What Can be Restored

Furniture

This is probably the easiest thing to restore. An expert restorer can, for instance, make atruly invisible restoration on an 18th century table leg. He could match it with a similar piece of wood of a similar age, carve it to a similar pattern and colour of the original, so that even an expert might have difficulty in recognising the difference. The following are examples of before and after.

This dinning room chair became damaged when someone decided to use it as a stool and lost their balance.

Chair restored.

The Fretwork on this Victorian Oval Table was one of a pair that were being used as office furniture without any consideration to any possible damage from constantly moving the table by picking it up by the delicate frieze. The restoration although time  consuming requiring 100% focus ensured  the restoration was carried out to perfection. See here before and after.

Damaged Table

Restored Table.

Porcelain

Porcelain is the most easily broken and there are limitations to what even the best restorer can do because porcelain is translucent. Although the best restorer may guarantee the restoration is invisible to the eye, unless the porcelain is extremely thick, an ultra violet lamp will act like an x-ray and see right through it.

Pottery, Delft and Stoneware

See Example|These, on the other hand, are not transparent like porcelain. The alabaster vase at the top of this restoration page has been finely restored and the repairs are invisible at a distance. However, there is probably no restorer who could restore this piece invisibly because Alabaster is, by its nature, not only a transparent substance but has natural veins in the material. However, marble, although similar in appearance to Alabaster, is whiter in appearance is not translucent.

Ivory

Although it is true that Ivory is generally an extremely hard material that cannot be scratched, withstands direct heat and will not burn, modern living can damage it by subjecting it to undue stress. If placing an ivory object in a display cabinet, it is advisable to put a glass of water on a nearby shelf. This keeps the air moist and prevents the ivory from cracking. The same also applies to wooden

Sculpture. Lacquer

The Japanese are world renowned for making objects in Lacquer, often in 24-carat gold leaf. During the 18th and 19th century it took between eighteen months and two years for this process, often involving twenty two different layers of lacquer applied to each unique item. Naturally it is now a very expensive process and outside Japan and China, there are probably only two people who can restore such an item to perfection.Books, Paintings, Prints, Paper and Photographs These can be damaged by heat, water or dampness and prone to creases if not handled correctly. They can also fall, be torn and holed. However, they can be patched and very expertly re-painted. The same can be said of photographs too.Picture Frames, which are often gilded, appear to be made of wood but are more often made of gesso or Italian for chalk. This is a material found in older frames and subject to crumbling.

Severe damage was caused to this Alabaster Vase when one of the workers in the office thought it was good to lean on. Alabaster does not do too well when dropped hence this damage.

Restored:

Metalware

This can be in many forms, be it a vase, figurine, group of figures, bowl, plate or furniture. Metal pieces can be made out of many materials. These include, Aluminium, Antimony, Brass, Bronze, Copper, Gold, Iron, Pewter, Silver, Spelter, Steel etc. Each item has its own method of restoration and limitation.

Stoneware

This includes, Alabaster, Jade and Jadeite, Marble, Onyx and Stone, to name just a few that can be restored.