Category Archives: painted furniture

Restoration of a Floral Needlepoint Seat ca 1900

The needlepoint seat we restored was part of a larger restoration/conservation project of a historic Mason and Hamlin Melodeon, ca 1866, shown above during assessment, and the small brass and glass claw foot spool turned Piano Stool which accompanied it, … Continue reading

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Oregon State Capitol Textiles

MPF Conservation conserved several textiles for the State of Oregon, intended to be displayed in the Capitol building; Megan Atiyeh was our contact. For more information on art shown in the Oregon State Capitol Collection, see the short booklet by … Continue reading

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SPANISH RED MASON MONTEREY A-FRAME

Note: We are adding older projects and updating (recreating) some which were previously posted because they were written at a time when tags and other web-based items were not offered on WordPress. This is one of them, and the older … Continue reading

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Louis XV Settees Slipcovers

The two Louis XV Ca. 1750 Settees needed slipcovers for the summer months in the south; we created lovely tailored slips for both! (To see the treatment of the two settees, go to Two Louis XV Ca. 1750 Settees.) Tailored … Continue reading

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Two Louis XV Ca. 1750 Settees

We are going to show you how we repaired the settee from the image on the left, to the conserved, reupholstered image on the right.  Many clients do not know all that goes into the conservation of an old frame … Continue reading

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Depression Era Bedside Table

This is a short story about how a little TLC can bring a family piece back to life. Our client’s depression era nightstand went though a water event. While they were away, their ceiling leaked, which damaged the finish, detail … Continue reading

Posted in American Furniture, antiques, conservation techniques, decorative motifs, Interim Report, painted furniture, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, wooden objects | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Louis XV Polychrome Commode Ca. 1730

Above, the commode before treatment; note the faux “drawers” on the front which are really hiding the door. Below, the underside of the commode. This well loved Venetian poly-chrome commode was created in the classical Louis XV Style.  It has … Continue reading

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CW Parker Carousel, Chariot Benches

(Swipe to see the cats discovering the pony!) “Whoa… who put this here?” Savitri. “Hey, there’s a critter in the studio!”  Gibbs… “He’s not a cat….But he’s a cheery fella!  Just my size!” It is a shame the C.W.Parker Carousel … Continue reading

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Design Presentations

We don’t discuss design presentations often but they are a normal part of our business.  With every project we present options to our client.  They range from simple presentations of fabric and trims placed over the object to be conserved, … Continue reading

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Mason Monterey Straw Yellow Tiled Side Table

From the Crowe Collection, this piece came to us chemically stripped.  We do not strip furniture, because it shrinks joints.  We prefer to skip sand original paints to raise grain for finish work. Crowe’s granddaughter gifted it to us, as … Continue reading

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Del Rey Dining Set: 2, Paint

Note:  Some of the changes in color are due to using two cameras and different lighting! I bought a lovely Del Rey set owned by one family, and am getting it ready to sell it. Unlike most Monterey styles, this … Continue reading

Posted in antiques, chair, conservation techniques, Interim Report, painted furniture, painted objects, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, wooden objects | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Mason Monterey Club Chair, 5 Cushion Buildup

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. For … Continue reading

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Mason Monterey Club Chair, 4 Upholstery

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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Business Etiquette, 2

It goes without saying that clients should be treated with respect and decency. We strive for that, and also try to keep on top of updates even though few clients ask for them, because progress on pieces is usually interesting … Continue reading

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Mason Monterey Club Chair, 3 Buildup

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. We begin the buildup by installing new … Continue reading

Posted in antiques, conservation techniques, decorative motifs, history, Interim Report, painted furniture, painted objects, preservation, reparation, restoration techniques, upholstery, wooden objects | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Mason Monterey Club Chair, 2 Finish

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. The original Old Wood finish is deteriorated. If the finish were in good condition … Continue reading

Posted in antiques, conservation techniques, decorative motifs, history, Interim Report, painted furniture, painted objects, preservation, reparation, restoration techniques, upholstery, wooden objects | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mason Monterey Club Chair, 1 Excavation

This begins several pages on the preservation of a lovely Old Wood Mason Monterey Club chair that has been in our client’s family. It has been reupholstered once with elk hides, but the original cushions are intact. As we uncover … Continue reading

Posted in antiques, conservation techniques, decorative motifs, history, Interim Report, painted furniture, painted objects, preservation, reparation, restoration techniques, upholstery, wooden objects | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Business Etiquette

It goes without saying that clients should be treated with respect and decency. I know we strive for that, and also try to keep on top of updates even though few clients ask for them, because progress on pieces is … Continue reading

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Flax Wheel

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

Posted in antiques, conservation techniques, decorative motifs, Interim Report, painted furniture, painted objects, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, traditional varnishes, waxes, wooden objects | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Mystery of the Metal Patches

We’ve inherited a box of old badly damaged pony legs with butted joinery which have been clad in copper and tin sheeting. The tacking lines along the leading edges of the butt joinery are so badly damaged by the tacking … Continue reading

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Repairing Frank Crowe Mason Monterey Dresser

The repairs on the final piece of the lovely bedroom set is completed. MPF Conservation  does not repair/conserve historic pieces unless necessary. In this case, the veneered top was shredded and lifting. Mitchell gently removed the historic veneered top. We … Continue reading

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Historic Bedroom Set for Sale

Old Wood bedroom set (one half of the entire set) came from the historic estate of Frank Crowe; this is an excellent chance for collectors to own both good Mason Monterey, and also a piece of history. All items in … Continue reading

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Del Rey Dining Set: 1, Cleaning

Note:  Some of the changes in color are due to using two cameras and different lighting! I bought a lovely Del Rey set owned by one family, and am getting it ready to sell it. (I forgot to photograph the … Continue reading

Posted in antiques, chair, conservation techniques, Interim Report, painted furniture, preservation, process, restoration techniques, wooden objects | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Labor Day in the Finish Studio

A post from dkatiepowellart… also Kate from MPF Conservation! Labor Day weekend and we are laborers so we are working… We have new A/C and I have a new lease on life in my newly cleaned and reorganized studio! I … Continue reading

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Mason Monterey Smokey Maple Floral Bedroom Set

We are breaking up the Mason Monterey Smokey Maple Floral Bedroom Set circa 1932 and selling it by the piece.  Mason Monterey highly decorated and desirable floral pattern had one owner.  The set is in good condition, with little damage … Continue reading

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Conservation of Mason Monterey Tinoco Bedside Stand

We conserved and restored a Mason Monterey side table with the charming, humorous and valuable Juan Tinoco horses on the drawer front. Our client’s budget determined our scope of work. The table top was warped, lifting on both sides from … Continue reading

Posted in antiques, art, conservation techniques, decorative motifs, Interim Report, mold, painted furniture, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, wooden objects | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Creating Random Pattern in a Painted Finish

This is a European Pear wood, Louis XVI, French Empire Sofa from the mid-18th century. The image above is the way it appeared when it arrived in our studio. The frame was well-loved by generations though abuses by upholsterers and … Continue reading

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Process: Circus Ball 2

Before I start showing you the restoration process, first let’s take a moment to marvel at this extraordinary ball.  I rarely post full-size images, but the texture on this damaged ball is so beautiful, and the construction so extraordinary, that … Continue reading

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Process: Circus Ball!

The thing I love most about our business is that you never know what is going to roll into our studio for treatment! Earlier this year, a new client sent the images below, along with the image of his aunt … Continue reading

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W is for Windsor: A-to-Z Challenge

One of my favorite chairs, this often overlooked Windsors may have originated in Wales, Ireland and England, where wheelwrights creating chairs as they made wheel spokes, which were chairs using compression tension joints, with no hide glue holding the spokes … Continue reading

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L is for Lead: A-to-Z-Challenge

Let’s talk about lead as in lead paint, shown right in a Mason Monterey Horseshoe-back Chair, especially in the cream, yellow, and greens.  While we are at it, let’s talk about toxic pigments in antique or vintage paints. We love … Continue reading

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J is for Jig: A-to-Z Challenge

Have you or your partner ever decided to fix a piece of furniture, thinking you could just glue it together?  You glue it, maybe even clamp it, and it appears fine, but then you come back hours later to take … Continue reading

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Chinese General Guard Statue Conservation Treatment

by DKP “Chinese General Guard’s Treatment” is a slide show of MPF Conservation’s treatment of a pair of Chinese statues meant to be door guards.  The treatment is a mixture of conservation techniques and restoration techniques. Both statues were dirty … Continue reading

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NEWS: We made the National Parks blog

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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Community Warehouse: Two Coordinated Folk Art Chairs, Mission and Windsor

©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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Community Warehouse: Kona Baby Sea Turtle Chair

©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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Conservation as Art: Infill, by DKP

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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