard edges.

Mitchell removed old inadequate and damaged corner blocks on all four corners;
they were fragmented and too small for an entablature that will take
the tensions of the upholstery.  New corner blocks were cut and fit,
glued using hide glue, and nailed into place.

At this time the blocks had hard edges.

Softening front arm hard cut block edges.

Softened and curved block edges.

Later, color added in case of bleed.

Rear edge after curving hard edges.

Later, color added in case of bleed.

Hard edges were chamfered because the softened edges will not cut into the various materials of the buildup, including the tapestry if it comes into contact with them.  The corner blocks are also finished in case of bleed-through over the years.

The frame is ready for buildup, next steps.
(Note in this image the corner blocks were not yet colored.

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Written by Kate Powell  ©MPF Conservation.
May be printed for your own use ONLY, not for use on blogs without permission.