The specialists guide to Chinese antiques. » Antique Restorations

A to Z: Restoring chinese wood carvings, wooden screens and carved architectural elements.

Roger — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 10:43:03 +0000

When a Chinese traditional homes is demolished to make way for the new, elements like antique window screens, carved panels & screens and other architectural elements are typically salvaged to be reborn as decorative items in modern homes. Thinking about adding such a piece of history to your collection? Here’s a quick look at the restoration process from start to finish.

Before and after cleaning

1. Cleaning

A years of being exposed to rain, dust, smoke (and who knows what else), quite a lot of build up can occur, which must be carefully removed. While there are several methods used in cleaning, initial stages typically use water. Depending on preferences, this process may be repeated several times, often using a small quantity of a gentle cleaner like hand soap or a touch of dish washing liquid.

Removing years of dirt

In Chinese, this process is often referred to as piāo bái (漂白) which means “to lighten,” and details may emerge that were not evident under all the years of dirt.

Beautiful color emerges

2. Repairs to carvings

After cleaning, the second step is repairing some (or all depending on preference) damaged sections of the wood carving. Typically this involves scraps of the same or similar wood which are then pegged and glued over the damaged areas (known as bu mutou 补木头). Once pegged and dried, the damaged sections can be carefully re-carved, sanded and detailed to match. Some people may prefer to re-carved/repair every minute detail. Others may choose to repair major damage only. Depending on the shape and structure of the carving other repairs to joinery may be required as well.

Repairing of damaged sections of carving

3. Touch-ups

After any damaged sections of the antique carving have been repaired, if the screen was painted, then replaced sections will need to be carefully hand painted to match the original color and style.

Retouching the color

4. Display in the home!

The final and most rewarding step… Options range from hanging or mounting to stands and even frames.

Display in the home

5. Learn More

I recommend you buy the book Chinese Houses: The Architectural Heritage of a Nation from Amazon.

Enjoy!

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Restoring a Chinese mahjong table with a bit of pyrotechnics!

Roger — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:45:33 +0000

I get so backed up with blog posts, because there is so many interesting and fascinating things to see and talk about. And being detailed oriented, I really want to spend the time to talk about each item in detail, the history behind it, where it comes from and all the other details that make it all so interesting. Unfortunately work calls and so I must to sometimes, just simply be brief! With that said, here is an interesting photo I took in the factory a few days ago. This is a Chinese mahjong table which needed to have the top floating panel replaced due to cracking or some other form of damage. What makes this so interesting, is how they accomplish this.

In order to match the color of the original wood, the replacement panel must be lightened. To darken a piece there are several methods the most common one being a coat of stain or varnish. However, in this case the issue is the opposite: the wood here is too dark to match the base color of the original material. So how does one lighten the color of wood? By applying an alcohol based solution and some heat, the color of the wood will essentially lighten thus matching the color of the original color.

The end result would look something like this table sold by EMWA Furniture in Australia.

Furniture Repairs: Improper restoration causes this “Old Shanghai” table-top to buckle and split

Roger — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:43:22 +0000

(Click images to enlarge)

Question:

A reputable local beijing based antique Chinese furniture dealer sold us this nice Chinese table. It cracked a few months after getting it. He has his own shop to produce furniture as well as sell antiques. I am sending you 3 photos, 1 of each side of the table, and 1 of the whole thing. So there are really 2 large cracks in this poor beautiful old table. Can it be repaired rather than replace the top?

Answer:

Its hard to tell exactly from the photos (which are not so clear) but from what I can see, it looks like this is a colonial old Shanghai (also known as Lao Shanghai) art deco style table. The sides seem missing as normally this style of table has four “pointed” corner plates on the sides which when pulled up/opened (kind of like a drop leaf table) make the table square instead of hexagonal. Maybe they were missing when the item was collected in un-restored form, or maybe it was just too much trouble to replace/repair them. Who knows…

Also, again, its hard to tell from the photos but I think there are probably a number of portions of this piece which are completely new, though I cannot say at what percent without clearer photos. One of the legs “feels” new. I have seen the delicate tops buckle sometimes on un-restored colonial style tables over time, so it would not be surprising if it needed to be repaired during restoration and this is where the problem seems to have occurred. Repairs are normal for this sort of furniture and whats important is not the repair but rather how it was repaired.

Seems the issue with the cracked and split top, is that when the top was repaired, in a few places it seems that new wood replacement boards (glued together) were used, instead of using properly dried wood, old aged wood or reclaimed wood. In door environments, in particular where dry electric heat is used can accelerate this sort of cracking.

That’s probably why the cracking occurred as the wood was still moist and not fully dried. With old and/or reclaimed wood where the wood has had plenty of time to dry this is much less of a problem. The choice of wood used for this section can also have an effect as some woods are more prone to cracking (like pine) then others.

Another give away here is the actual edges on the new boards, as well as the patina itself, don’t match the rest of the delicate nature of the piece. Notice the thickness? There is also visible saw marks in the new boards. In fact, it might not even be the same species of wood. The grain seems much courser on the new boards.

It can be repaired, though the damaged board most likely should be replaced with something a bit more appropriate to the piece and following the recommendations above.

Wood furniture polishes and wood furniture care

Roger — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:40:57 +0000

We carry two main brands of wax polish for furniture. Both are hard wax polishes.

Golden Rooster is domestic brand which seems to be partnered with Kiwi. While this works fine, there is chemical smell to the wax which I personally find undesirable. It relatively inexpensive.
Harrell’s Traditional Wax Furniture Polish contains beeswax and is a bit more expensive but is an imported brand which has been around for over 75 years. It is a well known brand and many professional restorers prefer this wax. Its available in 5 colors (Antique – Khaki – Colorless – Red Mahogany – Georgian Mahogany) though we may not always have all colors in stock.

Golden Rooster (domestic brand which seems to be partnered with Kiwi).

Harrell’s Traditional Wax Polish

A bit about wax polishes

Furniture waxes are generally grouped according to their origin with the main three types being:

Animal based: Beeswax is a very common componant of furniture waxes though is typically combined with other waxes to avoid what is know as fingerprinting. (Pure bees wax fingerprints easily due to its low melting temperature). Lac wax and Lanolin are also sometimes used.
Plant based: Carnauba wax is a yellowish hard vegetable wax and together with beeswax is one of the two most important waxes used in woodworking. It is non toxic and harmless to use and is derived from a the leaves of a Brazilian Palm tree. It can be applied onto bare wood or preferably onto wood already protected by a finish. Because it is significantly harder, it provides a higher polish when buffed though also requires additional labor for the same reason.
Mineral based. These occur as byproducts in the process of plant decomposition towards eventually becoming coal. Paraffin waxes are mineral waxs made from paraffin oil and are normally soft clear white waxes used usually in combination with other waxes to produce a soft polish for use on furniture and flooring.

Wax is an ideal finish for country style furniture, where the timber needs feeding and waxes and wax resin mixtures have long been used as adhesives and fill materials. Beeswax in particular has been know to have been used as a polish as far back as 200 years ago by Egyptian craftsmen. Wax is one of the easiest of the finishes to repair and is achieved by simply re-waxing the affected area. Wax is also often used over polish, varnish, or oil finishes to create an extra barrier for protection against damage from water, heat, and alcohol. In general waxing performs two main functions.

moisturizes and adds to the patinas of the wood
adds a protective and sweet-smelling finish.

Things to avoid or look out for:

According to experts, Lemon oil (a commonly recommended treatment) simply gives a wood a superficial shine only, but it isn’t actually beneficial as commercial lemon oil has nothing to do with lemons and is essentially kerosene (which can be harmful to a finishes).
If possible avoid aerosol sprays like Pledge which contain chemicals that will overtime cause build up and also damage the wood. Most of these sprays are really designed for contemporary furniture and are not appropriate for antique furniture.
Use wax in moderation which means polishing generally should occur twice a year, though for dry pieces it may be worth it to apply an additional second coat after the first coat – preferably after 12 to 24 hours in order to give the wood time to soak in the wax. If applying this rule, wax should never create a buildup problem because the wax you apply will not remain forever – generally over time it scuffed, worn off, and even oxidizes. Heavily useds areas such as table tops or chair legs, can be waxed a bit more frequently as needed.

How to wax your furniture

Dust first and make sure the furniture is free of any grease or oil.
You will need to use either “0000 steel wool” (make sure it is oil free) or a soft cloth to apply the wax with.
Scoup out a small bit of wax on the cloth or steel wool or alterately spread some wax across the surface of the cloth or rag.
Spread evenly across the surface of the wood in either a circular motion, or with the grain of the wood.
Wait 10 to 30 minutes to allow the wax to dry before buffing it with a separate cloth.

Some tips on waxing and polishing antique furniture:

Soft cloths like flannel, cotton are best – always remember to make sure the cloth is clean and free of any gritty dust which may cause scratches. The softer the material used to buff, the higher the gloss.
Allow the wax to dry before you buff it – otherwise you are just spreading around the wax rather then polishing it.
Floor wax tends to be softer then furniture wax which is harder to provide more protection.
To bring out the best coloration, select a polish appropriate for the color of wood.
One tip for those with the extra time, is to make your own furniture polish from a mixture of beeswax and turpentine. Generally you will need about a pound of beeswax which must be chipped or shaved into small pieces with either a chisel, cheese grater or a utility knife. Add the chipped pieces into a jar (must have a lid) and fill with about half as much of the wax worth of turpentine. Let it site in a sunny spot (to melt the wax) and once soft, mix thoroughly into an even paste. Apply while still warm and liquid. You may need to gently scrape away excess wax the next day using a piece of stiff cardboard before hand-buffing the piece with a clean, soft cloth.
The amount of optical saturation of wax increase when applied hot as opposed to being applied cold thus effecting the clarity or cloudiness of the application.
For a new peice which has not be waxed before, put down two or three fairly light, successive coats at four- to eight-hour intervals. If the item is exceptionally dry, apply an additional second coat after the first coat after 12 to 24 hours. The extra time allows the wood to soak in the wax.

Useful Tips and Hints for cleaning and repairing antiques

Roger — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:59:33 +0000

The antique advertiser.com website has a great page of tips called Antique Alchemy which have been compiled from various reader feedback and other web sources. Its a great little resource which I though I might reprint for you here. As they mentioned on their page – these tips are all use at your own risk!

ACCUTRON ALABASTER / ALUMINUM / BOOKS / BOTTLES / BRASS / BRONZE / CANDLES / CARVINGS

CHINA & PORCELAIN /CLOCKS / COPPER &BRASS / CRYSTAL & GLASSWARE / DOLLS & TEDDY BEARS / FURNITURE & WOOD PRODUCTS / GOLD /GRANITEWARE / HORN / IRON & STEEL / IVORY / JEWELRY / LEATHER / LAMPS / LINENS, / NEEDLEWORK & TEXTILES / MAGAZINES / MARBLE / STEEL / MIRRORS / MISCELLANEOUS / NEWSPAPERS & MAGAZINES / NICKELWARE / PAINTINGS / PAPER / PENS & PENCILS / PEWTER / PHONOGRAPH RECORDS / PHOTOGRAPHS / POTTERY / PRINTS / SILVER / SOAPSTONE / STATUARY & CARVINGS / TEXTILES /TINWARE / TORTOISESHELL / VARNISHING & PAINTING / WOODENWARE

ALABASTER

Don’t soak alabaster in water, and never use an acid to clean it. Use a sponge dipped in soapand water, squeezing the sponge well before wiping the piece.

ALUMINUM

The inside of pots which have been darkened by alkaline foods may be brightened by boilingin them one quart of water to which two teaspoons of cream of tartar have been added. Boil 10minutes. (Cream of tartar may be purchased at most food stores in the spice section.)Lime deposits from hard water may be removed by boiling a solution of equal amounts of water and vinegar in the pot and allowing this mixture to remain in the pot overnight. Then polish the inside surface with a steel-wool soap pad, wash, rinse, and dry. To brighten and remove discoloration, polish aluminum with steel- wool soap pads, rubbing
in one direction only. Spun aluminum pieces should be rubbed in the direction of the surface lines.

BOOKSIf you value your books, don’t crowd your bookshelves. The bindings may break apart from thepressure if you jam them too tightly together and you may also scratch the covers whenremoving and replacing books. Also, always store books upright; leaning them strains the bindings. Use bookends on partially filled shelves to keep them erect. Books too tall for the shelves can be laid flat.Mildew can often be removed from a book cover by carefully using Baby Wipes. Use lanolin to clean leather bound-books then treat the book with a leather restorer using a clean, soft cloth. Another suggestion for leather covers that have become old is to apply a coat of a mixture containing 6 parts castor oil and 4 parts alcohol. Let the book stand one day, then apply pure castor oil to the cover. To destroy mildew fungi in the pages of a book apply powdered sulfur.

BOTTLES

If you have old perfume bottles that are cloudy from hard water minerals,drop adenture-cleaning tablet in, fill with water and let the fizzing action clean it. The insides of bottles can sometimes be cleaned by swirling lead shot or sand around in the water-filled bottle.To deodorize jars or bottles, pour a solution of water and dry mustard into them, then let them stand for several hours.

BRASS

(See Copper and Brass)

BRONZEFirst, be sure you really want to clean the bronze item you have; removing corrosion, for example, often lowers the value of an item as an antique. If cleaning is desired, first carefully remove the loose flakes of corroded metal with a penknife or fine, brass-wire brush. Remove green spots by soaking the item in water or by soaking it in a weak solution of vinegar and water. (Do not use ammonia to clean
bronze.) Rinse the piece and let dry. The piece can be preserved with a coat of clear varnish,
although this will result in a commercial-appearing gloss. It is not recommended on real antique pieces.Use hot buttermilk to clean un-lacquered bronze. Ultraviolet radiation (black light) can be used to discover touch- ups or repairs made on bronze.

CANDLESChill candles in the refrigerator for 24 hours before using them on
the table. They will burnevenly and will not drip.

CARVINGS(See Statuary, Carvings)

CHINA
& PORCELAINIf you love your fine china
dishes, put paper doilies or paper towels between plates andsaucers when stacking to prevent scratches. Never, never hang cups by the handles orstack them. Set them in a row, instead. You can sometimes salvage cracked china by placing it in a pan of milk and boiling it
for 45 minutes to an hour. Not only will a minor crack disappear, but the piece will sometimes actually be stronger than before. Porcelain is easily cleaned with salt sprinkled on a soft cloth. As a rule you may clean porcelain (hairline-cracks, broken edges, and chips) with a
20% hydrogen peroxide applied with cotton strips or swabs. It is best to remove all soiling and trapped particulate matter first with enzyme detergent or a steam wand as peroxide will only “bleach” or lighten stains, not clean them. (Peroxide is
a powerful oxidizer and will burn your skin so use in controlled environment with ventilation and latex or
rubber gloves.) It is not a good idea to clean or bleach soft-bodied ceramics without professional
advice. Never use Clorox to clean soft-bodied ceramics as Clorox is a compound of soluble
salts and they will reemerge as small fluffy crystals which in time push off the glaze
or enamel decoration.

CLOCKS
& other mechanical instrumentsElectric clocks sometimes stop working due to dirt and grime that
has jammed it up. Put theclock in a slightly warm oven for a few hours and the grime should
melt out. A sardine can opener can be used
as a great screwdriver for tiny screws. Often if a clock winds too easily,
a broken spring may be the problem, however first check tomake sure the spring has not become disconnected. This often happens,
as well. If a pendulum clock does not
work, carefully try bending the pendulum wire into slightly varyingpositions. If this does not work, try tipping the clock slightly in
different positions. Be sure to remove the weights
and pendulum when moving clocks.

COPPER
AND BRASSAn easy, economical way to clean copper is to dip half a lemon in
salt and rub the object. Rinsein hot water and polish with a soft cloth. A solution of salt and vinegar
will quickly clean un-lacquered brassware or copperware. Thereare also commercial paste-type polishes on the market that cleans
and polishes at the sametime. Test these, however to make sure you get the desired outcome
before trying it onsomething truly cherished. Brass polish can be made with
equal parts of salt, flour and cider vinegar. Rub on paste witha soft cloth and let dry. Rinse thoroughly with hot water. Buff dry.
Clean lime deposits out of old
teakettles by placing vinegar in it, heating it and letting it sit
untilthe next day. Renew very old discolored brass
or copper by scouring lightly with the finest steel wool(#0000) and then treat.

If your piece has been lacquered
and is purely ornamental, don’t do anything with it other than

an occasional, gentle dusting. You don’t want to scratch the lacquer
coating.

If you want to remove the lacquer
coating on a piece of brass or copper, soak the article in

approximately two gallons of water in which one cup of washing soda
has been dissolved.

After soaking the piece in this mixture for 20 minutes, the
coating should peel off.

CRYSTAL
& GLASSWAREYour cut glass will sparkle if you wash it in warm, soapy water with
a small brush and addvinegar to the rinse water. Soap film on glass or tile? Apply
lemon oil with a soft cloth or rub the glass with a cut lemon,then rinse and wipe dry with paper towels. Some people also use white
vinegar or alcohol. Don’t wrap satin glass or glassware
with similar finishes in newspaper because it will mark thefinish. When purchasing satin glass, be sure to ask the dealer to
wrap your piece in tissue ora paper towel before adding newspaper for extra cushioning. To remove sticky price tags from
glassware soak the piece in water or saturate with glasscleaner. (The commercial product “Goo Gone” also usually
works well for removing stickersand also works on crayon marks, gum and tar.) To remove hard water stains,
try “Lime-Away” but be sure to follow instructions. Calcium deposits can be removed
by soaking several days in distilled water, or by soaking in a

vinegar solution, or by applying a solution of dilute hydrochloric
acid with a soft bristle brush

or by soaking in water into which bits of newspaper have been mixed.

Scratches can be removed by rubbing
with jeweler’s rouge with a chamois. (Antique glassware

with scratches on the bottom should not have these scratches removed,
however, as they are

a proof of age.)

Hot vinegar will remove paint
stains from glass.

Two glasses stuck together? Don’t
risk an accident pulling the apart. Instead put the bottom

one in warm water and pour cold water into the top one. They should
now separate easily.

Sometimes glass objects will
shatter for no apparent reason. The cause may be

“stress fractures,” which occur because of faults during
the manufacturing process. Although shattering can’t be prevented, you can reduce the likelihood by limiting
the extremes of temperature to which glass is subjected. Plunging a cold glass into
hot dishwater is one way to induce a stress fracture.

DOLLS
AND TEDDY BEARSDon’t clean a cloth doll’s body with water. Instead, rub cornstarch
or talc into the fabric, waitfour hours, then gently brush it away. Old dolls and teddies will last
a long time if they are stored and cared for properly. You canshorten their lifetimes dramatically with improper storage. Absolutely
nothing works better forstoring dolls than an old cedar chest. Sometimes you can pick up a
battered specimen for justa few dollars at a flea market or auction. So, yesterday’s hope chest
can be your dream chestfor dolls and teddy bears. Obviously, the cedar protects from moths.
But it also helps preservethe fabric and the paint. Or so doll and teddy fanciers declare. The
place NOT to store yourvaluables is in a hot attic. In fact any extremes of temperature are
ruinous. Shifts between hotand cold will cause cracks in porcelain doll faces. Fabrics will discolor.
So, an interior closetbeats the attic. Moisture–or lack thereof–is another important consideration.
Storing in abaking attic will dry out your valuables, causing rapid deterioration.
So, you’ll want to find a

storage place where there is some, but not excessive, humidity. Finally,
although it should go

without saying, sunlight is ruinous. It will age a valuable doll or
bear years in just a few weeks.

FURNITURE AND WOOD PRODUCTSLoosen the glue
holding a joint by squirting it with vinegar. Loosen
a tight screw by applying peroxide to it. Tight screws can also sometimes
be loosenedby hitting the screwdriver with a rubber mallet; or by applying a
red-hot poker to the head ofthe screw, then letting the screw cool before removal; or by using
penetrating oil, first waitingfor it to work its way along the length of the screw. Tighten
a loose screw by wrapping a bit of steel wool around the screw and
screwing it back in. When screws
work loose, or are removed permanently, fill the hole with a mixture
of sawdustand glue. The mixture can be smoothed flat if the screw is not to
be replaced, and gives thescrew a firm grip if it is to be replaced. Take the sag out of can chair seats by soaking down the cane which will cause
it to shrink as it dries. Drawers
that stick and jerk will open smoothly if you rub a little soap in
the grooves in each side. Or, you can use an old candle to make the drawer runners slide
more smoothly. Eradicate
white spots on mahogany furniture by spreading a thick coat of Vaseline
over the spots and letting it stand 48 hours before wiping off.

Hard to
remove dirt on wooden floors can sometimes be gotten rid of by carefully
rubbing with fine steel wool (#0000) moistened with turpentine.

Varnished
surfaces can usually be cleaned nicely with a cloth dipped in cool, weak tea.

To remove
the “foggy” appearance frequently found on high polished furniture, rub with the

grain of the wood, using a clean, soft cloth that has been dampened
with liquid wax. Follow with polish.

To polish very old furniture use a mixture of two parts turpentine to one part
of linseed oil, or equal parts of turpentine, linseed oil and vinegar. Apply with a soft
cloth and rub. Polish with a dry cloth.

To make scratches “invisible” in mahogany and other dark wood, carefully
go over them applying iodine, or lightly rub the scratches with a piece of cut
walnut meat or Brazil nut meat.

To remove heat marks from a varnished or shellacked finish, dampen a cloth with
spirits of camphor or essence of peppermint; dab on spot. Let dry thoroughly.
Polish. If the surface is lacquered, rub with a paste of powdered pumice and linseed oil, in
direction of grain. Polish.

Wicker
furniture should be cleaned by scrubbing with a stiff brush moistened
with warm salt

water. Salt keeps the wicker from turning yellow.

Don’t
use force with sticky drawers, or you may ruin a good piece of furniture.
If possible, wait until dry weather makes it easy to open the drawer, then rub the surface
that is sticking with soap, paraffin or stick lubricants. If this doesn’t solve the problem,
the sticking edges may need to be sandpapered or slightly planed down.

A practical ounce of prevention that will keep painted furniture free of scratches
and color fading is a thin coat of furniture wax applied to the surface. Makes
cleaning easier too.

Dents
can sometimes be removed by applying a hot iron to a damp cloth covering
the dent.

Holes
in wood can be filled with plastic wood stained to match the piece
or with white,

all-purpose glue mixed with some sawdust from the piece.

Worms
in wood can be killed by applying a liquid insecticide into the wormholes,
but the wormholes themselves, unless they are dangerous to its strength, should
be left to enhance the value of the piece.

Loose
chair rungs can be a problem. If the chair dowels appear fairly tight
in their holes, glue alone may secure them. Before you glue, however, remove any traces
of old glue or you won’t

get a bond. Resin-base carpenter glues usually will hold the best.
Very loose rungs may require the expertise of a cabinetmaker. He will probably cut a slot
in the end of the dowel

and then partially insert a hardwood shim slightly shorter than the
slot. When the rung is tapped into the hole, the shim is driven into the slot, expanding
the end of the dowel.

Glue is then used, as well.

Blisters
in veneer can be repaired by splitting the blister with a razor blade,
applying white,

all-purpose glue inside, then laying a sheet of wax paper over the
blister and weighting it down

with a very heavy object.

Water
rings may be removed by rubbing them first with cigar ash, then with
olive oil, removing the oil with naphtha, then re-waxing.

Does your piece of furniture really need refinishing? Before jumping into the
job, try wiping the piece with a damp rag. If it still appears to need refinishing, try
cleaning it up with a soft rag

and turpentine, removing all signs of the old wax. If the piece now
appears satisfactory, stop

here and apply a new coat of wax. If this fails to produce a satisfactory
result however, try rubbing the piece evenly with a soft cloth soaked in denatured alcohol.
If this doesn’t smooth out the finish, try rubbing with a soft cloth and lacquer thinner.
If one of these methods works,

rub the entire piece down using that method, then use fine steel wool
to smooth the surface

and apply a new coat of wax. Should all of these methods fail to make
the piece presentable it will be necessary to strip off the old finish.

You can replace a piece of bulging or missing veneer if you have better than
average woodworking skills…and considerable patience. Here is an overview
of how to do it. Purchase

a piece of veneer of the same wood as the missing piece and with an
approximately similar grain

pattern. You replace mahogany with mahogany, etc. A tight grain pattern
with a tight pattern,

etc. Wood specialty stores will help. Next lay the veneer over the
damaged section so that its

edges overlap the undamaged veneer. Cut through the replacement veneer
and the old veneer with a razor sharp knife. If you do this correctly the replacement
piece will perfectly fit the

outline you have cut in the undamaged portion of the old veneer. The
next step is tricky.

You need to remove every bit of veneer and old glue from the entire
area to be patched. Do

this carefully and thoroughly, with whatever scraping instrument seems
best suited. But the

surface must be “clean” before you glue down the replacement.
There are two ways to glue

down the replacement veneer. The first is with contact cement. It
is effective, but it leaves

no room for errors. You must place the patch perfectly. Alternatively,
use wood glue. Once the

patch is in place, you need to roll it down. You can buy a special
“veneer roller.” But a rolling

pin from the kitchen
works just as well. Then, for added adhesion, weight down the patch

overnight. Stacks of books, placed carefully on a sheet of waxed paper,
work very well.

(This step probably isn’t necessary if you use contact cement.) There
is one final step,

refinishing. Chances are you’ll have to refinish the entire piece.
Or maybe, after reading this,

you’ll let a “pro” do the whole job.

Damp
used tea bags or strong tea, left to stew after breakfast, and put
onto a soft cloth, are

great for darkening sun-damaged pieces of wooden furniture. It’s especially
good with oak

and mahogany. A few applications are necessary, and then varnish or
polish as normal.

This can also work with small scrapes and blemishes. Contributed by
Lainey

GOLDGold can be cleaned with soap and water. An ammonia solution helps
remove tarnish, or itcan be rubbed with jeweler’s rouge, which is a form of ferric oxide
usually used as a pastewith water for polishing gold and silver.

GRANITEWAREGraniteware is an enameled coating on an iron base. Care should be
taken not to scratch orchip the enameled finish, as the iron base will then be exposed to
rust. Burned foods or otherforeign objects on graniteware can be loosened by putting a solution
of one teaspoonful ofbaking soda and water into the utensil
and allowing the solution to boil for 15 minutes. Thena gentle rubbing should remove the residue.

HORNObjects made of horn should simply be cleaned with warm water.

IRON
& STEELTo clean small pieces of iron, try soaking them in white vinegar for
24 to 48 hours. You’ll prevent the inside of
your salt shaker metal tops from rusting or corroding if you paintit with ordinary nail polish. When the lacquer is dry, use a needle
or small nail to re-open theholes from the inside out. For those items intended for
food contact or cooking, careful attention should be given so thepiece will be safe to use, and at the same time, assume as closely
as possible its originalappearance. (Years ago newly bought cast iron cooking wares were well
greased with lard,put into the oven to heat-season, then wiped and stored in the cupboard
away from dampnessuntil needed again. After using they were carefully cleaned, maybe
oiled, and set back. In manyhomes, nevermore did the vessel touch soap or water. For normal rusting
and/or heavyincrustations of grease, or where stripping is needed from a piece
that has been painted, firstapply an oven cleaner; the alternative is to use a fine wire brush.
Then, wipe carefully

(paper towels recommended). Wipe with a light coating of mineral oil
or a solid cooking

shortening (some use salad oil). Bake in a low heat oven, 250 to 300
degrees F. for about 15

minutes; another group advocates oven-baking for an hour at up to
450 degrees F.; this latter

turning the iron even blacker. Finally, let cool, wipe carefully,
and the piece is ready to use.

Pieces only ornamentally intended,
or to be used outside food contact (tools, sadirons,

bookends, doorstops, etc), can be cleaned with steel wool or a fine
wire brush, followed by

a choice of: 1) wiping with mineral oil, 2) wiping with an antique-
care product containing a

good cleaning agent, or 3) spraying (not brushing) with a satin finish
clear lacquer-type

preservative.

Sandblasting is appropriate only
for very large iron objects. If steel wool is used, proceed

carefully, as bearing down too hard could cause scratches.

For very seriously pitted or
badly worn iron collectibles, sometimes painting is the only answer

to making them look presentable. On iron, a spray pint is more effective
than a brush.

Loosen a rusty screw by putting
a drop of ammonia on it.

Rust is the arch enemy of ironware.
Wrought iron resists rust better than cast iron. Soak

badly rusted articles in kerosene for 24 hours. Next, briskly rub
off the loosened rust with a

steel- wool pad. A brass-bristled brush will work more efficiently
on pieces with embossed or

raised designs or lettering. A steel- bristled brush may be used on
larger, heavy items. There

are modern commercial rust removers that do the job well. After the
rust has been removed,

scrub the item with a stiff brush, using hot sudsy water with a few
drops of disinfectant.

Towel dry and then air dry. When completely dry, coat lightly with
salad oil.

To preserve cooking pots and
to lessen future rusting, coat with vegetable oil, linseed oil, or

olive oil. Heat the coated article in a 250-degree oven for two hours.
The iron will absorb most

of the oil. Apply more oil as it becomes absorbed during the heating
process. When this

seasoning is completed, allow the utensil to cool and wipe off the
excess oil with paper towels.

The basic rules for the care of ironware are keep clean, dry thoroughly,
and keep oiled.

IVORYClean ivory by rubbing the item with lemon and salt and letting it
sit in the sun. Old ivory has a soft yellow appearance
that should not be bleached away. It can be cleaned witha damp sponge, but never soak it. If further cleaning is desired,
try making a paste of whitingwith a solution of 1 part hydrogen peroxide and 4 parts water. Cover
the object with the pasteand wipe it off when dry. Ivory can be cleaned with a pure
liquid dish washing detergent (not dish washer) and spongebut prolonged soaking is not advised. A light coat of almond oil will
protect pieces of ivory. To discover repairs on ivory
pieces, use can use an ultraviolet or black light.

JEWELRYTo clean silver, gold or diamond jewelry, soak it in a glass of vodka
over night. Fine jewelry can be easily, and
expensively, cleaned with a mixture of ammonia and water.Mix two-thirds water with one-third ammonia. Dip the jewelry items
into the mix and move themabout vigorously. If there is stubborn dirt, a very soft toothbrush
can be used in an attempt todislodge it. (Be careful not to loosen prongs on rings and other settings.)
Caution: Do not usethe ammonia-water mix on pearls or stringed jewelry, such as pearls
or beads. And don’t usewater of any type on emeralds.

LEATHERLeather furniture can be cleaned by using saddle soap or mild soapsuds.
Rinse with a dampcloth. Dry thoroughly with a soft, clean cloth. Follow with a leather
conditioning dressing.Never use furniture polish, oil, varnish, shellac, wax, or even a
treated duster on leather.

LAMPSTo clean the old lampshades made of metallic paper or genuine parchment
apply a mixture of1 part turpentine and 10 parts mineral oil with a soft cloth. Wipe
off gently but thoroughly. Crystal lamp bases sparkle after
this treatment. Add a few drops of household ammonia to clearwater and apply with a soft cloth. Rinse with a water moistened cloth
and polish until dry.

LINENS,
NEEDLEWORK, TEXTILESTo whiten tea towels, boil them with lemon rinds. To properly maintain framed needlecrafts,
you should vacuum them frequently to prevent dirtor dust buildup. Bleach will often do the trick
with age-yellowing, however washing in hot suds and thenexposing the item to direct sunlight sometimes helps, although
this practice is beingquestioned by many experts that feel sunlight damages the fibers.
Soaking items in cold water will
usually remove bloodstains. For stubborn stains use asalt-water solution (1/4 cup salt to 2 cups water). Do not use hot
water first; it may set thestain. When through, wash item in warm suds then rinse. To remove candle wax, first scrape
off the excess wax then place the stained part betweenblotters and press with hot iron. Sponge with carbon tetrachloride.
An ice cube can sometimes be
used to get rid of chewing gum on fabric or carpet.

Grass stains can often be removed
by rubbing with cooking fat or oil and then washing in

hot water.

Ink stains can sometimes be removed
by soaking in cold water and then applying vinegar or

lemon juice. Bleach remaining stains and rinse well.

Wash items with mildew stains
in hot suds, moisten with lemon juice and salt, and dry in the

sun. If stain is old, bleach and rinse well.

Scorch marks on old linens can
sometimes be removed by simply moistening them and

exposing hem to sunlight although it may need to be repeated several
times. Normally bleach

can reduce the sight of scorch marks, but again treatment may need
to be repeated.

Sheer curtains hang better and
resist dust if lightly starched.

Old “Candlewick” bedspreads
will not be “de-tufted” if placed in a large sack or pillowcase
when

laundered in the washer.

For several generations it was
common practice to hand wash lace linens and doilies with water

and bleach and to place them outside in the hot summer sun to dry.
Experts are changing their

mind on this topic. Now they are beginning to caution that hot sun
can damage the fine fibers

in lace. And they are beginning to endorse the notion that the fine
yellow patina that unbleached

lace develops is perfectly acceptable. Now, experts say, lace can
be washed with a very mild

detergent only. Excess water should be “patted” out of the
fabric. The lace then should be

allowed to dry on a towel.

MAGAZINES(See Newspapers and Magazines)

MARBLEClean marble with soap and water, or with weak ammonia solution, or
with carbonic acid. An oily substance spilled on
marble should be cleaned up quickly. Blot the area with talcumpowder or plaster of Paris. Stains on marble can be removed
with five-percent solution of oxalic acid, or with gasoline,or with alcohol, acetone or benzene. Use flammable cleaning agents
outdoors. Broken pieces of marble may be
glued back together using a glue composed of 4 parts gypsum(sulfate of lime) and 1 part gum arabic. Mix well and then add enough
borax to make a thickpaste. This glue will need several days to set. For waxing marble use beeswax
or paraffin. There are also some good commercial productson the market for waxing marble. This
information was posted on our BB.We are not experts so the information is presented here as received.

On marble, any kind of acid removes the shine. Oxalic acid is used
by pro’s in conjunction

with putty to re-polish marble. Used alone it DISSOLVES the surface.
Vinegar is used to clean

non-shiny marble. Please do everyone a favor and remove the acids
advice. The best care for

stone of any kind is keep it clean and buff it up. Use a mild detergent,
then rinse well and buff.

Beeswax is fine if you like sticky yellow marble. Carnauba wax over
clean stone is best. You

can bleach yellowed statuary with liquid bleach, since it is not acid.
You may have to leave

the bleach and water mix in for several days. OK! Jan the Marble Expert

This
information was sent to us by e-mail on 4/13/03.

We are not experts so the information is presented here as received.

If
fine marble statuary is cleaned with ’soap and water’ it will be ruined.
Not only do certain

soaps actually eat the surface of the stone, making it even more difficult
to clean next time,

the water will mix with the dust on the piece and create: mud. So,
you will end up with an

odd looking piece – dingy, with dark creases where the mud mix could
not be removed.

Maybe if you used a garden hose? (that was a joke I’m not a marble
expert – just an

archeologist. And I saw every statue at the Troy public library ruined
with soap and water.

It was amazing – I have *no* idea what the cleaning staff was doing.
Dirt was literally ground

into the pores of the stone – I have no idea what would have safely
removed the muck at that

point. Matte finish (Parian) marbles are the worst – leave them to
the professionals!

METAL(See Iron and Metal)

MIRRORSOld mirrors were made of thick glass. You can test the glass thickness
of a mirror by placinga coin on the surface and judging the distance between the coin and
its reflection. Remove paint splashes or specks
from mirrors or glass by washing in turpentine, ammoniaor hot vinegar. Never use a razor blade.

MISCELLANEOUSYou can sharpen scissors by cutting a piece of sandpaper several times
with them. Never repaint old toys; this
lowers their market value.

NEWSPAPERS
AND MAGAZINESDon’t store your newspapers or magazines on bookshelves, especially
oak or painted shelves.Keep them in “archival” boxes with lids. Stored magazines & newspapers
should be placed in vinyl or Mylar bags (acid free). Store awayfrom sunlight or heat sources and away from areas where they can get
dampness or highhumidity. (Attics and in basements are not the best places.)

NICKELWARENickel-plated articles require little care. They should be washed
in hot sudsy water, towel dried,and then gently polished to a shine with a soft towel or flannel cloth.
Soiled or greasy spotsmay be rubbed lightly with a damp cloth and a small amount of cleanser.
A final wiping off withalcohol, which evaporates quickly, will leave a smudgeless shine.
To remove rust spots in nickel-plate,
cover spot with oil or grease, let set several days, thenrub with cloth soaked in ammonia. This will remove the rust without
harming the nickel- plate.Wash, dry well, and polish. Nickel silver or German silver
may be made to shine by rubbing with a soap-filled finesteel-wool pad. Then polish with a good silver polish. Do not put
nickel-silver articles in thedishwasher, as detergents will give the metal a greenish cast almost
impossible to remove.

PAINTINGSWipe paintings with a soft, dry cloth to remove surface dust. If the
painting is valuable,probably nothing more than this type of surface cleaning should be
done by anyone except a professional. If a painting appears dirty, use a soft cotton cloth and
rub the surface with turpentine,denatured alcohol or acetone. The
following comes to us from one of our visitors: I am not claiming to be an expert,
nor am I a professional restoration specialist. But I have had some
experience in cleaning older paintings. As with any artist, I know
I put my heart into my paintings and would be sad to see any piece
of art ruined.If an OIL Painting appears dirty you
“may” use turpentine, denatured alcohol or acetone. But
this may also remove the varnish! I would not use these solutions
on other mediums!!! If you are unsure as to the medium of your painting
test a small spot first or contact a professional restoration specialist!
Acetone, which is used in fingernail polish remover, can remove varnish
and acrylic.For acrylic paintings I have had good
luck with a solution of half vinegar / half warm water and a damp
lint free cloth. Wipe gently. Followed by a final rinse with clean
water and lint free cloth, then dry with a lint free cloth.A fresh coat of varnish is always
a good idea (the painting must very clean before the varnish or any
dirt or lint will be bound to the painting permanently). AND, again
you must know the medium (oil, acrylic, casein?) as each medium has
a varnish / finish that is best suited to it’s chemical make-up.Sincerely ~C. Theurer

PAPERPaper collectibles require special storage and are extremely sensitive
to the effects of impropertemperature, humidity, light, acidity and even pollution. High temperatures
(above 80 degreesFahrenheit) will accelerate chemical reactions that attack paper;
if heat is combined with highhumidity (above 70 percent), mold will grow. If humidity is too low,
however, many paper itemswill become brittle and crack. Don’t store paper collectibles in the
attic! Keep your collectiblesin a room controlled by a thermostat and with air conditioning. Wearing cotton gloves when handling
paper collectibles is not eccentric. The perspiration onour hands can leach onto the surface of a document and, over time,
create a chemical reactionthat destroys the fibers of most papers. Cotton gloves absorbs perspiration
and protects thepaper from stains and acidity. Remove creases and surface dirt
from your paper collectibles before framing and displayingthem. Most maps, documents, books and papers can be cleaned lightly
with “Opaline”, a

non-abrasive cleaning agent handled by art supply stores. To clean
a document, put on your

cotton gloves, sprinkle the Opaline on the soiled document, rub erasures
lightly in a circular

motion, and brush away soiled particles with a soft-bristled artist’s
brush. Use a bone folder

(also available at art supply stores) to unfold creased documents.
Begin in the center of your

document and press the bone folder lightly, along the back of
the crease in an outward

direction and toward the edge of the paper. When your document is
flat and clean, you’re

ready to frame it.

Never glue or tape your paper
collectibles in an album or scrapbook. Adhesives leave permanent

stains on paper and cause your collectibles to tear and break upon
removal.

If framing paper collectibles,
use an acid-free mat. Mats prevent prints, photographs, documents

and other items from contacting the frame’s glass. The precaution
will reduce stress on the

paper and provide extra protection against deterioration.

If your find paper items infested
with silverfish, crickets, etc. seal them in plastic bags and store

them in the freezer for 72 hours. This will kill the vermin that eat
and destroy paper.

Keep all paper collectibles away
from direct light and store them in acid-free materials. Acid-free

folders and boxes–also known as archival materials–have a neutral
pH of 7 and are sold by a

number of companies.

PENS
& PENCILSSave a dried up ballpoint pen by holding a lighted match to the tip.

PEWTERTo clean pewter which is so easily scratched, make a paste of whiting
and lemon oil and applyit with a soft cloth, rinse with hot water and polish with a dry,
soft cloth. (Most antiquecollectors prefer a time-darkened, mellow finish on their old pieces
of pewter.) Corroded pewter can be cleaned
by polishing it with an electric buffer, or by rubbing it withcigar ash, or by applying a bathroom scouring powder with a kerosene
rag, or by using veryfine (#0000) steel wood and kerosene.

PHONOGRAPH
RECORDSStraighten a warped record by placing it between two sheets of glass
and putting it in the sunto “bake”.

PHOTOGRAPHSRemove spots from old photographs by adding a few drops of ammonia
to a cupful of warmwater, dip a soft cloth into it, wring it out as dry as possible and
gently wipe. Torn photographs can be carefully
mended with archival-quality tape, placing the tape on thepaper side of the photograph, never to the emulsion side. Damaged
daguerreotypes,ambrotypes or tintypes should be mended by a conservator. Tintypes may be carefully cleaned
by washing with distilled water.

POTTERYIf your pottery piece is potentially valuable, it is wise to obtain
professional advice rather thanattempting to clean the item yourself. Many chemicals, particularly
salts, if used improperly, caneventually crystallize, damaging the item, particularly if it is glazed.
Absorbent materials such aspottery will draw in cleaning materials/chemicals with long term harmful
effects. Never usechlorine bleach, even in a diluted solution. It is safe to say that
stable soft bodied glazedceramics/pottery can be quickly cleaned with a pure liquid dish washing
detergent (not dishwasher) and sponge but prolonged soaking is not advised.

PRINTSTo remove a crease, dampen the back of the print and press it against
a sheet of glass until dry. To repair a tear in a print,
apply a small amount of paste made from starch and boiling water tothe back of the tear. Reddish brown “foxing”
marks can sometimes be removed from prints by immersing the printin a strong solution of sodium chlorate and then quickly washing with
water, or applying asolution of 1 part hydrogen peroxide and 1 part alcohol with a soft-bristled
brush. Remove pencil marks or other
blemishes with a soft art gum eraser or by carefully rubbing withbread crumbs.

SILVERWash silver with soap and warm water, go over it with a silver cleaner
and dry it completelywith a clean, soft towel. If the item is not completely dry, small
dark spots can form. Occasionally, because of the
porous nature of old silver, small white spots will appear onsilver after it has been re-planted. These spots are never present
just after plating, but theysometimes appear days or even weeks later. Use ordinary silver polish
to remove them. Silver can be cleaned with toothpaste
in an emergency, but apply with your finger, neverwith a toothbrush. Always rinse items thoroughly to remove all toothpaste
or polish. Never use lemon-scented dish
washing detergent on silver; it spots. And, never use any metalcleaner not made specifically for silver. Never wash silver, brass and
most other fine metal collectibles in the dishwasher. When storing silver, wrap large
items in silver cloth and store in a zip-type plastic bag. Neverstore unwrapped silver in plastic bags or close plastic bags tightly
with rubber bands. Also, use

silver bags for flatware. Silver that is stored when not in use is
easy to maintain, due to the fact

that tarnish develops from exposure to sulfides (found in the air).

If you choose to display special
silver or brass pieces in a china cabinet, you will find that a

few well-placed camphor blocks and anti-tarnishing strips will lengthen
the life of the shine!

Never store silver salt &
pepper shakers for a long period of time with the salt and pepper

remaining in the shakers. Salt is very corrosive and if left in shakers
will cause pitting. Remove

the salt and wash before storing.

SOAPSTONESoapstone requires little care as it will not corrode and is non-
absorbent. It will take a highpolish and responds well to an occasional rubbing with fine steel
wool and ordinary householdcleanser. It may also be cleaned by rubbing with salt and a coarse
cloth. A light sanding(carefully) restores the original color.

STATUARY,
CARVINGSYour hand hair dryer is an excellent device for blowing the dust from
intricate woodwork,delicate carvings or statuary and artificial flowers.

TEXTILESNever fold fragile old textiles. Instead, roll them onto a cardboard
tube. Grease stains can sometimes be
removed with alcohol, ammonia or carbon tetrachloride. Samplers can be cleaned with
potato flour, dry, warmed in a double boiler, applied about1/4″ thick, then brushed off before it cools. Silk should never be cleaned
with a flammable liquid because rubbing may result in a sparkand fire due to static electricity. By using a black light, you can
discover patches in textiles and rugs.

TINWAREAll old tinware was actually tin-plated; sheets of iron were coated
with pure tin to prevent theiron from rusting. Therefore, tinware should not be severely scoured
or scratched, as the tincoating will then be damaged, allowing the iron underneath to rust.
Accumulated grease maybe removed by soaking the piece in one quart of water in which one-fourth
cup of washingsoda has been dissolved. If there are rust spots, which must be scoured
off, do so as gentlyas possible.

TORTOISESHELLTo restore the sheen to a tortoiseshell box, rub it with a cloth dipped
in lemon juice and salt.Rinse with cold water and dry. Sometimes rubbing yogurt on the shell
will help.

VARNISHING
& PAINTINGGet rid of paint odors by adding a couple of teaspoons of vanilla
extract to a quart of paint. Old rotary beaters make great
paint mixers and have many other uses as well.

WOODENWAREThe care of old woodenware can be quite simple. First scrub the article
thoroughly with astiff-bristled brush and warm, sudsy water to which a few drops of
an efficient householddisinfectant have been added. Absolutely, absolutely do not soak!
Woodenware will warp outof shape if allowed to get soaking wet. Scrub quickly, but thoroughly.
Place on wire racks,such as cake- cooling racks, set in the bottom of the sink. Quickly
pour very hot water over thewoodenware. This sterilizes the articles and hastens their drying.
Leave the articles on the wireracks in the open air to dry completely. When absolutely dry, rub
utensils, such as ladles,wooden forks and spoons, briskly with a clean cloth soaked in salad
oil. The articles may firstbe very lightly sanded if rough or splintery. Allow the oil to penetrate
for 10 minutes; nowcompletely wipe away all excess oil with a clean cloth. Wooden bowls, after cleaning
(see above), may be finished with a thin coating of melted,harmless beeswax or of paraffin wax such as is used in home canning.
The wax is heated

until just melted in a tin can set in a pan of boiling water. Use
caution, as wax is flammable.

Carefully pour the melted wax over the article so as to coat it completely
and evenly with a

thin layer of the protective wax.

To remove the odors of onions,
garlic, etc. from your wooden shredders, bowls, or mortars,

wash them quickly in baking soda dissolved in warm water.

Guide to antique doors and antique door panels.

Roger — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 18:36:29 +0000

I was in the warehouse just a few days ago, looking over a batch of antique door panels which just came in and it really reminded me just how cool some of these pieces are, especially the iron hardware, the various textures, and the overall character and charm of these bits of history.

In the raw and just in…

You can see all shapes and all sizes come in from smaller doors from private homes, to huge double doors which look almost as if they came from the doors guarding a castle.

Restoration and cleaning them up.

Often the door frames may be badly damaged and need to be reconstructed. Supports or other missing sections are replaced in the same manner and construction as the original.

Here you can see damaged sections which have been replaced using old wood, in this case the bottom stretchers on the frame and a support for the lock in the back.

Once both structures of the doors and frames have been repaired the doors can be hung in the frames once more.

Finally, missing hardware will be replaced and wax or a clear coat of lacquer will be applied to the wood, with the end result similar to this solid wood antique door at asian-collections.

Salvaged as materials; a second life.

Sometimes doors are simply treated as salvaged wood and used as material. The frightening pace of construction in China, means that as people trade in their old Chinese traditional courtyard houses and hutong dwellings for new high rise buildings salvaged building materials abound and doors are no exception to the rule.

Uses in decorating, remodeling and construction

Essentially, these are architectural antiques and construction companies like this one (this one is named Demxx Deconstruction) are starting realize customers can incorporate these elements into their home and consequently, are beginning to import salvaged old doors for projects.

And then there is these two ideas for converting antique panels and doors which I came across on the blog of a lighting designer, and are absolutely brilliant. “Camouflaging a refrigerator with door panels” is by far one of the best ideas I have seen so far. Kudo’s to Sherwood Cox who created this particular kitchen!

There is no reason why this cannot be applied with oriental door panels as well. In fact, I have a friend who has done so in his place (unfortunately I have not taken any photos yet).

Or they can be built into your home or apartment like the owner of this spectacular home in Maui did by incorporating Asian influences. In order to enter the master suite, you need to pass through these antique Chinese doors which he imported from Indonesia. It looks great and an added value is, it increase the overall value of the real estate.

Conversion from salvage into beautiful furniture

Some people turn them into desks like this “do it your self,” Antique-Door Desk made with salvaged architectural elements and an old door.

The same idea has been applied here with a vintage door which have converted into dining table. This one from Asiatic Treasures, was created by building a base for a brightly painted Vintage Tibetan Door panel.

Tables made from old doors is not a new idea, and it works well for this old door dining table

Though they range from large to small, space seems not to be an issue with doors, as they are flat and lean nicely against the wall as seen in this smaller Bohemian boutique. “Old door” cabinets are an interesting “medieval sort of look” as well, even if this particular one in our reference catalog is made from a reproduction.

Any other good examples? Let us know!

ACF China appears on China Central Television’s “Culture Express” program

Roger — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:11:03 +0000

A while back, ACF’s Roger Schwendeman was featured on CCTV (China Central Television) Channel 4’s program Culture Express. CCTV 4 is broadcast throughout China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and worldwide via satellite.

CCTV’s team accompanied Roger for several days during buying trips of un-restored Chinese antiques, and then onward to oversee the next steps of restorations and repairs. They also accompanied him to the Panjiayuan weekend market. We have not yet uploaded the video but plan to do so to soon.

Wood Finishing Articles & Information

Roger — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 07:37:12 +0000

Here is some great collection of articles I found on wood finish supply.com’s website about lacquers & wood finishing. Its quite technical and really intended for woodworkers and the like but if thats you, then this is a good resource.

Here is a sample of some of the articals:

The Atanomy of A Wood Finish
These 3 basic finish steps apply to all finishes from the most basic wax or oil finish
to high-tec coatings and even painting the exterior of a house or a room wall.
COLOR THEORY for the Woodworker & Furniture Finisher
Mixing Stains or Dyes & Color Computer Instructions.
Glossary of Finishing Terms
Woodfinishing Lingo

Stripping Wood Furniture
Guidelines for stripping wood furniture and other fine wood surfaces.
Lacquer Finishing Check List
Guidelines for spray finishing with Nitrocellulose Lacquer.
Lacquer Retarder & Flash Control
Control of Lacquer Moisture Blushing, or Overspray, and Orange-Peel problems.
LACQUER FINISHING PROBLEMS self help TROUBLE SHOOTING
Common nitrocellulose lacquer finishing problems defined; with causes & remedies.
Finishing Schedule for KITCHEN CABINETS
Spray Schedule for Durability with Nitrocellulose Lacquer
WAX THE PERFECT PROTECTION FOR FURNITURE?
Text from from Wood Magazine article on the proper maintenance of furniture.
” HOT STUFF ” Instant Glues & Solving Clogged Spouts
How to get the most from Cyanoacrylate ” Hot Stuff “. Do’s & Dont’s — How To Use.
Typical uses for Cyanoacrylate Instant Glues
ANILINE DYE
ANILINE DYE Information and Application Guidelines.
LIMING, a Limed Wood Finish also known as Pickled or “Whitewash”
This is a traditional wax finish for decorative furniture and wood surfaces
SHELLAC FLAKE, Mixing and Application Information
A guide to FRENCH POLISHING with Shellac -
ROTTENSTONE & PUMICE for Finish Rubbing Techniques for traditional rubbing of finishes to satin or high-gloss sheens.

The full text of the articles are here on their site: http://www.mcn.org/a/lib/wfs/articles.html

Buying unrestored: Custom antique restorations means usability

Roger — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 06:16:50 +0000

One of the best things about controlling your own restorations is the ability to decide what the final result will look like. This end result can sometimes be as important as the original because the “customer’s customer” is going to be thinking about where and how the piece will fit into their home. Often a “buy or not buy” decision will be made based on small details. Because ethnic furnishings is a industry like any other, as buyers one must think also about the end consumer and factor their needs into any buying decisions.

For some pieces its best to restore it as closely as possible to the original. Many consider it blasphemy to significantly modify an antique piece and for Chinese classical antiques I would agree. However for more common Chinese country antiques, modifications during restoration may be the best choice.

This wonderful sideboard was a great find, if a bit unusual and clunky at first. The left and right portions of the sideboard are completely open – no back, no sides, no bottom. The carved panels along the top were completely open as well. Here are some of the changes we made to make the piece a bit more “home friendly.”

Add bottom floor board to the left & right open sections.
Add a back panel and two side panels to the left & right open sections.
Install shelves, rather then leaving these huge open (and unusable) spaces.
Modify carvings in top section, turning them into working drawers.
Stain new panels to match original colors.
Replace missing handles & fittings.

In the final (bottom) set of photos you can see the end result – a beautiful antique sideboard which is both usable in the home and visually attractive.

Blurring the line further… How to tell if its a genuine antique?

Roger — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 17:17:00 +0000

If you read my previous post “blurring the line” you know how difficult it is to honestly decide whether or not an item should be considered an “genuine Chinese antique.” Answering this question becomes even more difficult when you consider the awkward journey a piece my take as it travels through the “antique-reproduction” supply chain. Consider this attractive low table, we purchase and restored for a customer in Italy. The first picture (upper left) is what it looked like when we purchased it BEFORE restoration. The last two on the bottom are the final result AFTER restoration.

The cabinet itself is a antique. It was collected from a peasant on a farm by a “materials collector” who then sold it to what we would consider to be a wholesale antiques flea market far off in Shanxi province, to the west of Beijing. From there is was bought (in bulk along with many, many other pieces) by a local furniture factory who re-laquered the front and completely retouched (actually repainted) the beautiful gold painting you see on the front of the piece. Or what DID the front look like in the first place? Maybe there never was any red lacquer and the peice was just a common wood color. So while the delicate gold “miao jin” paintings and trim look old, they are in fact completely new. Why is this?

The answer is mostly about business and economics. The cost of labor in the areas in the country side is also more expensive, which means that artist costs less then if he were located near the city. And an added unintended bonus is that the retouching was probably done by a local peasant craftsmen or artist who has been painting the exact same motifs, patterns and styles as his fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers have for generations. This adds to the authentic feel as unless you are a craftsmen from Shanxi province you will probably not know how to paint those particular motifs in just the right sort of look. It LOOKS authentic because in this regard it IS authentic.

At this point though, the piece is still unrestored which means it will be loaded into the back of a flatbed truck, along with a hundred or more other pieces and trucked overland in the open air eventually reaching Beijing. Chicken may catch a ride in the same truck and who knows what else. Along the way it will hit bumps, dirt, dust and maybe even rain, taking on a fresh layer of dirt, grim and dust. Again, this all adds to that antique aged look. Arriving in Beijing it will be unloaded by workers who see it not as an antique but rather as yet another piece of junk to be sold and therefore the scratching and scrapping really doesn’t matter. It will then be loaded into another warehouse – or maybe left in the open air for a few days before being restored.

And all this BEFORE we got it and restored it…. So, is it antique or what?