Planter’s Chair Conservation
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Category Archives: shellac
Fu Dogs Treatment
Our client brought his small carved wooden guardian dogs to us for treatment. Pairs of Chinese guardian lion statues are decorative, symbolic elements at the entrances to structures in many Asian countries. Each is different, and should come in. pairs, … Continue reading
Posted in antiques, art, conservation techniques, decorative motifs, preservation, process, reparation, restoration techniques, shellac, traditional varnishes, waxes, wooden objects
Tagged #artconservation, #chineselionstatues, #chinesestatues, #foodogs, #fudogs, #paintconservation, #statuerepair, carved, Chinese Lion Statues, Chinese statues, conservation, Fo Dogs, Foo Dogs, Fu dogs, Gamblin, gilded objects, painted finishes, painted objects, preservation, statue conservation, statue repair
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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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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
Posted in antiques, chair, decorative motifs, history, painted furniture, shellac, wooden objects
Tagged 17th century, 18th century, 19th century, Mid-Century Modern, modern, windsor chair
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S is for Shellac Varnish Damage: A-to-Z Challenge
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
M is for McLoughlin’s Melodeon: A-to-Z Challenge
John McLoughlin was the Father of Oregon, and his history is celebrated at the McLoughlin House in Oregon City. We conserved the Prince & Co. Melodeon he gave to his granddaughter, part of a larger collection housed at his home, … Continue reading
D is for Dragon’s Blood: A-to-Z Challenge
Dragon’s Blood is a pigment that was widely used in furniture finishes before and in the early 19th century. Synthetic dyes and a shift to different preferences in wood species moved makers away from this very popular finish, and of … Continue reading
Posted in antiques, pigments, restoration techniques, shellac, traditional varnishes
Tagged blood, dragon, dragonsblood, John McLoughlin, pigment, pigmentation, red, shellac, varnish
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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
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