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Category Archives: restoration techniques
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 is for Algerian: A-to-Z Challenge
Most modern upholsterers create their cushions and backs and arms using limited materials: various foams, and Dacron® or cotton batting. Occasionally they will use feathers and downs. Traditional upholstery uses many different kinds of stuffing: Palm: algerian (palm leaf fiber) … Continue reading
Posted in conservation techniques, preservation, restoration techniques, upholstery
Tagged algerian, coir, down, feathers, flax, hemp, linen, organic cotton, spanish moss, stuffings, traditional upholstery
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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
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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East Lake Sofa-Bed Upholstery #4B: Seat Spring Buildup
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
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
Buying Antique Furniture: The Ins and Outs of the Game!
by DKP What is an antique? Most define it as an object over a century old. Mid-century modern is beginning to come into its own both as a style or genre and also being very collectible. Vintage as defined by … Continue reading
East Lake Sofa-Bed Upholstery #3: Finish Reparation
by DKP This is the fourth post in a series on this project. This post continues from the previous post: East Lake Sofa-Bed Upholstery #2B: Repair. To begin at the beginning go to Eastlake Sofa-Bed Upholstery Conservation #1: Excavation. We made … Continue reading
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
East Lake Sofa-Bed Upholstery #2A: Repair
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
Posted in conservation techniques, Interim Report, restoration techniques, upholstery
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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Eastlake Sofa-Bed Upholstery Conservation #1: Excavation
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
Posted in conservation techniques, Interim Report, mold, restoration techniques, upholstery
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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Traditional Shellac Varnish: Mixing and Tips For the Best Coat
We make our own shellac, using traditional recipes. We use only the freshest shellac flakes, and use lab grade isopropyl alcohol as the carrier to support our interest in having a green studio. Continue reading
Tabletop Restoration: Impurities in Shellac and other Woes
There really is a Shellac God. He is a fickle god, a prankster, and loves to keep conservators up at night biting their nails. Sometimes the impurities buried deep in historic layers of shellac varnishes are like pranksters. You think you have them under control then they raise up and cause you all kinds of problems. Here is my story, one conservator against 200 years of impurities. Continue reading
Hanley Farm House of the Southern Oregon Historical Society
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
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
Posted in painted furniture, restoration techniques
Tagged arts and craft, charity, dogwood, Gamblin Oil Paint, Mission style, windsor
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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
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
