Our client inherited many family pieces, and the American Piecrust Mahogany & Elm Candle Table circa 1750 is a sweet and unusual piece. The front side of the table contains a flat, leather clad pull-out tray (shown above right pulled out) which slides forward of the table’s apron and cantilevers, offering a place to set one’s eyeglasses or writing instruments when using the table.
ASSESSMENT
The tall saber legs were intact, but loose and splayed out slightly. Breakage within the mortise structures which hold the leg stumps (tenons) secure within the “barrel” apron structure had occurred, requiring thoughtful attention toward reparation.
The right-facing side apron had fractured, above left. Thankfully a large structural element which had fallen away was saved. The substrate was splintered, fragmented, and a small loss to the interior of the “barrel” structure was missing. Also, there were losses to the decorative apron veneer.
Additional losses of elements included decorative beading around the break, extending beyond the splintering interior apron margins.
TREATMENT
Mitchell began by creating a steam bent liner to attach to the degrading interior apron. Once the liner was cut to the proper fit it was steamed to make it pliable. It was then secured to the interior apron using hide glue, then clamped to cure, right. The apron liner was then left to sit several days to help it conform to the circle.
The liner allowed for a secure, flat interior apron wall which assured a reliable foundation for the leg bridging corner blocks which were part of a later step of restoration.
The creation of the liner was necessary in order to hold the pieces of the shattered interior apron and wedge-shaped structural parts which had fallen off but were thankfully saved by our client.
The saved wedge and fragments were assembled for reparation. The tattered interior apron was smoothed to allow for good glue adhesion.
The missing triangle section was created from European beech, above. The section was custom fitted. Hide glue was applied, above, then cauled and clamped to cure, left. Exterior losses were filled from the saved fragments, and the rest infilled with molten shellac burn-ins (see FINISH).
After curing, the large piece was temporarily fit, and sanding was performed to prep the area for the large wedge to be re-attached, above.
Warm hide glue was applied to the apron loss, above image #1, and to the broken piece, image #2.
Four corner blocks were created of European beech, shown right, and an insert that fit over the tray glide, shown at the top in the image right.
The interior apron insert was strategically cut out around the tray’s “drawer” glide joinery points. The apron insert was applied using warm hide glue, above left.
Supportive structural splines which bisect leg joinery and anchor into internal historic aprons and secure leg tenons to splines were glued using warm hide glue.
The tray glides also acted as supportive structural elements for the table top; struts ensured the apron could not drift and warp over time.
The saber legs were pushed out to proper alignment with large clamps, and the entire apron was clamped to cure over the weekend, above and left.
FOUR BEECH CORNER BLOCKS and CRACKED INTERNAL APRON
First an interior corner leg support was created then glued to the internal apron. The support was then carefully bored into the depth of the historic apron and into the leg, then screwed into the leg position, above. A separate interior support behind the tray was created to work around the various glides of the tray and bisected the crack in the apron.
An angled chuck drill bored holes to accommodate the round slot-headed brass screws to secure the blocks, above.
A mixture of gap filling PVA and hide glue was prepared, and the corner blocks were brushed with the mixture then screwed into place, above.
After the corner blocks and internal support cured, they were sanded, above.
A 1 lb cut of beige shellac was applied as a seal coat, above right. This was allowed to cure overnight, right.
MISSING DECORATIVE BEADING
Losses of decorative beading along the outer orbit of the decorative apron were evident around the repaired break and extended beyond the break margins in several sections, running from a half inch to a few inches in width.
European beech was chosen with a strong grain pattern to mimic the historic distressed mahogany beading. The beech was pliable but strong, and could be bent to conform to the apron’s orbit. The pieces were cut, steamed, and bent. They sat for a weekend.
Finally the beading replacement was secured, above.
FINISH
A 1 lb cut of beige shellac was applied as a seal coat on all new/bare repairs, shown above far left.
Grain lines were painted onto the beech to make them contextual to the historic surrounds, above images center and far right
All losses in finish were filled in with a small brush and a 1 lb cut of garnet shellac, shown below. This was allowed to cure overnight.
A 2 lb cut of garnet shellac was applied to all surfaces and allowed to cure overnight. An encaustic wax treatment completed the finish treatment, below.
Finally wax which contained a high percentage of carnauba infused with rotten-stone mica was applied to the the preserved varnish, then rubbed with felt blocks to the appropriate historic patina.
AFTER TREATMENT
Before treatment, left and after treatment, right.
Before treatment, left and after treatment, right.
Above, before treatment, left and after treatment, right.
Below images of the candle table after treatment.
Written by Kate Powell ©MPF Conservation.
May be printed for your own use ONLY, not for use on blogs without permission.
What a beautiful piece this is! Your work is quite amazing.
I love this little piece of Americana also! We worked on several pieces for this client as I get time I will be publishing…. Time is always the issue!