Friday, June 10, 2011

Critical Gaze: When good intentions lead to Hell......or over restoration


A few posts back I had shown everyone a small Swedish table that I was thinking of buying.....alas, I passed it up....and now I've been presented by a different dealer with a similar [ hoping not the same] table at three times the cost of the original and none of the charm.....which leads us to today's post.....



The Demure Original




The Tart


How much restoration should be undertaken......it does depend on where you are as the some of the English, French and Germans like their furniture to glow in the dark but my rule is this....first do no harm.....do as little as possible and if you must restore the finish use the same types of materials.....there is also that most important matter taste.........some people just don't understand an actual antique patina and will go out of their way to over restore an item and then spend thousands more on new furniture that has been 'aged'....but that's what makes the world go round....and now I wish I had bought that sweet little table.....sigh, weep.....oh well......there will be another, there's always another......

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