FAQ
Frequenty asked questions (FAQ):
Question: How old does a piece need to be to be considered a real antique?
Answer: Technically, an antique piece of furniture needs to be at least 100 years old.
Question: How do you refinish an English antique piece of furniture?
Answer: As it was finished when made, typically waxed or oiled in the 1700s, french polished with shellac later and until the 1920s-30s. Pieces made after then cannot be considered antiques.
Question: How do you restore English antique furniture?
Answer: Literally, bring the piece back in time to the original finish and looks, but preserve the aging and the patina. Do extensive research and check out stores and auctions, look for traces of the old finish and possible previous restoration jobs and repairs to the piece of furniture.
Question: Do you restore and repair for the public or just for your own antiques that are for sale?
Answer: We take into consideration all restoration jobs for antiques made of wood. However, sold pieces have the priority. We also repair, refinish or restore pieces that were made more recently, but have sentimental value.
Question: What is shellac?
Answer: Shellac is made by the ‘lac bug’ to make cocoons. When the metamorphosis occurs, the lac is harvested and filtered to obtain clean shellac, then distributed in flakes or buttons. Restorers make liquid shellac by mixing it with denatured alcohol and apply it to the wooden furniture in various ways; if it’s rubbed on with a pad, it’s French Polished, the superior finish of choice for the best pieces of furniture from the late 1700s and especially in the 1800s.