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Category Archives: process
Washington State Flag, Mixing Paint
I created test sheets for oil versions of George. Two coats of shellac seals the paper for the oil paint. It is nice to use up old shellac which can no longer be used on furniture! Phthalo Green and Chromium … Continue reading
Posted in antiques, art, decorative motifs, Interim Report, painted objects, pigments, process, reproduction, textiles
Tagged #DARstateflag, #gamblinartistcolors, #gamblinoilpaint, #replication #paintingonsilk, #washingtonstateflag, DAR, flag, painting on silk, replication, State Flag, Washington history, Washington State DAR, Washington State Flag
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Washington State Flag, Tracings
The Flag Room is staged for the duration of the project. Black foam-core lines the walls waiting for the silk to be stretched upon. The silk will be attached to the foam-core for stability. The center table, currently used to … Continue reading
Washington State Flag: Gamblin Paints
I might’ve struggled through trail and error and testing on many phases, but thankfully, we are fortunate to share Portland as our home base with Gamblin Artist Colors, home to both the best oil paints and also, home to Gamblin … Continue reading
Texaco Fire Chief Gasoline Banner
Growing up in Southern California, the home of the automobile, I remember fondly this emblem as a kid! The Texaco Fire Chief Banner was in excellent condition, but dirty and creased. The back appeared to have been dropped into dirt, … Continue reading
Posted in art, conservation techniques, Interim Report, preservation, process, restoration techniques, textiles
Tagged banner, conservation techniques, gas station, gasoline banner, Interim Report, MPF Conservation, process, restoration, restoration techniques, Texaco Fire Chief, Textile conservation, washing textiles
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Washington State Flag, Testing and Our Finalist!
Never underestimate the benefits of testing materials. I am by nature an impatient artist and tend to dive into art materials and experiment when it is my own art processes, however, with clients, I read, I test products, and it … Continue reading
Posted in antiques, decorative motifs, Interim Report, painted objects, process, reproduction, textiles
Tagged #DARstateflag, #gamblinartistcolors, #gamblinoilpaint, #paintingonsilk, #washingtonstateflag, DAR, flag, Gamblin PVA, momme, mommes, painting on silk, replication, State Flag, Textile conservation, textile conservator, textiles, Washington history, Washington State DAR, Washington State Flag
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Washington State Flag, “So you say you have contenders…”
A caveat in posting a rant, however humorous. There are some excellent showrooms, and we are grateful and support them whenever we can. The rant below is a glimpse into what can happen and does happen when two seasoned professionals … Continue reading
Posted in antiques, decorative motifs, Interim Report, painted objects, process, reproduction, restoration techniques, textiles
Tagged #DARstateflag, #paintingonsilk, #washingtonstateflag, DAR, flag, painting on silk, replication, State Flag, Washington history, Washington State DAR, Washington State Flag
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Washington State Flag, NEVER Say “No Problem”
A whopping four decades I’ve been in the business — even though I am ONLY going on fifty 🙂 — and gads if this hasn’t taught me a huge lesson. Never, ever, ever tell a client something is going to … Continue reading
Posted in antiques, decorative motifs, Interim Report, painted objects, process, reproduction, textiles
Tagged #DARstateflag, #paintingonsilk, #washingtonstateflag, DAR, flag, green silk, matching colors, matching silk, painting on silk, replication, State Flag, Washington history, Washington State DAR, Washington State Flag
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Washington State Flag
The historic flag, above hanging on the wall of the Reception Room, a grand ballroom, is not the flag in its original form, but seen with modifications. How does that impact the replication process? The decision has to be made … Continue reading
Posted in antiques, decorative motifs, Interim Report, painted objects, process, reproduction, textiles
Tagged #DARstateflag, #paintingonsilk, #washingtonstateflag, DAR, flag, painting on silk, replication, State Flag, Textile conservation, textile conservator, textiles, Washington history, Washington State DAR, Washington State Flag
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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 #bedsidetable, #conservationtechniques, #finishconservation, #finishrestoration, #frankmason, #juandurantinoco, #juantinoco, #leatherhandles, #masonmonterey, #montereyfurniture, #restorationteachniques, #smokeyivory, #smokeymaple, conservation, horses, restoration
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Real Men Spit Tacks
Real men upholsterers spit tacks. After all these years, it still creeps me out a bit — I see his cheeks bulge a specific way while he is having a conversation with me and I’ll peer at him as if … Continue reading
Process: Circus Ball 3
We left the Circus Ball as it had been prepped for its paint layers. I am so sorry that all my images of the ball sanded smooth are very blurry! Happily, the detailed images are in sharp! The first coat … Continue reading
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
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
Posted in antiques, CAUTIONS, conservation techniques, history, Interim Report, painted furniture, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, wooden objects
Tagged balance ball, circus ball, damage from chemical strips, dip and strip, no chemical stripping, repair, restoration
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Process: Gustav Stickley Ladderback Chair Upholstery, 1 Buildup
Continuing from the Gustav Stickley Ladderback Chair Finish post, (Or to begin at the beginning go here.) The frame is repaired and the finish conserved; Buildup begins! Stickley chairs do not have dustcovers, and so the underside of the canvas … Continue reading
Posted in antiques, chair, conservation techniques, Interim Report, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, upholstery
Tagged 1910, antiques, arts and crafts, chair, conservation techniques, Furniture Conservation, Furniture Restoration, Gustav Stickley, Interim Report, Ladderback Arm Chair, MPF Conservation, Pacific Northwest, Portland, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, traditional varnishes, upholstery, Upholstery Portland Oregon, wooden objects
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Process: Gustav Stickley Ladderback Chair Finish
Continuing from the Reparation of the Gustav Stickley Ladderback Armchair (Or to begin at the beginning go here.) We began our finish with a quick review of the chair with the repairs completed, above. The chairs were covered with radial … Continue reading
Posted in antiques, chair, conservation techniques, Interim Report, pigments, process, restoration techniques, traditional varnishes, waxes, wooden objects
Tagged 1910, antiques, arts and crafts, chair, conservation techniques, Furniture Conservation, Furniture Restoration, Gustav Stickley, Interim Report, Ladderback Arm Chair, MPF Conservation, Pacific Northwest, Portland, process, reparation, restoration techniques, traditional varnishes, upholstery, Upholstery Portland Oregon, waxes, wooden objects and tagged 1900
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Process: Gustav Stickley Ladderback Chair Frame Repair
Continuing from the Excavation of the Gustav Stickley Ladderback Armchair (Or to begin at the beginning go here.) Reparation of the frame begins with more disassembly, on an as-needed basis for each chair. Corner blocks are removed, labeled, and screws … Continue reading
Posted in antiques, chair, conservation techniques, Interim Report, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, wooden objects
Tagged 1910, antiques, arts and crafts, chair, conservation techniques, Furniture Conservation, Furniture Restoration, Gustav Stickley, Interim Report, Ladderback Arm Chair, MPF Conservation, Pacific Northwest, Portland, process, reparation, restoration techniques, traditional varnishes, upholstery, Upholstery Portland Oregon, waxes, wooden objects and tagged 1900
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Process: Gustav Stickley Ladderback Chair Assessment
We’ve not chronicled a project for a long time and these original Gustav Stickley circa 1900-1910 Ladderbacks are so lovely (and often poorly conserved and restored) that it is a good way to begin again! We will chronicle our process … Continue reading
Posted in antiques, chair, conservation techniques, Interim Report, process, reparation, restoration techniques, traditional varnishes, upholstery, waxes, wooden objects
Tagged 1900, 1910, arts and crafts, Furniture Conservation, Furniture Restoration, Gustav Stickley, Ladderback Arm Chair, MPF Conservation, Pacific Northwest, Portland, Upholstery Portland Oregon
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Repairing Veneer on a Bombe in the Style of Louis XV
Before Repair, Above, and After, Below. This is a lovely bombe which had cracked veneer across the curved door faces. Someone had previously repaired it long before our current owners took possession. MPFC treated several areas, but I am posting … Continue reading
Posted in antiques, conservation techniques, Interim Report, pigments, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, shellac, wooden objects
Tagged Bombe, damaged veneer, finish, Louis XV, restoration, shellac
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Q is for Q-tips: A-to-Z Challenge
Okay, I am giving it away. My super secret cleaning tool. Q-tips Brand Cotton swabs and elbow grease. Sometimes, a bit of distilled water. That’s it. I cleaned the entire Marguerite McLoughlin Chinese Lacquer Sewing Cabinet using 10,000 Q-tips. Why … Continue reading
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
B is for Blacksmithing: A-to-Z Challenge
In our business we work with many specialty trades, and one of my favorites is blacksmithing. It is a macho cool thing to take steel and heat it and fashion it into usable parts, and a special talent to be … Continue reading
Posted in antiques, conservation techniques, preservation, process, restoration techniques, Spanish Furniture
Tagged blacksmith, nails, restoration
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A-to-Z Reveal: Conserving and Restoring Antiques!
It is hard for me to categorize our blog posts during this challenge. Lifestyle? Not craft, for we are a bit beyond what a crafty person can do as conservationists. We’ll be writing about the behind the scenes look at … Continue reading
Mixing Rhoplex™ and Micro-crystalline Balloons Teaches Patience!
Just a short post of the wonder of mixing micro-crystalline balloons into Rhoplex™. Whenever I do this I have to slow way down, and practice patience, which is not one of my virtues. Currently we have this lovely Louis XIV … Continue reading
Pins and Needles: Moving the Berkey & Gay Buffet
by DKP This one piece has nearly given me ulcers worrying about the move. It weighs as much as an elephant, and while the backsplash comes off, it is still HUGE, bulky, and unwieldy. The men who moved her are … Continue reading
Posted in antiques, conservation techniques, musings, News, preservation, process, restoration techniques
Tagged American furniture, Berkey & Gay, Buffet, cupid, Dutch, Dutch Blue Guard, Germanic, Grand Rapids Furniture, High relief carved, High Renaissance Revival, lamb, moving day, sheep
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Process: German Gothic Revival Fauteuil ca. 1860
by DKP A family heirloom, this piece made it from Germany to the USA intact, but did not fare well from Oklahoma to Oregon, and was damaged by movers who did not pack nor handle the chair properly. This was … Continue reading
Process: American Empire Seignouret Chair Ca. 1830
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
Process: Chippendale Camelback Settee Upholstery
by DKP This came to us a badly damaged sentimental family heirloom. The settee buildup was carefully excavated, the frame disassembled, the broken parts (arm, shoulder) were repaired and replaced. The original innards were cleaned and used to rebuild the … Continue reading
East Lake Sofa-Bed Upholstery #4C: Mattress Buildup Continued
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 seventh post … Continue reading
Posted in antiques, conservation techniques, preservation, process, restoration techniques, upholstery
Tagged A. Hansen 1878 Chicago, arts and crafts, convertible sofa, East Lake, Eastlake, Furniture Conservation, Furniture Restoration, parlor furniture, Sofa-bed, Sofabed, Upholstery Portland Oregon, Victorian furniture
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Process: Tapestry Conservation, Correcting Previous Repairs
by DKP I love needlework, and repairing problematic tapestries. It is a meditation, hundreds of small stitches, and these days as I work I listen to Craig Johnson (Longmire Mysteries) or Pema Chodron (Buddhism) Jacqueline Winspear (Maisie Dobbs) or … Continue reading
