Restoring and Repairing Antique and Fine Furniture by Barry Horton
This book grew out of my many years of practical experience and a growing awareness of how easily originality can be lost through well-intentioned but unnecessary intervention. Its emphasis is on thoughtful decision-making, informed by history, materials, and context, guiding the restorer to approach each piece with care, respect, and understanding.
Much has been written about the practical repair of antique furniture, particularly the importance of structural integrity and sound joints, and this book also includes a dedicated chapter on these essential skills. But It main focus is on the broader understanding required of the restorer, by exploring less obvious considerations and elements of trade practice that are rarely discussed in print.
Building on this wider perspective, we first ask what an antique actually is, before considering how to recognise the genuine article among lesser examples, or copies. We examine where and how to acquire authentic pieces suitable for restoration, and how to estimate the amount, and feasibility of work required. It is only through careful appraisal that one can determine the kind of intervention that may be appropriate, and whether it falls within one’s current skill set, or those new skills which may be developed through the guidance in this book.
Once a piece has been assessed structurally and its authenticity confirmed, attention naturally turns to the surface. Finishes often hold clues to the piece’s history, and they are frequently the most vulnerable element. This book examines how to identify and evaluate existing finishes, deciding whether they can be preserved, and, if not, how best to proceed while maintaining respect for the furniture’s character and history.
Techniques are presented within a conservation-minded framework, so that the reader not only learns how a task is carried out, but also why a particular approach is preferred. The book includes a dedicated chapter on preparing in-house restoration products, allowing the restorer to maintain full control over materials and outcomes, so that every step can be undertaken with certainty, avoiding the unpredictability inherent in many commercially prepared products.
Restoring and Repairing Antique and Fine Furniture is written for those who wish to move beyond routine repairs and cosmetic treatments, and towards a more thoughtful and professional practice. Whether this is for oneself, or as a career.
A basic level of woodworking or cabinetmaking experience is assumed. Although this is not intended to exclude those at an earlier stage in their career, simply to acknowledge that antiques are rarely the best environment in which to practice and develop fundamental skills. Developing these skills elsewhere, while undertaking the smaller interventions described, will ultimately allow the reader to approach historic furniture conservation with greater skill, confidence, and professionalism.
Publishing date should be around the end of March, but you can pre-order now and receive a discount.
For those wishing to explore further, or to refine their practical skills, the following is a short curated list of books that I personally recommend.
Some of these books may be out of print and may need ordering.
Purchases made through these links provide me with a modest commission, at no extra cost to you
The TECHNIQUE OF FURNITURE MAKING by Ernest Joyce
If you buy only one book on cabinetmaking, this should be it. First published in 1970 this is highly regarded by woodworkers and is suited to the amateur and professional alike. It has been revised to take account of changes in practice including the use of power tools, adhesives and computer-controlled machinery. The three sections deal with materials, tools and techniques; advanced construction techniques and metal fittings; running a workshop, draughtsmanship, furniture designs and restoration. The author was part-time Head of Furniture at a leading college until 1969. Alan Peters has won numerous awards and published in 1986 “Cabinet Making: the Professional Approach”.
Hand Tool Basics by Steve Branam
Hand tool woodworking can be a source of great pride, satisfaction and amazing results–not to mention less noise and sawdust. But there’s a lot to learn, what with a seemingly endless array of chisels and mallets to workbenches and handplanes. You’ll learn proven methods for sharpening your tools, prepping your stock and timeless joinery techniques including mortise-and-tenon joins, dovetails, rabbets and others.
Take the mystery out of hand tools and experience the satisfaction of crafting something truly handmade.
Wood Identification & Use by Terry Porter
This book covers identification from the visual perspective, which is of course the primary approach. More than 200 species of wood are included in this lavishly illustrated book. Each species is described in detail with a colour photograph and information on its working properties, seasoning requirements, uses and safety considerations. There are sections on decorative figuring, wood defects and potential health hazards. There are also inspirational examples of finished work, a glossary of technical terms and drawings of living trees which serve to enhance appreciation of the raw material of woodwork.Aimed at small-scale users, whether professional or amateur, the book includes woods used in cabinetmaking, joinery, carpentry, turning, carving and a host of more specialist applications.
Workbenches, Revised: From Design & Theory to Construction & Use. By Christopher Schwarz
This book does not have plans for the bench featured in my book. It does however, feature really sturdy benches, though of simpler construction. With this book, your very first workbench will do everything you need it to do–possibly for the rest of your woodworking career. Encompassing years of historical research and real-world trials, Christopher Schwarz boils down centuries of the history and engineering of workbenches into basic ideas that all woodworkers can use. Debutante woodworkers can easily build any of these benches. The technical drawings are clear and show every detail.
Jean-Henri Riesener: Cabinetmaker to Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette (Hardback) by Helen Jacobsen
Providing a valuable background to 18th century furniture. This first major monograph on cabinetmaker Jean-Henri Riesener traces his life and career, bringing new insights into his business practice, designs and construction techniques.
Jean-Henri Riesener (1734–1806) was one of the greatest French cabinetmakers of all time. From humble beginnings as a German immigrant in Paris, he found fame through the delivery of a magnificent roll-top desk to Louis XV in 1769. He went on to become Marie-Antoinette’s favourite cabinetmaker, supplying the queen and the court of Louis XVI with sumptuous furniture of superb quality.
Renowned for his exquisite marquetry and refined designs, his pieces were ornamented with spectacular gilt-bronze mounts made by some of the greatest metalworkers in Paris.
Based on the extensive collections of Riesener furniture in the Wallace Collection, Waddesdon Manor and the Royal Collection, the authors examine the objects and their history. The new illustrations and visual glossary add another important resource for art historians, decorative arts enthusiasts and furniture lovers.
The Fine Art of Cabinetmaking by James Krenov
I included this now classic book, not just as a resource, but because its just such a good read, for those moments when you feel like relaxing after a day in the workshop. With continual themes of perfection of technique and building to the limits of one’s skill, this authoritative resource provides in-depth instruction for mastering the craft of cabinet-making. A bevy of topics, including the proper way to sharpen and hone tools, hollow grinding methodology, and obtaining proper grinding angles, are detailed in this comprehensive cabinet-making sourcebook. Lessons devoted to using and understanding various woods, including common or exotic pieces, learning how to read grain, and the pros and cons in working with air-dried wood versus kiln-dried wood, will educate any level of woodworker. Chapters devoted to re-sawing as well as problems and concerns due to moisture content and wood movement are also included.