Colin Irvine restores antique furniture, or any other furniture or wooden items needing repair or care.
From the simplest of repairs to a major rebuild everything is possible. Timbers to match existing can be sourced and repairs and finishes will harmonise with the original piece.

Restoration work can include brass and other metals, ivory, mother of pearl and other inlays as well as fabric work and upholstery.

0581	Victorian writing slope	A walnut veneered writing slope with brass bands. Repair of minor veneer defects and damaged edges to flaps. Inlaying brass strips into the top to replace those missing.. Re-hinging the flaps with fabric. French polishing. Red velvet covering to base.
0580	Jewellery box	A refresh of a treasured jewellery box. The existing rather drab exterior is refreshed in white, the interior re-lined in a fine pink velvet.
0579	chair arm	A new chair arm sculpted from beech to match one quote - missing due to a party incident-. Stained to match existing.
0578	Coromandel ladiy"s travelling case	A stunning coromandel lady"s travelling case. The interior has been stripped out and the brasswork has deteriorated and been bodged as a repair. New brass corner elements made and fixed, new brass string (specially drawn to match the existing profile) installed. Minor veneer repairs. New brass lock escutcheon [plate and lid plaque. Velvet base. French polished.
0577	Rosewood box	A small rosewood workbox. Minor veneer repairs, re-hinging including reinforcing hinge locations. Making a new softwood lift-out tray with divider. Base and tray lined with red paper and padded satin lid panel reinstated, both to match existing fragments.
0576	Victorian writing slope	A walnut writing slope with a barrel top, brass bands and borders. The slope was well worn, the skiver and flap hinges torn, the brass bands loose and the brass border missing apart from one tiny fragment. Veneer repairs, new brass border, re-fixing brass bands, re-hinging slope, re0hinging flaps and new skiver. French polish
0572	Victorian rosewood box	The top of this box had warped very badly, causing a long split across the front. The lid was dismantled and rebuilt after flattening re-using the existing veneer. New mother-of-pearl roundels were made to replace those missing. New paper lining inside lid. French polished.
0570	Tunbridgeware workbox.	Restore interior tray with new dividers and silver paper covering. Re-build ruched satin lid flap. Re-line with marbled paper. Strip and re-polish. New brass hinges.
0568	Leather covered box	The leather covering was in very poor condition following water damage. Stripped back and re-covered in goatskin leather. All existing ironmongery.
0567	An ivory, ebony and silver inlaid cribbage box.	Restoration included rebuilding the damaged corner of lid. Re-hinge, new lock. Piece-in ivory, ebony and silver including making new fine detail string pieces. Velvet lining to lid.
0565	Tunbridgeware workbox.	An extensive restoration comprising veneer repairs including to the missing areas of wood mosaic. Constructing a new lift-out tray. New lock, re-hinging with new brass hinges. New ruched satin covered flap in the lid. Lining box and tray with marbled paper. Hessian scrim to base. French polishing.
0564	Galle inlaid table.	Patching in plus new components in about six locations where damaged.
0563	Galle inlaid table top and shelf.	Re-size existing top to remove edge damage, press down loose veneer, add pad and lily to mask damaged area. Shelf - add lily pad and lily.
0559	A barrel topped inlaid box.	Inlay re-created (brass, MoP and abalone) with substantial repairs. Lacquer inside and out. Create new lift out tray, paper lined.
0557	An oriental lacquer box	This early 20th C oriental lacquered box with brass mounts was in dire condition. The lacquer was almost entirely absent. Brass mounts and MoP decals removed and cleaned. Re-lacquered in red.
0556	A Victorian writing slope.	Restoration comprised veneer repairs, new hinges, re-hinging internal flaps, reworking tray, new skiver, mother of pearl inset for key hole. New key.
0553	A small inlaid table top.	The inlaid foliage leaf had been water damaged. Removed and replaced with a new inlay ready for polishing.
0551	A Victorian walnut and mahogany writing slope.	The slope's internal fittings were missing and the keyhole damaged. The keyhole was re-constructed replacing mother-of-pearl. Internal fittings (ink shelf, flaps, pen tray) rebuilt. Rehinged and salvaged lock fitted. Leather skiver fitted.
0550	Two small table tops signed Galle.	Both tops have suffered water damage. Restoration of pictorial marquetry, repair and replacement of section of veneer.
0549	A small early 19C tea caddy. Mahogany over softwood.	Veneer repairs/patching, arris string patching. Repolished.
0548	French style small side table in macassar ebony and tulipwood on oak. 20C reproduction.	Broken leg repaired, veneer repairs, repolish.
0547	An early 19C writing desk. Ebonised with gold highlights.	Lower gallery repaired. Doors re-hinged. Main drawer rebuilt. Patch polishing
0544	Two Danish teak chairs circa 1960.	Both chairs had broken frames. Upholstery stripped, frames dismantled, repaired, pieced in and re-assembled. Teak oil finish extended over new areas.
0540	A mid Victorian mahogany drop leaf gate leg table.	Disassembled, old synthetic varnish stripped, legs skim turned on lathe. Hinge fixing points pieces let-in. Refinished in melamine lacquer matt finish.
0539	A large studded chest of middle eastern origin.	Extensive timber repairs and replacement of the many missing brass headed upholstery studs.
0536	A 1930's partner's desk.	Restoration included the badly deteriorated drawer fronts which were re-veneered in mahogany curl.
0535	A Victorian rosewood writing slope.	Mother of pearl inlay repaired, velvet surface replaced.
0530	A French mid/late 19C glove box in rosewood with brass, ivory and wood inlays.	The restoration included reinstating the drop flap, patching-in inlays and beading, re-hinging and French polishing.
0529	A Victorian rosewood box with mother-of-pearl inlays.	Restoration included re-hinging, veneer repairs and re-polishing.
0528	A Victorian rosewood box with inlaid lines and roundels.	Restoration included re-hinging and veneer repairs prior to re-polishing.
0527	A Victorian walnut veneered fitted work box with mother-of-pearl inlay.	Restoration included re-hinging, veneer patching and polishing.
0514	An ash horseshoe backed chair	The chair shown here had a severely cracked seat and all its joints were loose. It was completely disassembled, repaired and then re-assembled and finished with polyurethane lacquer.
0509	A pair of French berger chairs in walnut.	This pair of chairs were in a poor condition with loose joints and some splitting. Frames disassembled, repaired, repolished and re-upholstered.

HOME

CATALOGUE

ARCHIVE