Restoring antique furniture requires craftsmanship

Press, 23 February 1989, Page 24

Restoring antique furniture requires craftsmanship

Working with antique furniture is a joy to John Morrison, who owns Victoria Antiques. He is a cabinetmaker with more than 40 years experience in restoring antique furniture.

He finds especial pleasure in restoring well-de-signed and beautiful pieces of furniture. Restoring furniture is an art that brings furniture back to what it was like when originally made, bearing in mind its age. It could be 300 years old and need many long, painstaking hours to bring it back to its former splendour.

Much of the furniture John Morrison restores is antique. The definition of an antique is a piece of furniture that is at least 130 years old, though the

Customs Department specifies 100 years. Just because a piece of furniture is old, it does not earn the prestigious description “antique.” Plenty of Victorian “rubbish” was made for the cheaper end of the market.

“Antique” means that the furniture is crafted, well-made from good quality timber such as mahogany, oak, walnut or rosewood. It will, of course, have aesthetic appeal.

Much of John Morrison’s restoration work is necessary because of poor repairs done earlier by unqualified people. People ‘murder’ valuable old furniture by putting in large, ugly and visible screws or using the wrong glues, he said.

“Restoring furniture should only be done by an expert. It is definitely not a job for the do-it-your-selfer,” he said.

It saddens John Morrison that there are so few craftsmen in New Zealand who can restore antique furniture. He can foresee a time when no-one will know how to restore a priceless grandfather clock.

Using the correct timbers is most important, but some are almost unprocurable. If Cuban or Honduras mahogany have been used for a 150 year old piece, African mahogany is not an acceptable substitute. Rosewood timber from India has all been milled. Because it is so slowgrowing, even if new trees were planted, it would

take 500 years before it was ready.

Restoration can cost more than the value of a piece, so it might not be economically viable. Treatment may be minor, such as wine spilled on a table. The alcohol dissolves the shellac so that it will need French polishing-

The bulk of John Morrison’s repair restoration work is done on chairs, which are subjected to more obvious strains than most other furniture. Christchurch has more antique furniture than anywhere else in the country, though there is no special reason for that, John Morrison said. Christchurch also has the worst climate in the world for antique furniture. “The weather swings

from damp easterlies and frost to hot, dry nor’westers. Central heating, especially underfloor, ruins antique furniture. A saucer of water placed under furniture helps a lot.

“People do not realise that solid timber and veneer is a living thing that changes and moves every day,” he said. Neither do they realise the craftsmanship and time that goes into restoration, so frequently they will opt for a repairer who willl not use the correct techniques but charges less. Anyone contemplating having a favourite piece of antique furniture restored should look for a qualified cabinetmaker who is established in the trade.