Restoration

Definitions for the difference between conservation and restoration vary with source and often cross over into one another. I consider restoration to specifically refer to the art of treating an object with a view to recover or restore the appearance from current condition to nearer its original state – a state which can only be judged from existing evidence and historical opinion.

Please note that I consider such recovery to differ from what is commonly referred to as ’as new’. The process must still be carried out with sympathy for the object and a view to both reversibility and identifiable repair. Here is a selection of items I have worked on recently.

Ornate rope detail mirror Frame

The ornate frame surrounding this mirror had endured extensive damage over the years, with the top rope section broken into several pieces.

I undertook the delicate task of restoration, recreating the intricate detailing of the top section.

The new sections were gilded and toned to match the other sections of the frame.

Owner: Private
Material: Composition

New Scroll section

A remarkable restoration project brought me the opportunity to work on a frame that held the renowned painting “The Careless Husband” by Philip Mercier from 1738. The frame had suffered the loss of a scroll section, which required careful attention to recreate and integrate it with the existing structure.

Using pine wood, I delicately carved a new scroll section to replace the lost piece, ensuring a harmonious continuation of the frame’s aesthetic. Every curve and detail were carved.

Once the carving was complete, I took great care in resurfacing and colouring the new scroll section to blend with the surrounding frame.

Owner: York Museums Trust.
Material: Pine (Pinus sylvestris)

Rococo frame

The exquisite rococo frame is known for its flamboyant decorative elements and intricately carved foliage.

Over time, this one has suffered from the loss of numerous small carved details, as well as old restorations, surface dirt and discolouration.

I hand-carved the missing elements and added the new sections to harmonise with the existing frame’s appearance.

The full frame was carefully cleaned.

Owner: Manchester Town Hall

Miniature rococo Frame

Upon receiving this delicate miniature rococo frame, I was confronted with a puzzle of scattered pieces and the absence of many vital components.

Relying on reference photos and research into frames from the same era, I made paper templates for the missing sections, thus enabling me to craft a comprehensive guide for carving the intricate elements that were absent.

Carefully, I reassembled the original frame and fixed the newly hand-carved elements to it.

To complete the restoration, I re-gilded the frame. It was quite the project!

Owner: Private Client

CHURCH STOOP

This church stoup, which is a basin near the entrance of a church containing holy water with which the faithful may sprinkle themselves, had weathered many years and faced numerous challenges. Its base had been cut to fit against a wall, and the hinge and lock added along with a coin slot to change it’s use. The original wood stain had been scratched off over time and it was very dirty.

To restore its original charm and functionality, I integrated new sections into the stoup’s base and to replace the non-original additions. Following these structural improvements, I removed the accumulation of dirt and added new stain over my repairs and all the small surface losses.

Owner: Private

Moot Hall clock

I had the privilege of working on the casing for the historic Moot Hall Clock belonging to Cannon Hall Museum in Cawthorne near Barnsley. Over the years, the weather had left the clock in need of restoration.

I started the project by cleaning each component. The most visually significant repair was to the split across the face, and the numerals, worn and faded with the passage of time, were hand-painted to ensure that time could once again be easily read. The ornate gold edge received some attention too. Various splits and losses to the casing were also essential to ensure the repairs mechanism could be safely re-installed.

Owner: Cannon Hall – Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Commemorative Shields

This fascinating restoration project involved a set of commemorative shields that had suffered damage over the years. The shields were originally made for the town of Selby to commemorate the public subscription which funded the recommissioning of submarine HMS Sturgeon for participation in WW2.

The black wooden shield-shaped mounts had significantly de-laminated and broken off in various sections and the cast metalwork was deteriorating.

The first step was to replace the decayed mounts, ensuring a stable backing. Each section was delicately handled to preserve the integrity of the shield while restoring its original aesthetic appeal.

Next, I focused on reviving the surface of the metalwork, which had lost its shine and suffered from discolouration and rust.

These were almost forgotten historic artefacts representing the sacrifice the town and villages around Selby had made to contribute to the war effort .

Owner: Selby Town Hall

rare Decorative Fireplace

This fire surround had unfortunately had a battle with a water leak (and lost)!.

I started the task of restoring it by recreating the leaves and flowers that had been tragically removed by the water damage, ensuring that they were an exact replica of the leaves on the other side.

Each petal was recreated to capture the essence of the original design. The fireplace once again became a focal point, and ready to survive another hundred years.

Owner: Private

Carved ornate panel

These remarkable pieces are carved, pierced ornate panels forming a set of decorative grilles from a prestigious library. Working in collaboration with English Heritage at Wrest Park, Bedfordshire, I fully restored the decorative panels.

The project began with trays containing the broken pieces for the six grilles, carefully retrieved from long-term storage. Years of unsuitable storage before English Heritage stepped in had taken their toll, and each panel required cleaning, consolidation and reconstruction before any missing elements could be recreated.

Over a period of months, I delicately restored and recreated the missing elements, ensuring a seamless integration with the existing grilles.

To complete the restoration, I reproduced all the oak frames to house the panels. It was a labour of love, preserving not only the individual panels but also the essence of the library’s architectural heritage.

Owner: English Heritage, Wrest Park, Bedfordshire

early 17th Century Frame

Early 17th century frame for portrait of Lady Coventry by Cornelius Johnson, 1639.

This rare, original frame had not been resurfaced since manufacture. While cleaning I found evidence of an original black pigment below a non-original sanded background. On discussion with the Gallery I re-introduced the blacking using fully reversible materials.

The result represents how I understand the frame would have looked.

An exhibition to display the treated painting and frame was accompanied by the pair to the portrait – that of Lord Coventry, belonging to the National Portrait Gallery. His frame still had the non-original gilded sanding between the carved straps and foliage so the difference, and improvement, was notable.

Owner: Sheffield Museums

Mid-Victorian Giltwood Table

All of the delicate gilding was badly worn and the private client wished to restore the table to a shade of its former glory. I used traditional methods to suit the evidence from the remaining surface and gently re-introduced a little new gilding to blend in alongside the original, and with surface and structural repairs the table recovered some of its original magnificence.

Owner: Private Client

Over-painted frame

Frame for “Quiet” by William Nicol, 1860

Technically restoration, the frame had previously been fully over-painted and suffered structural losses and weakness. Essential treatment to the fundamental structure made it necessary to also address the surface, a removal of discoloured over-paint and a sympathetic full re-gild to suit the original scheme, ascertained from evidence found below the paint.

The finished surface was suitably toned with a reversible over-wash to better suit the painting.

Owner: York Museums Trust

Restored scrolls

Initially each of the scrolls underwent a thorough cleansing process, restoring their original shine.

The broken sections were individually re-carved to match what was once there.

The accompanying photo showcases the integration of the newly crafted sections into the existing scrolls.

These new sections were then gilded, and their tones adjusted to harmonise with the pre-existing segments, culminating in a stunning transformation.

Owner: Private Client

Tudor Gent

This project involved a small painting of a Tudor gentleman, nestled within a frame that had seen better days.

The frame had lost some of its decorative elements over time. I was asked to revive the frame and bring it back to its original grandeur. 

The process began with the careful re-casting and replacement of the missing sections. 

To bring out the frame’s original splendour, I conducted localised gilding. To achieve perfect finish, I toned the frame to ensure that the new sections seamlessly blended with the existing frame.

Owner: Private Client

 

Have you got a project in mind?

Are you ready to share your restoration project?

Contact me today and let’s get started.