When
should I have my antique furniture cleaned?
First,
keep your treasures as dust free as you can. In evaluating your antique
furniture, Heirloom Finishes considers its physical, aesthetic, and
functional qualities.
What
is surface dirt?
Surface
dirt or dust is an amazing conglomeration of human skin, grease, textile
fibers, salts, and the micro-organisms that feed on them. Dust can be
damaging to the furniture, however, very slowly.
Dust is attached
to furniture by static electricity and by being trapped in microscopic
crevices in the coating. The treatment for cleaning must take both of
these factors into account. How much of the coating will be disturbed
in the cleaning process? Does it matter?
If you see flaking
of paint or lifting of gilding, call us for a thorough examination and
recommendation.
What
factors contribute to the value of antique furniture?
The
most common factors which influence the value of your antique furniture
are:
- Rarity
- Craftsmanship
- Condition
- Provenance
- Sentiment
How
and why do you document your work?
Documentation
begins with examination. Heirloom Finishes will photograph your furniture.
A written report is prepared with details of condition and any provenance
you supply. We will discuss your objectives and a treatment schedule.
You will be kept informed of any hidden damage we uncover or any necessary
treatment which could exceed the original estimate. On completion of
the project, you will receive a CD with your hard copy report and photographs.
This becomes part of the provenance (and value) of your furniture.
Definition
of Terms
- Conservation:
Returning a piece to servicable condition - structurally and aesthetically,
with minimal intrusion
- Restoration:
Fully renovate to what is arguably its original form
- Patination:
The effect of light, air and dirt
- Reconsolidation:
A process of applying solvents to a finish so that an old, crazed
surface
can be rejuvenated.
- Elements: Any
part of a piece of furnuture that is not the case or main structure.
- Fretwork: An
element of decoration that is pierced scrollwork.
- Tambour: Thin
slats of wood glued to canvas as in a roll top for a desk.
- Pediment: The
top part of case furnuture, also a cornice.
- Crest Rail:
The top rail across a chair.
- Rule Joint:
The rounded over-edge on a table to which a drop leaf is hinged.
|
