Repairing and Restoring Antique Furniture

Book excerpt: First published in 1954 as The Repair and Restoration of Antique Furniture, this work has been revised, expanded and reillustrated by V.J. Taylor, and is aimed at woodworkers, owners of traditionally crafted furniture, and antiques enthusiasts. It explains to the layman the professionals' techniques for repairing damaged furniture and restoring it authentically to prime condition. It describes systematically the six basic steps - dismantling, cleaning joints, restoring components, gluing up, levelling and sandpapering, and colouring and polishing. Included are not only the solutions to typical problems, but also some of the methods which the author devised to overcome more unusual difficulties.