I RECENCY COMPLETED MAKING NEW ADDITIONS FOR SAINT GEORGE’S CHURCH IN HIGH STREET BELFAST, CIRCA 1816.
Friday, May 31, 2024
These new hand rails were made in Oak to match the existing rails & alter.
I’ve also previously restored the 19th C pulpit & other items within the church.
RECANING THE SEAT ON A REGENCY ARMCHAIR.
Monday, March 30, 2020
A MID 19TH C MAHOGANY LONGCASE CLOCK.
Friday, December 28, 2018
This clock had suffered from many typical problems including damaged bracket feet, broken & missing mouldings along with damage to the Concalo Alves veneer.
The case required the coloured varnish removing before French polishing then dulling & wax polishing.
The replacement brass fittings also required colouring to Mach the aged case.
A SET OF 8 REGENCY MAHOGANY DINING CHAIRS
Friday, December 28, 2018
THE RECENT RESTORATION OF A FINE MID 18TH CENTURY CHIPPENDALE SECRETAIRE BOOKCASE.
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
MY NEW ELECTRIC BENCH IN ACTION.
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
This electric lifting bench has been a fantastic addition in the workshop, making it easier to lift large & heavy pieces on as well as bringing pieces to the perfect height. Loading & unloading onto my taillift on the van is also a simpler task.
MORE EXAMPLES OF RESTORATION.
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
MORE EXAMPLES OF RESTORATION.
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
MORE EXAMPLES OF RESTORATION.
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
MORE EXAMPLES OF RESTORATION.
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
FURTHER EXAMPLES OF RESTORATION.
Monday, April 22, 2024
19TH C BOULE BRACKET CLOCK UNDER RESTORATION.
Wednesday, August 21, 2024
As a specialist antique furniture restorer I’m often called on to restore other items such as this wonderful; boule & ormolu mounted bracket clock.
RECENT RESTORATION TO AN GEORGE III SATINWOOD & INLAID PEMBROKE TABLE.
Monday, February 19, 2024
The central fan inlay had suffered extensive damage due to a combination of water & shrinkage & required careful removal before trimming & regluing. Multiple sections of damaged inlay also required remaking.
RECENT RESTORATIONS CARRIED OUT TO ONE OF AN IMPORTANT PAIR OF 18TH C TORCHERS.
Monday, October 14, 2024
Recent restorations.
SOME FURTHER IMAGES OF RECENT RESTORATIONS.
Monday, October 14, 2024
Recent restorations.
RECENT RESTORATION TO A LARGE IRISH MAHOGANY DINING TABLE.
Thursday, December 12, 2024
You can see the restoration of this large Irish mahogany dining table which had suffered extensive damage during its lifetime. All the tops had to be removed & rejointed & 1 leaf had suffered a very bad & jagged split at an angle along the top which had had many poor & unskilled attempts to repair. I had to clean the very jagged edges before regluing & reinforcing with biscuits which I tend not to like using on period restoration but on this occasion both their added strength & aiding alignment & preventing slippage I decided to use them. The table had previously been refinished in the most awful modern sprayed lacquer by a so called French polisher which I often encounter the same type of finish previously applied. Because this had already started to degrade in places I found it best to use a cabinet scraper to go back to bare wood & begin the polishing process proper.
The whole table required stripping, sanding, traditional hand French polishing over several weeks then dulling & waxing. Needless to say the client was delighted with the end result.
A SUPERB WILLIAM & MARY WALNUT CHEST ON STAND. CIRCA 1700
Saturday, November 2, 2024
This superb piece of period walnut furniture was an absolute pleasure to restore.
I RESTORED THIS LOVELY OLD LATHE DURING COVID.
Thursday, October 10, 2024
I restored this lovely old Myford ML8 lathe during Covid. I completely dismantled the headstock & thoroughly cleaned all parts & bearings before cleaning back the old paint & repainting with Paragon machine Enamel.
I then rewired the original motor & fitted a new NVR Switch.
I’ve since added the various optional extras inc table saw, bandsaw, sanders & grinders. Currently searching for the planer.
A GOOD IRISH WAKE TABLE RECENTLY REPOLISHED.
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Recent restoration.
REPLACED EAR SECTION MADE & CARVED ON A GOOD MID 18TH C IRISH MAHOGANY SILVER TABLE.
Thursday, October 10, 2024Recent restorations.
REPAIRING DAMAGED APPLIED FRETWORK ON A PAIR OF CABINET STANDS.
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Recent restorations.
REPAIRING A BROKEN LEG ON AN EARLY 19THC OAK DRUB TABLE.
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Recent restorations.
REPAIRING THE DAMAGED CORNER OF A FINE REGENCY HALL CHAIR.
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Recent restorations.
MAKING REPLACEMENT SECTIONS OF BRASS & EBONY INLAY FOR A GOOD REGENCY BOOKCASE.
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Recent restorations.
TURNED LEG EXTENSIONS FOR A GRAND GILLOWS SERVING TABLE.
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Recent restorations.
THIS MAGNIFICENT REGENCY TABLE HAD SUFFERED EXTENSIVE PREVIOUS POOR REPAIRS.
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Recent restoration.
RESTORATION TO DAMAGED FRETWORK.
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Restoration to damaged fretwork.
RESTORATION OF A GOOD 19TH C CIRCULAR DINING TABLE WITH 6 OUTER LEAVES.
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Images shown of recent restoration.
RESTORATION OF A GEORGE III OVAL MAHOGANY & INLAID BREAKFAST TABLE.
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Images showing recent restorations.
A MID 18THC MAHOGANY KNEEHOLE DESK.
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Images showing the recent restoration of a mid 18th C mahogany kneehole desk.
RESTORATION OF AN IRISH MAHOGANY SIDEBOARD.
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Images showing recent restoration of an Irish (Cork) mahogany sideboard.
A GOOD CHIPPENDALE PERIOD MAHOGANY LINEN PRESS.
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Images showing the restoration of a good Chippendale mahogany linen press including making 4 replacement shelves.
AN IMPORTANT 18TH C SATINWOOD PIER TABLE ATTRIBUTED TO INCE & MAYHEW.
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Recent restoration.
IRISH REGENCY SIDE CABINET RECENTLY RESTORED.
Wednesday, July 3, 2024
I always enjoy restoring side cabinets such as this as they always look fantastic when finished complete with pleated silk door panels.
AN IMPORTANT BURR OAK & BRASS INLAID CENTRE TABLE ATTRIBUTED TO GEORGE BULLOCK
Saturday, June 8, 2019
RECANING THE SEAT OF AN IMPORTANT SOLID SATINWOOD & EBONY INLAID ARMCHAIR ATTRIBUTED TO THOMAS CHIPPENDALE THE YOUNGER.
Friday, June 3, 2022
Recaning the seat of an important solid satinwood & Ebony inlaid armchair attributed to Thomas Chippendale The Younger.
The new cane was then coloured & aged to match to others in the set.
A MID 19TH C WALNUT & BOXWOOD INLAID WORK TABLE BY ROBERT STRAHAN OF DUBLIN
Friday, June 3, 2022
A Mid 19th C walnut & boxwood inlaid sewing table by Robert Strahan of Dublin.
Various repairs were carried out damaged & lifting veneers. All 4 legs had suffered from bad breaks & the juncture with the frieze.
The delicate open fret lids also required patching.
The sewing box was recovered & pleated in pure silk.
A FINE REGENCY MAHOGANY CENTRE TABLE.
Sunday, April 12, 2020
This fine Regency mahogany centre table required restoration to lifting & blistered veneers.
The beading aroun the rim also required loose sections gluing as well as replacements turned on the lathe,
The top had previously been varnished with a Matt polyurethane varnish which required stripping off.
The top was then bleached with oxalic acid to remove stains and reduce redness in the surface.
The top was then traditionally hand French polished then after a week to harden dulled down and wax polished resulting in a fine mellow surface.
The base also had repairs carried out to the damaged veneers then coloured & wax polished.
AN EARLY GEORGE III MAHOGANY KNEEHOLE DESK
Sunday, April 12, 2020
This attractive mahogany kneehole desk received various restorations to the bracket feet and cock beading around the drawers.
The top required multiple applications of bleach as the top was heavely stained probably by steel tools as it had been in a shed for many years.
The repairs were coloured & then surfaces cleaned & polished.
THESE FINE PAIR OF EARLY 19TH C BURR ELM CONSOLE TABLES HAD SUFFERED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AFTER A FLOOD.
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
These fine pair of early 19th C burr elm console tables had suffered extensive damage after a flood. As can be seen in the images the the bases of the tables had been completely saturated causing all the veneers to lift & buckle. All the joints were also coming apart. Only after starting work it became evident that there had also been severe wood worm damage which was was leading to the wood crumbling. After stripping off the veneers I had to dismantle the plinths & reglue.the worm cavities were injected with thin animal glue. The crumbled wood on the back rail required splicing with new wood & the mortise recut.
The plinths when fully repaired were reveneered after obtaining 8 matching consecutive leaves so both tables match perfectly.
Multiple other repairs to veneers were carried out prior to carefully removing the old finish then colouring, distressing & French polishing.
The bright tables were then dulled & wax polished resulting in a lovely warm glow which just looked beautiful.
Well worth the many hours work required.
SOME IMAGES OF RESTORATIONS
Sunday, March 3, 2024
Some images of restoration
A FINE GEORGIAN SIDE TABLE IN THE WORKSHOP RECENTLY FOR RESTORATION.
Monday, February 9, 2026
This table appeared to be used a bench in a potting shed at some stage.
The top was heavily scored & marked with deep stains.
I’m always reluctant to sand old period furniture but this table was so heavily marked it was thought best in this instance to do so.
After scrapping & sanded though the grades down to 400g the top was then bleached with 2 part bleaches & oxolic acid.
The table was then traditionally hand French polished with the addition of blues & green pigments to return a nice Georgian colour once again.
Once the polish was fully hardened the surface was dulled with fine pumice & rotten stone followed by a tradition hand wax polish.
The table now has a lovely glow & not looking too shinny for a Georgian piece.
A GEORGE III MAHOGANY & INLAID OVAL BREAKFAST TABLE.
Saturday, February 3, 2024
This table had suffered extensive damage due to dampness & neglect.
After many hours re gluing the lifting & blistered veneers the missing sections were cut from old solid rosewood. After repairs the top wa then bleached to remove the water stains & return the top to a more pleasing colour.
The table was then hand French polished over the period of a week then after another week to allow the polish to fully sink into the grain & harden was then dulled with a combination of pumice & rotten stone & wax polished to leave a more pleasing soft sheen.
THE RESTORATION OF THE PULPIT IN ST GEORGE’S CHURCH IN BELFAST
Friday, February 1, 2019
It was a great pleasure to be involved in the restoration of this magnificent pulpit.
MID 18TH CENTURY CHIPPENDALE PERIOD SILVER TABLE.
Friday, February 1, 2019
The restoration of this amazing table turned out to be a true labour of love.
I had to design & recreate the fret gallery as well as the umbrella stretchers.
A WILLIAM & MARY PERIOD WALNUT SIDE TABLE. CIRCA 1690
Sunday, January 3, 2027
This William & Mary period walnut side table required major restoration to bad splitting & damaged veneers.
The table had also suffered extensive worm damage which required treating & decayed wood injected with a special conservation consolation fluid.
The table after all repairs to veneers and mouldings were carried out was sensitively cleaned & polished.
The many hours spent resulted in a beautiful table ready once again for future generation to enjoy