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THIS MONTH’S EXPERTS
Ian Chaney
Antiques dealer and restorer at IM Chaney Antique Furniture
Janet Gleeson
Writer on art and antiques and part of the Antiques Roadshow reception team
Beneath the Veneer
I have a beautiful, large mahogany sideboard that I bought at auction in the 1970s. It is in good condition apart from some of the veneer around the top edge has chipped off in places. Is there anything I can do to replace the missing sections of veneer or is it best to leave it as it is? It’s a much-loved and useful piece of furniture.
This is a lovely example of a mahogany and rosewood crossbanded sideboard, but sadly some of the crossbanding has aked away. Crossbanding is not only decorative, it also protects the outer edge of the veneered top from damage.
You could just leave it, but there is a risk of further damage if, for example, you caught the vulnerable veneer edge with a cloth when dusting. One ‘quick and easy’ visual solution is to apply coloured hard waxes to the damaged area. This would make the damage less obvious, but it wouldn’t solve the problem or stop the risk of further damage.
Ideally, one would remove the damaged section and replace with another length (sourced from a piece of severely damaged antique furniture). It would be the same depth as the original crossbanding and colour-matched by polishing. Done well, the repair would be almost invisible. The job is quite small but, because the restorer would have to visit you twice to do the work, expect to pay £120–£150. IC
Top Brass?
I’ve just been sorting through my cupboards and family treasure boxes and I’ve discovered this brass spoon that was given to me for The Queen’s coronation in 1953 (I was born in May 1947). It’s not in great condition. Could you advise how I can get it cleaned up? Would brass polish be OK to use? I would quite like to get the spoon framed.
Your spoon is a replica of one of the most important pieces of coronation regalia – the anointing spoon, used when the sovereign is anointed with holy oil. The original spoon probably dates from the 12th century and has been used for anointing the sovereign for every coronation since the 17th century. Replicas like this were popular commemorative items in 1953 and earlier and they are readily available on eBay and other sites. I don’t think it is made from brass – the original was made from silver gilt, and this is more likely to be an imitation gold-coloured metal, so I would avoid brass polish, and try washing up liquid and hot water first. If that doesn’t work, gently rubbing with a li le lemon juice or vinegar, then rinsing and polishing, should do the trick. Don’t overclean it though – the patina is a nice sign of its age.