How I do I know when to restore an Antique
Sept 15, 2014Restoring an antique is curiously unlike the renovation of any other structure. The old world ethic behind the antique speaks of a time where charm and classic appeal ruled, and a restoration process has to reflect this maxim. The piece may be scratched and tarnished, but it still fits in with this mandate and doesn't necessarily require restoration. The furnishing is radiating age, in other words, and this is the purest function of an antique. Nevertheless, there's a point where classic good looks pass from vintage to broken-down, and this poor appearance can't be explained away by natural wear. Restore the precious piece, be it furnishing or antique bike, vintage car or family portrait, restore the antique to all of its former glory.
Inspect the item, and evaluate it for condition. Ask some common sense questions regarding its origins. Is it a rare piece that was built by a master craftsman? Does it have a history, a place with the family? Even if there's no mark left by the craftsman, no signature or evidence of who built the item, the antique may have sentimental value, and this one fact places inestimable value on the object. Look for damage to the varnish or unnatural wear that's ruining a delicate patina on a French polish. Even the air conditioning in the home can play a role as villain here, warping the wood and cracking a wood-panelled façade. General wear and tear around a decorative handle or a faint build-up of grime on a portrait is a natural part of time passing. The urge to restore this age-related damage should be offset by the possible expense of employing a professional craftsman to clean or restore the worn surface, but damage that goes deeper than cosmetic deterioration should be attended to with some urgency.
Value is the next factor in this endeavour. If the antique has been positively assessed for market value by an expert in the field, then it's most definitely worth investigating avenues of repair. A simple cleaning isn't going to offset the damage when physical aspects are either broken or missing. A knot of intricately grained wood is split, or a leg of a European writing desk is missing. Balance economic considerations with nostalgia, sentiment with actual damage, and go beyond the functional aspect. An antique doesn't have to be serviceable, but it should always be of value to its owner.
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