Cornwall Furniture Restoration
Antique Furniture Restoration 
and French Polishing

Call me on  01208 871444   Email iantiques@btinternet.com      Member of Federation of Small Businesses
Ian Marshall  9A4 Restormel Industrial Estate Lostwithiel Cornwall PL22 0HG

 restored furniture in a dining area
Furniture Restoration Home Table Repairs French Polishing Before and After Antiques Lostwithiel Woodworking Tools Links  

Antique furniture restoration. 

 Repairs undertaken. restorer and french polisher of old and new furniture, cabinet making veneering inlay french polishing, upholstery and many other associated services. Fire and flood restoration to antiques and insurance work regularly undertaken. Onsite  repairing and polishing service can be undertaken on those larger items such as large glazed antique bookcases, doors, staircases and balustrades, skirting and paneling. Collection and delivery service of your antique furniture can be arranged throughout the UK. Cornwall Furniture Restoration is a family business based in Lostwithiel Cornwall which is in the south west of England and with 35years experience in antique repairs and polishing. 

Work in Commercial Premises. 
Cornwall furniture restoration is also able to carry out a furniture repairs and refurbishment service to hotels, retirement homes, offices and reception areas. For all your  restoration and polishing requirements please do not hesitate to contact us at the above addresses. Please contact us. You are invited to browse our site pages which can be accessed from the white link buttons below. If you are an existing customer thank you for coming back or if you found us through Google thanks for dropping by.

Restoration to boat interiors.
 I was commissioned this year to carry out repairs to the living compartments of a 32foot yacht. The work included minor repairs and the coloring out of scratches and marks. If you have a boat that needs any similar work undertaking please let me know

Advice on condition of antique furniture.
  If you have items  that you are concerned about, I can make a visit and carry out inspections by appointment.

 

repairs carried out to this edwardian cabinet
 Burst pipes or flood damaged furniture 
 The first 10 weeks of this year have been extremely busy due to the damage caused to antique and modern furniture by burst    pipes  and flooding. Many pieces were written off by insurers, but a lot has been saved, bringing many items of furniture  back to  its former glory . If you have any flood or water damaged items that may need restoration then please give me a call on  01208 871444, or email me at iantiques@btinternet.com 

Here we are in the last weeks of June still restoring furniture damaged by the floods in February. It seems in some instances that the insurance companies have to wait until the houses are dried properly before they deal with the furniture claims . 

Has there been a better time to buy antique furniture?
  19th October 2008. In my opinion no!  The cost of purchasing such items has come down drastically over the last 3 years and it is now a buyers market. Ten years ago the cost of a typical late eighteenth century furniture bow fronted chest of drawers in restored condition was around £750. That same piece of antique furniture would cost around the same price, if not a little less. Similarly a good georgian mahogany bureau in need of some restoration would cost about £1200 ten years ago in auction. That same antique bureau could probably be purchased for around £400-500 today

This is a view of Lostwithiel bridge close to my furniture workshop taken on a cold February morning

 

 

Winter has come with a bite this year. This view is taken very close to my workshop in Lostwithiel. It shows the  old bridge at the bottom of North Street, near to the railway station.

 

RIGHT MOVE OF LOSTWITHIEL

A small friendly professional removal company with 20 years experience, providing quality removals locally ,nationwide and to France. All packing materials , packing service and secure storage are available and quotes are provided without obligation ( removals into Cornwall from out of county gladly welcomed). Phone Steve on 01208 872441 and mobile 07974 180041

 

 BONHAMS AUCTIONEERS PAR CORNWALL  6th December 2008  It is with great sadness to hear that Bonhams are no longer holding antique auctions at their Par Offices. I believe the office is going to remain open as a sorting office, but that sales will cease. Bonhams has been a great source for acquiring antique furniture for restoration and will be sadly missed along with the staff.

 

WOODWORKING TOOLS SECTION . In the next few weeks I will be writing an article on  some of  my  favorite woodworking  tools used  in antique furniture  restoration.  Please click on  the  link  below

Antique  Restoration
 I have been involved in repairs and polishing of antique furniture in Cornwall for the past 31 years and have restored items from the early 17th century through to furniture of the 21st century. The restoration involves hard, physical work. Job satisfaction in my opinion only comes at the end of a project when the restorer casts his eye over the antique item and is satisfied that all the necessary  repairs and french polishing undertaken have brought the item of antique furniture up to a level that is both practically and visually pleasing. 

I will fully discuss all aspects of repair and restoration with you and special care will be taken with collection and delivery of the item. Collection and delivery of the item can be arranged not only in Cornwall but throughout the UK if required.
                                                                                Visit our french polishing page
please click on image

This early 19th century needed some polishing

 

Workshop or onsite
Normally it is better and easier for antique furniture restoration to be carried out at  our workshop in Cornwall. There are many reasons for this and include accessibility to all the restorers tools and clamps etc, all his polishes an tints and the use of a sturdy bench and vice. Also drying times for certain glues can be up to 48 hours. French Polishing on antique furniture repairs normally results in many coats being applied to the item over a period of many days. Quite often it is necessary to work onsite in Cornwall with larger or fixed items. Whenever cornwall furniture restoration are asked to work onsite we endeavor to keep the area as clean and tidy as possible and to cause as little disruption as is necessary.

This particularly good oak sideboard about 100 years old had been stored in an open barn. The item had to be completely restored, including replacing missing moldings, regluing the carcase, replacing drawer runners ,fixing broken handles staining and french polishing.

Restoration and polishingof a particularly good oak sideboard


  iantiques@btinternet.com

Antique repairs to the back of an ash country chair

This very pretty country chair was brought into me to have some major repairs done on the arm and back. It  has had some drastic repairs carried out some time ago. The furniture restoration was somewhat clumsily done, although the break was severe and drastic, measures had to be taken to strengthen the joint. To see the finished result click on the photo and scroll down the french polishing  page.

Old repairs to a good yew country chair

Restorers  Blog. ,

12th Sept 2009 A varied week including some long overdue flood damaged furniture 

16th August 2009  Restoration and repairs to a good quality regency mahogany pedestal table

1st July 2009   Complete restoration to an eighteenth century oak and crossbanded chest of drawers

17th June 2009. Just finished furniture repairs to a good antique French armoire. it weighed a ton.

23rd May 2009. Repolishing the top of a large oak occasional table. Repairs to a victorian card table and mahogany cabinet. Restoration of late eighteenth century sewing box

8th May. Furniture repairs carried out this week include, the restoration of a mahogany sideboard and a small mahogany worktable

6th April  Its been a very busy couple of months with yet more flood damaged furniture coming back to the workshop for repair and polishing. One of the better items was an early 19th century rosewood chiffonier with a marble top.

12th Feb 2009  Restoration of flood damaged furniture

19th Dec 2008, some of the repairs included and Edwardian revolving bookcase and a walnut dining table

12th December 2008  Restoration and polishing of a victorian double wardrobe

27th 11- 2008  Repolishing a  flood damaged 1920 burr walnut cocktail. Restoring deep burn mark on a mahogany display cabinet. Repairs and refinishing a georgian style mahogany stool

20th Nov 2008  Polishing an extremely interesting extending circular mahogany dining table

6th November 2008  Antique furniture includes restoration of a late eighteenth century mahogany dining chair.  Edwardian revolving bookcase.

31st October 2008  An ususualy small edwardian inlaid bureau bookcase.

19th 10-2008  A hectic 10 days with the restoration of two large antique armoires. Hopefully some smaller furniture this week.

12th-10-2008  Antique repairs to 1920s mahogany extending dining table

4th October 2008  Restoration of a good cylinder topped desk, made in mahogany and dating around the early eighteen hundreds. Repairs and polishing of a mid eighteenth century mahogany pad foot dining table.

7th September 2008  With all the rain we have had lately it is hardly surprising to get some flood damaged antique furniture for restoration. A victorian mahogany hallstand and a rosewood davenport neede the complete works.

27th -08-08  A mixed lot this week including a teak veneered dining table , an anglo indian inlaid workbox ,a cheval mirror and a minty upholstered chair

2nd August 2008  Antique furniture restoration included the restoring of a large oak cabintet possibly constructed with 17th century carved panels. this can be viewed on our french polishing page

19th July 2008 Yet another busy week including repairs a victorian burr walnut desk, refinishing an Edwardian marquetry tray and various assessments.

4th July 2008. Repairs and polishing to a good eighteenth century hanging corner cupboard. Some small victorian tables and a fire screen. What has happened to the summer?

21st June 2008. Antique furniture restoration this week include an extremely attractive satinwood leather topped desk, and a marble topped centre table.This desk is shown in the blog section at the bottom of the french polishers page

9th June 2008. Again lots of variation including restoring a modern bedroom suite, repairs to an antique mahogany drop leaf table and french polishing and restoring a 1930`s oak demi lune side table.

09-05-2008   Restoration this week included a well inlaid marquetry two tier table (see photo of table at bottom of  french polishing webpage.) 

A good colored oak desk after restoration

Restoration of an oak desk  
 This antique desk required full restoration including the replacement of much veneer. A key had to be cut and the handles cleaned and polished. The desk was then stripped and french polished prior to wire wool and waxing.

Collection and delivery service
Cornwall Furniture Restoration is based in the southwest of England and although we principally operate in the southwest we are able to collect and deliver anywhere in the UK if required. 

 

Restoration and repairs have been carried out on these victorian display cabinets

Restoration of cabinets in the Rashleigh Gallery, Royal Cornwall Museum Truro.
These good quality mahogany cabinet have been completely restored allowing the
 drawers to be used for display purposes.

Here is a beautiful burr walnut partners desk

Restoration and repolishing of burr walnut partners desk



Cornwall Furniture Restoration  tel 01208 871444