I have two business passions, clocks and antiques; This blog covers antiques. I firmly believe in sympathetic restorations to antiques and feel this is the only true method of restoring these treasured pieces, within reason.
What is a “Sympathetic Restoration?” Simply put, this restoration technique involves
peeling away the errors of the past, ensuring the true character of the piece
shines through.
There have always been those that
think they know the best way to repair an item, many methods are ill conceived
and wrong. There are those that opt for
the “cheap route”, and of course those that have little interest in “old things” thus the repair is
for functionality and purely utilitarian in nature. A Sympathetic Restoration ensures the piece is
as it was intended when created, but that also keeps the piece looking like the
antique that it is, highlighting its use, story, and age. We have all seen items that been restored to
look like new; honestly this is a poor method;
If you wanted a new look why would one seek out an antique? It is my stance that a sympathetic
restoration is the best restoration that should be carried out UNLESS the piece
is so badly damaged or deteriorated one has no choice but to replace pieces and
parts or repurpose the item into something other than its original intent just
to preserve a piece of the past.
When examining a piece to determine
the best route for a restoration, one must look at what has been done to the
piece (i.e. replacement wood, replacement hardware and findings, rework of the
finish, rework to the original piece that compromises its integrity of original
purpose.) Once a restoration route is
determined begin by cleaning the piece, GENTLY.
A dry rag to begin, damp rag to remove more stubborn dirt, finally a rag
with furniture oil applied to bring out the character. If these steps do not bring favorable results,
a light going over with 0000 steel wool that has furniture oil applied can
bring about a tremendous change of appearance.
Remember the goal of this first step is to simply remove the dirt and
grime, not remove the finish.
PLEASE
NOTE: When selecting a furniture oil to
use, make sure the oil contains NO silicones.
Silicone can react with the finish and the wood turning the item very
dark. I use a product called “Milsek”
(1) in my work and am very pleased with the results.
After
this initial cleaning, look at the finish and any added details the finish may
have (i.e. applied paint such as stencils or shading, over varnish to add the
look of carving or depth to the piece, or spattering to resemble worm holes or
other “damage” from time) If there are no additions to the finish meant to
enhance the appearance and you are happy with results of your cleaning you are
done.
However
if you find the finish to still be dull or missing in areas and it just needs
some attention to give it a better and more saleable appearance, try these
steps next. A product that is in essence
mineral oil and stain that does not alter the actual finish, only enhances what
is there, is HOWARDs Restore-a-Finish (2); a wonderful product that can bring life back
to a lack luster piece and increase its appeal for sale. Another product that enhances a piece is a
colored wax. A wax with coloring in it
can “fill in” areas that are missing color while giving the entire piece a
wonderful glow. I have found the product
BRIWAX (3) produced in the United Kingdom to be superior to any other type of
wax for this purpose. A warning, BRIWAX
does contain Tulane and can soften some finishes so try a test patch in a
hidden area before attacking the entire piece.
Should
the afore mentioned steps not provide desired results or the finish is damaged
more than can be addressed with these measures, a mild refinishing solution can
be crafted that will clean and remove years of accumulated dirt and grime as
well as smoothing the finish. This is a
wonderful mix, however I use it as a last resort only, since it is the most
invasive method for a Sympathetic Restoration.
To create your “refinish/cleaning” solution use the following recipe
1
Part paste wax
2
Parts Mineral Spirits
3
Parts BOILED linseed oil (use boiled or the finish will remain tacky for months)
If
uncomfortable, do not add the paste wax, I find it adds a nice glow to the item
as you are buffing it out and it creates a pleasing end product.
After
the finish, the next step to a sympathetic restoration is the removal of
incorrect fasteners, knobs, hardware and findings.
Examine
the piece, if the nails or screws are not of the period AND are detracting from
the appearance of the piece, carefully remove and replace them with period
correct pieces. You will find a side
cutter, a small drill bit and a set of E-Z out bits will quickly become your
favorite tools; should you be uncomfortable with this step or if correct
replacements are not readily available do not attempt; Find a cabinet shop or wood worker that is
comfortable with this process, or just do not do it. Remember less is sometimes more. IF the fasteners have been in the piece for
decades, more damage can be done to the piece trying to remove them thus decreasing
the value and salability, than simply leaving be.
The
easiest part of a sympathetic restoration is the hardware replacement. Determine what’s correct for the piece and
find it. Nothing looks worse than
incorrect/poorly sized hardware on a piece. Remember hardware is the “jewelry
for the piece” it can make it or break it.
Sympathetic
restoration is correcting of errors, keeping the story and beauty of the
antique; remember sometimes leaving a few warts helps the story; Make
it a piece pleasing to the eye, that tells it’s story, and is period appropriate.
References:
1~Milsek
Furniture polish Milsek.com
2~Restore-a-Finish Howardproducts.com
3~Briwax Briwaxwoodcare.com
