Restoring an Early-20th-Century Louis XV-Style Commode
Before restoration Restored chest of drawers
When this two-drawer commode came into the workshop, the damage was immediately visible. Large sections of veneer were missing around the lower parts of the legs, with further losses along the front framework. The finish had become dull and the bronze mounts were heavily tarnished. But the quality of the piece was still very apparent.
The commode is decorated with floral marquetry on the front and both sides. The visible rosewood veneer, the curved form, marquetry and bronze mounts all belong to the Louis XV period furniture (Rococo) vocabulary. It is important, however, not to confuse style with period. This is not an original 18th-century Louis XV commode. It is an early-20th-century piece made in the Louis XV tradition. That does not make it uninteresting or unworthy of restoration. Quite the opposite. It was very well made and had clearly required considerable skill and work when it was built.
Louis XV Style and the Furniture That Followed
Louis XV furniture developed in France during the 18th century. The style moved away from the heavier and more architectural forms of earlier furniture and made much greater use of curves, flowing lines and naturalistic decoration. Floral marquetry, shaped legs, asymmetry and decorative bronze mounts, rosewood veneer among other exotic woods became characteristic features of much high-quality furniture of the period.
The bronze mounts, found in other periode styles as well, were not always purely decorative. Depending on where they were placed, they could also protect vulnerable edges, feet and keyholes, while visually reinforcing the curves and structure of the furniture. Rococo forms remained influential long after the 18th century. They were copied and reinterpreted throughout the 19th century and continued to appear in furniture made into the early 20th century.
Repairing the Rosewood Veneer
Where the original veneer was still present but had lifted, I kept it and glued it back rather than replacing it. Replacing damaged veneer is often easier, but conservation practice generally favors preserving as much original material as possible. This is especially important with period furniture. I chose to follow the same principle here, even though this commode is a later copy. Where it was missing or too damaged to reuse, I replaced it. Replacing missing veneer involves more than finding approximately the right wood and color. The grain, figure and direction of the wood all matter. On a piece with marquetry and parquetry, a poor repair can interrupt the design and become more noticeable than the original loss.
Once the deteriorated finish had been removed, the color, grain and figure of the existing veneer were much easier to read, which helped me select material that would sit properly beside it. For this particular restoration I chose a modern woodworking adhesive rather than a traditional animal glue. This was a decision based on the piece and the type of repair I was carrying out. On an important period piece, where retaining original materials and reversibility are greater concerns, I would have used the same glue as when built (fish, or bone and nerve glue).
The curved areas presented another problem. On a flat surface, veneer can be pressed down using clamps and cauls. Here, most of the damaged areas were on curved sections where normal clamping was difficult. For these repairs I chose to I apply adhesive to both the substrate and the veneer, then used controlled heat and pressure to bring the veneer back into contact with the surface. I used a veneering hammer (marteau à plaquer) to work locally over the curves where conventional clamps could not be positioned effectively. Some of the photographs taken during the restoration show this stage of the work.
Letting the glue cure on both the substrate and the new veneer Veneering hammer New veneer in place, still needs to be trimmed
The aim was not to hide every sign of age. It was to repair the losses so that they stopped distracting from the furniture itself.
Removing the Old Finish
The existing finish had deteriorated to the point where I decided to remove it. Veneer is thin, so aggressive sanding can very quickly become dangerous. It is easy to go through the veneer, particularly around edges, curves and marquetry. After assessing the existing finish, I removed it mechanically using a card scraper. I then cleaned the surface and the remaining traces of finish with acetone. Working with a scraper gave me a great deal of control. On veneered furniture, that matters. The objective is to remove the deteriorated finish without unnecessarily removing the wood underneath.
This was the right approach for this particular commode. However, it is not something I would automatically do to every old piece of furniture. An original historic finish can be an important part of a piece and may need to be preserved. Restoration decisions depend on what the object is, what survives, what condition it is in and what materials and finishes were originally used.
The Bronze Mounts
The bronze mounts which had become heavily tarnished were cleaned during the restoration. They are an important part of the design, not simply decoration added afterwards. Their shapes follow and emphasize the curves of the commode and help define the relationship between the veneered surfaces and the overall form.
Once cleaned, details that had almost disappeared under the tarnish became visible again.
Before cleaning After cleaning
Marks on the back of some of the mounts can provide valuable clues about when the piece was made and, sometimes, even who produced the bronze mounts. This is where restoration becomes a little like detective work.
The combination of a letter or letters followed by a number on the unseen reverse of a furniture bronze is very characteristic of the manufacturing and cataloguing systems used by Parisian furniture and bronze workshops in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Confirming this is not a period piece but "only" an excellent copy.
Before and After
The before-and-after photographs show quite a dramatic change, but the result I was looking for was not for the commode to look new. Before restoration, the missing veneer, dull surface and tarnished bronze mounts drew attention away from the quality of the furniture. Afterwards, the eye goes first to the shape, the marquetry, the rosewood and the proportions of the commode. The piece still has age. As it should.
Why I Love Restoration, Especially in Troubled Times
There is something about restoration that I have noticed again and again over the years. It creates a soothing sense of continuity.
Furniture passes through different homes, different owners and different periods of history. It gets used. It gets marked. It gets damaged, sometimes neglected for a long time.
Yet a well-built piece, properly cared for and repaired, can last much longer than its maker, its owners and its restorers. A bit like those tortoises that live for hundreds of years. I find that very humbling.
This commode is a particularly good example because it already represents one generation of craftsmen looking back at another. Its maker, working in the early 20th century, was reproducing and interpreting a French style that had developed almost two centuries earlier. Restoring it now simply continues that story.
Darn! I should have left a little hidden note for its next restorer to find, in many years from now when its current owner I will be long gone.
Furniture Restoration in Israel
At L'Atelier, under the watchful supervision of Lady Sasha, I restore furniture for clients in Israel and make new small and large pieces for clients locally and abroad.
The work can involve structural repairs, veneer restoration, marquetry, surface and finish work, or decorative elements such as bronze mounts, canning, depending on the piece.
I work on antique furniture, vintage furniture, inherited pieces.
The approach is never quite the same twice. An original 18th-century commode and a well-made early-20th-century Louis XV-style commode may look very similar from across a room, but they do not require the same decisions. The furniture itself has to guide the restoration.
If you have a piece of furniture in Israel that you are considering restoring, you are welcome to send L'Atelier a few photographs and a short description of its condition. From those, I can give you an initial idea of what the restoration may involve.
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