About MPFConservation
We are a conservation and restoration firm located in the Pacific Northwest, specializing in objects:
furniture, but also other objects;
wood, stone or metal furniture or objects;
lacquered and painted furniture or objects;
traditional finishes on furniture or objects;
quilts, beaded objects, and some textile reparation and
interior architectural elements, such as leather or upholstered walls.
When you think about conservation, equate it to restoring the furniture or object the best way possible for the history, life and value of the object. We are fully qualified to perform museum-tectbook treatments, but also flexible enough to work with private clients to allow for daily use of objects.
We work West of the Rockies from Canada to Mexico, and once in a while venture beyond the West for specific treatments.
Kate and Mitchell Powell are partners in work and in life; we each have our specialties in work and in our marriage. Mitchell is the cat charmer in both!
To see our work visit our official website: http://www.mpfconservation.com
Our client wanted to have the family spinning wheel conserved, but no longer for use (it is very old). It will be for her future generations to have. FAMILY HISTORY Two sides of her family migrated to American from Denmark, … Continue reading →
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Posted in antiques, conservation techniques, Interim Report, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, waxes, wooden objects
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Tagged #flaxwheel, #mpfconservation, #nwportland, #objectconservation, #objectconservator, #pacificnorthwest, #paintedfinish, #portlandoregon, #restorationtechniques, #spinningwheel, #woodenobjectconservation
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Our client’s goals were to preserve and restore her Grandfather’s steamer trunk, while keeping as much of the history intact. She wanted it to appear historic, not new. It was terribly damaged. We kept this goal in mind as we chose how to allow the history to be seen, while making the inside a clean surface that one could store linens in with no worries. Continue reading →
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Posted in antiques, conservation techniques, Interim Report, painted furniture, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, steamer trunk, traditional varnishes, upholstery, wooden objects
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Tagged #finishconservation, #finishrestoration, #handcarved, #lockingtrunk, #mpfconservation, #objectconservation, #objectconservator, #originalfinish, #pacificnorthwest, #portlandoregon, #streamertrunk, #traditionalwoodworking, #trunkrestoration, #woodenobjectconservation, #woodworking, #yellowpine
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Our armchair, affectionately known as the “lollipop” chair, was made circa 1880. George Jakob Hunzinger (born 1835 in Tuttingen, Germany), was a progressive designer out of New York who was often influenced in his designs by machinery; their geometry … Continue reading →
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Posted in antiques, art, chair, conservation techniques, decorative motifs, Interim Report, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, wooden objects
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Tagged #americanantiques, #americanfurniture, #americanmade, #eclecticism, #GeorgeJakobHunzinger, #Hunzinger, #lollipopchair, #mpfconservation, #nwportland, #objectconservation, #portlandoregon, #spoolchair, #traditionalwoodworking, #woodenobjectconservation, reparation
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This continues several posts on the preservation of a lovely Old Wood Mason Monterey Club chair from our client’s family. To see the excavation, go here. To view the finish notes, go here. For the seat buildup, go here. Progress … Continue reading →
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Posted in antiques, chair, conservation techniques, decorative motifs, history, Interim Report, painted furniture, painted objects, preservation, reparation, restoration techniques, upholstery, wooden objects
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Tagged #californiafurniture, #californiastyle, #clubchair, #finishconservation, #finishrestoration, #horseshoe, #leatherchair, #leathercushions, #leatherupholstery, #madeincalifornia, #masonmonterey, #montereyfurniture, #oldwood, #originalfinish, #pacificnorthwest, #portlandoregon, #springfilledcushions, #upholsteryconservation, #UpholsteryPortlandOregon, #upholsteryrestoration, #westernfurniture
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FRENCH WALNUT COUNTY BUFFET Follow along with our interim report for our client’s French Walnut Country Buffet: Previously, we began with Assessment… Our “before” images are our reference documents! EXCAVATION We removed the doors, and then the top of the … Continue reading →
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Posted in antiques, conservation techniques, French Furniture, Interim Report, pest infestation, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, wooden objects
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Tagged #circa17thcentury, #disassembly, #frenchbuffet, #frenchcabinet, #frenchcountry, #frenchfurniture, #mpfconservation, #nwportland, #objectconservation, #objectconservator, #pacificnorthwest, #portlandoregon, #slidingdovetailed, #traditionalwoodworking, #walnut, #woodenobjectconservation, #woodworking, Buffet, escutcheon, excavation, object conservation, wooden object conservation
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FRENCH WALNUT COUNTY BUFFET Our client’s French Walnut Country Buffet was created in the mid to late 17th century. The finish, likely original, has not been tampered with any modern finish materials… It has a lovely patina that we will … Continue reading →
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Posted in antiques, conservation techniques, French Furniture, Interim Report, pest infestation, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, wooden objects
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Tagged #circa17thcentury, #frenchbuffet, #frenchcabinet, #frenchcountry, #frenchfurniture, #mpfconservation, #nwportland, #objectconservation, #objectconservator, #pacificnorthwest, #portlandoregon, #walnut, #woodenobjectconservation, #woodworking, Buffet, escutcheon, object conservation, wooden object conservation
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Edit, update from Mitchell: “The chair featured in this article is very old. It was probably well into it’s use at the time Henry Hudson first made his way up the river which became his namesake. It was originally a … Continue reading →
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Posted in antiques, art, conservation techniques, decorative motifs, Interim Report, painted objects, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, wooden objects
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Tagged #17century, #dutchladderback, #handcarved, #mpfconservation, #nwportland, #objectconservation, #objectconservator, #pacificnorthwest, #portlandoregon, #Spindleback, #textileconservation, #upholsteryconservation, #upholsterypacificnorthwest, #UpholsteryPortlandOregon, #woodenobjectconservation, object conservation, wooden object conservation
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The chest of drawers is a seventeenth century French Louis XIV, shown above after treatment in its full glory. The drawers are wide and deep, and one can imagine a wealthy woman having a lovely chest to place long full … Continue reading →
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Posted in antiques, art, conservation techniques, decorative motifs, Interim Report, painted objects, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, wooden objects
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Tagged #mpfconservation, #nwportland, #objectconservation, #objectconservator, #pacificnorthwest, #polychromeobjects, #portlandoregon, #veneer, #woodenobjectconservation, #woodworking, escutcheon, object conservation, wooden object conservation
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This is a family heirloom, a spinning wheel made for spinning flax. Our client inherited the wheel and wanted the small piece broken repaired. It is unlikely that it will be used again, but it has to be strong enough … Continue reading →
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Posted in antiques, conservation techniques, decorative motifs, Interim Report, painted furniture, painted objects, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, traditional varnishes, waxes, wooden objects
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Tagged #flaxwheel, #mpfconservation, #nwportland, #objectconservation, #objectconservator, #pacificnorthwest, #polychromeobjects, #portlandoregon, #prosthetic, #spinningwheel, #textileconservation, #textilerestoration, #woodenobjectconservation, object conservation, painted objects, polychrome, wooden object conservation
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Our White Patriotic Jumper had repairs to be made on the tail, the tail-to-leg connection, all four legs, and his belly. When these repairs were completed, we could treat surface repairs and finish. The White Patriotic Jumper is a sample … Continue reading →
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Posted in antiques, art, conservation techniques, decorative motifs, Interim Report, painted objects, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, wooden objects
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Tagged #antiquecarousels, #carouselhorses, #carouselrestoration, #cwparker, #cwparkercarousel, #historiccarousels, #horse, #jantzenbeachcarousel, #jumper, #mpfconservation, #nwportland, #objectconservation, #paintedobjects, #parkercarousel, #patriotic, #patrioticjumper, #polychromeobjects, #portlandoregon, #woodrepairs, C.W.Parker carousel, carousel, horses, Jantzen Beach Carousel, object conservation, painted objects, polychrome, restoration, wooden object conservation
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As promised, an explanation of our assessment process, and of course, a horse is so much more interesting than a building part! Terri is a beloved horse from the Jantzen Beach Carousel; locals have fond memories of her! Terri is … Continue reading →
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Posted in antiques, art, conservation techniques, decorative motifs, Interim Report, painted objects, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, wooden objects
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Tagged #carouselhorses, #jantzenbeachcarousel, #mpfconservation, #nwportland, #objectconservation, #parkercarousel, #polychromeobjects, #portlandoregon, #stargazer, carousel, horses, Jantzen Beach Carousel, object conservation, painted objects, polychrome, wooden object conservation
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After what was the best difficult moving days we’ve ever had (go here read about that), the horses and many shields and cresting boards are in our studio, which now has a large room called the “Jantzen Beach Stable”. When … Continue reading →
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Posted in antiques, decorative motifs, Interim Report, painted objects, preservation, reparation, restoration techniques, wooden objects
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Tagged #antiquecarousels, #carouselhorses, #cwparkercarousel, #historiccarousels, #jantzenbeachcarousel, #mpfconservation, #nwportland, #objectconservation, #parkercarousel, #polychromeobjects, #portlandoregon, #stargazer, C.W.Parker carousel, carousel, horses, Jantzen Beach Carousel, object conservation, painted objects, polychrome, wooden object conservation
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Note: The images all have notations if you scroll through. “You want us to do whaaaat?” “Yes, that’s right, first, this mess has to be cleaned up!” We first arrived to assess the horses, because it starts with the horses, … Continue reading →
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Posted in antiques, conservation techniques, decorative motifs, Interim Report, painted objects, preservation, process, wooden objects
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Tagged #carouselhorses, #jantzenbeachcarousel, #mpfconservation, #nwportland, #objectconservation, #parkercarousel, #polychromeobjects, #portlandoregon, #stargazer, #woodenobjectconservation, carousel, horses, Jantzen Beach Carousel, object conservation, painted objects, polychrome, wooden object conservation
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Damage to traditional shellac varnishes — original varnishes made from shellac, and possibly with additional resins such as dammar, etc. — is often preventable. We see several common and preventable mistakes owners make over and over again. Before stripping, call … Continue reading →
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Posted in antiques, CAUTIONS, conservation techniques, preservation, reparation, restoration techniques, shellac, traditional varnishes, waxes, wooden objects
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Tagged antique care, antique shellac varnish, caring for your treasure, damage
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We had a call today from a prospective client who restored their récamier or fainting couch six years ago, with someone else. The news was sad. She had taken the piece to a local refinisher to have it refinished. The … Continue reading →
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Mitchell and I performed a condition assessment at Philip Foster Farm in Eagle Creek, Oregon, the end of July. Philip and Mary Charlotte Foster sailed around Cape Horn and landed in Oregon in 1843. They established a store and farm in … Continue reading →
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Posted in antiques, house museums, preservation, upholstery
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Tagged Barlow Road, carriage conservation, carriages, Eagle Creek, Eastlake, Jacknife Zion Horsehaven, Mary Charlotte Foster, McLoughlin, Oregon, Oregon history, Philip Foster Farm, Portland, Portland Oregon, Textile conservation, Victorian furniture, Wagons
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by DKP This is a lovely family heirloom, an American Empire Seignouret Chair made in New York. It had a soiled needlepoint seat, a seat that was dropping through, and the frame finish needed treatment and preservation. The chair was … Continue reading →
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by DKP I am having lots of fun doing slide shows of our previous projects, which are diverse. Here are many Mid-Century Modern and Modern Classic projects from our files since we were liberated from old film cameras to digital … Continue reading →
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Posted in antiques, conservation techniques, preservation, traditional varnishes, upholstery
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Tagged Ant Chair, Arne Jacobsen, Charles + Ray Eames, Eames Lounge Chair, Egg Chair, Harry Lunstead, Upholstery Portland Oregon
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by DKP We had the opportunity to conserve the wonderful Eastlake style sofa-bed by A. Hansen Co., Chicago, Ill., below. Our client restored a Victorian in NE Portland, and this sofa-bed will grace her office. This is the sixth post … Continue reading →
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Posted in conservation techniques, restoration techniques, upholstery
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Tagged A. Hansen 1878 Chicago, convertible sofa, East Lake, Eastlake, edge roll, MPF Conservation, seat spring deck, Sofa-bed, Sofabed, Victorian furniture
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by DKP How do you get information on caring for your precious family heirlooms? We are asked how-to care for items frequently, in areas where we have little expertise (photographs, digital information, etc.). However, we know where people can obtain … Continue reading →
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Posted in preservation
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Tagged antique care, caring for your treasure, clean furniture, dusting, family heirlooms, how to, Oregon, Pacific Northwest, painting care, photograph care, polish furniture, Portland, Portland Oregon, quilt care, silver care, textile care, Textile conservation, Upholstery Portland Oregon, vacuuming, wax furniture
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by DKP We had the opportunity to conserve a wonderful Eastlake style sofa-bed by A. Hansen Co., Chicago, Ill. Our clients have restored a wonderful Victorian in NE Portland, and this sofa-bed will grace her office. This is the second … Continue reading →
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Posted in conservation techniques, Interim Report, restoration techniques, upholstery
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Tagged 19th century, A. Hansen 1878 Chicago, American, Art Nouveau, arts and crafts, convertible sofa, East Lake, Eastlake, fold-out couch, Furniture Conservation, Furniture Restoration, MPF Conservation, parlor furniture, sleeper, Sofa-bed, Sofabed, Upholstery Portland Oregon, Victorian furniture
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by DKP We had the opportunity to conserve a wonderful Eastlake style sofa-bed by A. Hansen Co., Chicago, Ill. Our clients have restored a wonderful Victorian in NE Portland, and this sofa-bed will grace her office. It was thought the … Continue reading →
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Posted in conservation techniques, Interim Report, mold, restoration techniques, upholstery
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Tagged 19th century, A. Hansen 1878 Chicago, American, Art Nouveau, arts and crafts, Chicago, convertible sofa, East Lake, Eastlake, fold-out couch, Furniture Conservation, Furniture Restoration, middle class, parlor furniture, sleeper, Sofa-bed, Sofabed, Upholstery Portland Oregon, Victorian furniture
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This gallery contains 12 photos.
Mitchell and I have slightly different personal tastes, and a good deal of overlap. He loves really old antiques, richly carved wood, ornately upholstered, tasseled, and I like modern furniture, with its sleek lines and rich colors. We both love … Continue reading →
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More Galleries
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Tagged Ant Chair, architectural furniture, Arne Jacobsen, Charles + Ray Eames, Crown, Drop Leaf Table, Egg Chair, Harry Lunstead, Marcel Breuer, Mid-Century Modern, Modern furniture, Paulin, Wassily
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MPF Conservation is working to discover the original paint colors for the Hanley Farm exterior and for the foyer, and is assisting SOHS with a plan to preserve the stencils in the parlor. It is a wonderful historical farm with original furnishings, wallpaper, carpets, and accouterments — lovely! I walked the rooms one day snapping pics for fun: below are some wonderful objects. Let’s take a walk! Continue reading →
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Posted in architecture, conservation techniques, house museums, restoration techniques
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Tagged architectural preservation, Hanley Farm, Hanley House, Jacksonville, Medford, Michael Hanley, Oregon history, SOHS, Southern Oregon Historical Society
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by DKP You fell in LOVE. At the local thrift store, garage sale, or (yes even here) antique store. Antique stores, especially high end stores, should take care of these things or at least warn you, but we are going … Continue reading →
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Marguerite Wadin McKay McLoughlin was John McLoughlin’s second wife. She was born in 1775 in St. Lawrence, Quebec, to Jean Etienne Wadin and Marie Deguire, a French-Indian mix. She was the widow of Alexander McKay, a member of the Astor party, who died in … Continue reading →
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Posted in conservation techniques, Lacquer, musings
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Tagged #butterfly, #columbiariver, #conservationtechniques, #drfrasertolmie, #fatheroforegon, #giltbutterflies, #johnmcloughlin, #lacquercabinet, #margueritemcloughlin, #mcloughlinhouse, #nps, #oregonhistory, #pacificnorthwest, #portlandoregon, #sewingcabinet, #woodenobjectconservation
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I did a search today and found an article about us and the Oregon Caves Chateau on the National Parks blog. It has been there for a few months; not sure how I missed it. It is nice to be … Continue reading →
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by DKP (Interviewing Mitchell) The first step in upholstery conservation is inspecting all the existing parts previously excavated, and cleaning all reusable parts. One of the things we like about this is that it supports a “green” business, part of … Continue reading →
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by DKP (Interviewing Mitchell) CATZ owner Sammy zips into the studio for the photo-shots. “O-U-T!” Part 2 finds us excavating the chair, which means to thoughtfully take the chair apart to be repaired with an eye to how it was … Continue reading →
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by DKP (Interviewing Mitchell) We are stepping back into upholstery conservation this spring with a chair for a private client; the family calls it the “Bishops Chair.” The chair lived in Europe for part of its life, then came via … Continue reading →
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Posted in conservation techniques, Interim Report, upholstery
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Tagged acanthus, Baroque Revival, fauteuil, German, gothic period, gothic revival, renaissance revival, Upholstery Portland Oregon, Victorian
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©MPF Conservation. May be printed for your own use. May be reposted if our url+copyright is used as reference. When we went to choose chairs for the event I came across this sweet child’s rocker by Heywood Wakefield. I asked … Continue reading →
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©MPF Conservation. May be printed for your own use. May be reposted if our url+copyright is used as reference. MPFC recently completed treatment of a washstand for the Mcloughlin House in Oregon City which came from the first steamship to sail … Continue reading →
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Posted in American Furniture, antiques, cabinet, chest of drawers, conservation techniques, Interim Report, preservation, traditional varnishes, wooden objects
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Tagged #columbiariver, #conservationtechniques, #drfrasertolmie, #fatheroforegon, #johnmcloughlin, #mcloughlinhouse, #nps, #oregonhistory, #pacificnorthwest, #portlandoregon, #washstond, #woodenobjectconservation
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Truth be told, we own the business. They bring us the bacon, as they say (really it is chicken), and they complain that our hours are never billable. They don’t take enough breaks, though we constantly remind them by bringing them … Continue reading →
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©MPF Conservation. May be printed for your own use. May be reposted if our url+copyright is used as reference. Having time for the chairs for the Community Warehouse Auction “the Chair Affair” was a challenge with work and family. I … Continue reading →
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©MPF Conservation. May be printed for your own use. May be reposted if our url+copyright is used as reference. This is the first year I have participated in the Chair Affair to benefit the Community Warehouse, which benefits many needy … Continue reading →
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The trend in American conservation is to think of conservation as science. A more balanced truth is conservation is an art that uses science. Infill is one area that proves that theory. Simplistically, one reason infill is performed in a … Continue reading →
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How does one place value on memories? What do we say when families ask us if a piece is worth repairing? Usually they are trying to justify their expenditure by putting a value on something that will never be sold. … Continue reading →
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