This wooden bird sculpture had detached at one leg and at the belly where it connected to the branch. There was also a small break on one of the tail feathers.

Using wooden pegs the bird was reattached to the branch and then in-painted to conceal this area. A restorer’s adhesive reattached the leg as well as the chip on the tail feather. This lovely bird has since migrated back home.

Six chairs dating back to 1815 came in with compromised caning, poor wood condition, loose joinery, and deep-seated dirt.

The caning was completely replaced, a slow process that was done with the technique that was originally used to make them. Careful cleaning along all of the wood including hydration to strengthen was carried out. At the joinery, a restorer’s adhesive was incorporated to return integrity and further conditioning was applied to the wood.

This wonderful and ornate eagle sculpture came in with a history that it was believed to have been part of the HMHS Britannic, a sister ship of the Titanic. This ship was completed in 1915 and turned into a hospital ship in WWI and unfortunately sunk in the Mediterranean a year after it was built. From our research we haven’t found clearcut evidence to confirm this story, but we have a few leads we are trying to track down, the carvers who would have likely done this project.

In the meantime, this eagle is getting a much deserved cleaning which is causing the richness of the wood tones to pop and really enhance the delicate carving. Beginning stages of reattaching severed pieces has begun and we believe a mirror would have hung under the eagle’s talons. Plenty of work to do but steady as she goes. Stay tuned for more.

This is the type of clock that was made in the Netherlands circa 1850. The central image represents a coastal castle and includes two ornate swans in the water. In the arch, the recessed middle section includes a well-to-do home with guards flanking on the left and right sections. At the top of the arch is a run of houses and a sight we are very familiar with: windmills.

The clock face uses a heavy sheet metal with a substantial amount of copper, which is very a good paint surface. However, this surface has a few issues going on: heavy dirt particulates across the surface, and areas of paint loss, and areas of gilding loss.

We will carefully clean the clock face and in-paint and in-gild where losses have occurred. Stay tuned for more…