This Cuban mahogany “flip top” gaming table dates from the 1820s. During a previous restoration, damage to the original veneered top was repaired with Honduran or bay mahogany patches, which are much coarser in grain and lighter in color. After sanding down the top, a seal coat of amber shellac was applied. The patches were […]

The painting on this corner cupboard (c. 1700) depicts the adoration of the shepherds from the Gospel of Matthew. The original painting was largely intact and sealed with an old coat of varnish, darkened from atmospheric pollutants. After cleaning the varnish with solvents, numerous small areas of missing paint were in-painted with water-soluble oil paint. […]

Here are some before and after photographs of a chair by famous American furniture designer George Nakashima. This is one of his earliest pieces made in the 1950s for his next-door neighbor in New Hope, Pennsylvania. He pioneered the use of large walnut slabs with “natural” wavy edges for table tops. This chair was purchased […]

A client recently purchased a beautiful nineteenth-century Italian bust of a young Roman woman. Unfortunately, it was badly damaged during shipment. The base was broken loose and in two pieces. The head and neck were detached from the shoulders and the drapery was chipped in several places.Restoration specialist John Allen glued the break in the […]

Five Reasons to Buy Antique and Vintage Furniture 1. Price & Value: Since there is a large supply of antique and vintage furniture on the market prices are historically low for most periods and styles. An exception is Mid Century Modern furniture where recent high demand has driven up prices, especially for certain designers and […]

Consumers are increasingly turning to antique and vintage furniture to furnish their homes in a sustainable way that decreases harm to the environment. Antique furniture is often better made and easier to restore than contemporary furniture and it can be enjoyed for a lifetime. An antique can be passed on to future generations or resold […]

Clients recently purchased a magnificent example of Italian carving, a Nineteenth-Century Renaissance Revival mantlepiece, and hood, all in beautiful European Walnut. They wished to have this installed in their new Raleigh home but immediately ran into a seemingly impossible obstacle. The opening for the fireplace was to low to meet modern fire codes and for […]

This small statue of a group of horses appears to be made of cast bronze. When the owner attempted to polish the “bronze” with metal polish, the caustic chemicals ate through the faux bronze finish to the plaster beneath. Using artist’s colors, restorerer John Allen blended the damaged areas to match the original finish. The […]

Although wood is the primary material encountered at Capital Restoration, our craftspeople are also skilled at the restoration of metal artifacts. A complex and challenging example is an Indo-Persian suit of armor, dating from about 1800. Consisiting of a helmet, arm guards, breast plate, back plate and a shield, it was largely intact including the cloth […]

In the Orthodox Christian Churches, icons are religious works of art which assist the worshiper to focus their attention during prayer.Traditionally painted on wooden boards, they are vulnerable to changes in relative humidity which causes the wood support to expand and contact fracturing the paint layer and causing it to lift.Such was the case with […]