Antique restorations may be as simple as some cleaning and minor repairs or it may involve almost a complete rebuild. There is a big difference between restoration and repair. A repair simply makes the item functional once more whereas restoration involves bringing back the beauty of its original appearance.
This means that restoring pieces is more than just a craft. It requires an understanding of history and an artistic eye to understand how far the restoration process needs to go. If too much of the original character is removed, the item actually loses its value.
In order to be classified as an antique, an item must be a 100 years old or more. This means that it has suffered a great deal of wear and tear. It requires knowledge and sensitivity to know which of these marks are essential to the character of the piece and which can be removed. There are certain marks which should definitely not be removed such as certain grooves left by the use of handheld tools or any numbers.
The intricacy of the process and all the skills required means that learning the business does not happen overnight. It takes years to pick up the necessary skills. Some restorers are lucky enough to have gone through an apprenticeship program of many years to learn these skills.
The variety of skills needed is extensive. Skills in carpentry, painting and wood finishing are just some of those that are required. A single piece may be made up of several different materials such as wood, fabric and glass and how to work with all of them need to be understood. For example, a variety of skills would be needed for restoring an old clock with ornate carvings. An upholstered chair would also require many different skills from stripping off old upholstery to cleaning and repairing the framework.
Many restorers insist on using the same type of tools and materials that were used when the item was first made. They do not use power tools at all. Others use a combination of old and new tools. Some even use even the original types of glue which were used such as fish and rabbit glue.
In order to restore antiques correctly, it is vital to have the necessary knowledge, skills, workshop and storage space. Without these it is easy to make mistakes resulting in diminishing the value. Individuals may regard certain jobs to be simple such as cleaning and replacing hardware but even these apparently simple tasks must be done correctly. An item can lose its patina if cleaned incorrectly and the right hardware has to be sourced which is consistent with the other details of the piece.
Antique restorations are often best accomplished by those with the skills, tools, workshops and storage space essential for the process. A professional will also have the sensitivity to what has to be done to retain the appearance and therefore the value of an item. They understand just how much it is necessary to do and exactly when to stop to make sure that the character of the piece is kept and can be appreciated by future generations as examples of a certain era.
This means that restoring pieces is more than just a craft. It requires an understanding of history and an artistic eye to understand how far the restoration process needs to go. If too much of the original character is removed, the item actually loses its value.
In order to be classified as an antique, an item must be a 100 years old or more. This means that it has suffered a great deal of wear and tear. It requires knowledge and sensitivity to know which of these marks are essential to the character of the piece and which can be removed. There are certain marks which should definitely not be removed such as certain grooves left by the use of handheld tools or any numbers.
The intricacy of the process and all the skills required means that learning the business does not happen overnight. It takes years to pick up the necessary skills. Some restorers are lucky enough to have gone through an apprenticeship program of many years to learn these skills.
The variety of skills needed is extensive. Skills in carpentry, painting and wood finishing are just some of those that are required. A single piece may be made up of several different materials such as wood, fabric and glass and how to work with all of them need to be understood. For example, a variety of skills would be needed for restoring an old clock with ornate carvings. An upholstered chair would also require many different skills from stripping off old upholstery to cleaning and repairing the framework.
Many restorers insist on using the same type of tools and materials that were used when the item was first made. They do not use power tools at all. Others use a combination of old and new tools. Some even use even the original types of glue which were used such as fish and rabbit glue.
In order to restore antiques correctly, it is vital to have the necessary knowledge, skills, workshop and storage space. Without these it is easy to make mistakes resulting in diminishing the value. Individuals may regard certain jobs to be simple such as cleaning and replacing hardware but even these apparently simple tasks must be done correctly. An item can lose its patina if cleaned incorrectly and the right hardware has to be sourced which is consistent with the other details of the piece.
Antique restorations are often best accomplished by those with the skills, tools, workshops and storage space essential for the process. A professional will also have the sensitivity to what has to be done to retain the appearance and therefore the value of an item. They understand just how much it is necessary to do and exactly when to stop to make sure that the character of the piece is kept and can be appreciated by future generations as examples of a certain era.
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