All of these things can add a layer of patina to an antique. Mostly this is apparent in pieces loved during a period when people had the time to care for their furniture and objects. We don\u2019t seem as able to find the time to make the little things important today. However, one of my favourite sayings: \u2018Fashion fades, only style remains the same\u2019 is by Coco Chanel and she was dead right. When I buy things for myself, it\u2019s with the idea that I don\u2019t need another one \u2013 ever. If you do that, you can build up your own patina on something you love, while contributing to its history.<\/p>\n
You might also like<\/strong> how to add patina to a garden statue<\/a><\/p>\n The antiques market is recognising the beauty of items with wear more and more. Today, a piece with fabulous patina has added value at auction<\/a>. I will pay much more for an item with just the right level of patination, such as a 19th-century leather desk chair with beautiful wear that you then team with a 1970s Italian desk and a mid-century<\/a> lamp. The contrast is wonderful and the chair adds to the stories of everything in the room. Not only that, but its sense of history makes that piece truly unique.<\/p>\n My favourite object that I\u2019ve ever bought is a toolbox that once belonged to Malcolm Campbell of Bluebird, the British racing driver who broke the land speed record nine times between 1924 and 1935. It\u2019s painted the same blue that the Bluebird cars were all painted and, when he was knighted, \u2018Sir\u2019 was roughly added onto the box. Its story, coupled with its provenance and scale of wear, makes it special \u2013 it is history wrapped up in a box and is completely unique. There is only one in existence and it\u2019s worth a six-figure sum. I look at this treasure and, because of its condition and wear, it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. If it were restored, it might be worth considerably less.<\/p>\n There are still some antiques dealers<\/a> who insist on highly polishing all of the pieces that pass through their hands. I go into these shops and all I see is a symphony of shiny mahogany. I visited one recently \u2013 they had a fabulous campaign chest that had never been touched. It was so worn it was like a lovely beaten up pair of comfortable old brogues. I asked if they\u2019d sell it to me, but they declined. So I went back a month later and there it still was. They\u2019d replaced the original brass handles, relined the drawers and polished it so much I could see my face in it. In other words, they\u2019d sucked the heart and soul out of it. To me, it was ruined. Every time you repolish a piece, you remove a layer of history that you can never get back. Restoration isn\u2019t always the answer. If you\u2019re unsure whether to restore, my advice is below.<\/p>\n Inside Drew Pritchard\u2019s converted Methodist chapel<\/a><\/p>\n Drew Pritchard\u2019s sofa collection with Barker & Stonehouse<\/a><\/p>\n How I became an antiques dealer<\/a><\/p>\n How to be a successful antiques dealer<\/a><\/p>\n How to create country house style<\/a><\/p>\n How to add colour to your home<\/a><\/p>\n The antique that got away<\/a><\/p>\n Why I love industrial design<\/a><\/p>\n The thrill of an unexpected find<\/a><\/p>\n Must find garden antiques<\/a><\/p>\n![\""Drew\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/19\/2022\/03\/Drew-Pritchard-Patina-Cupboard-76b0b8b.jpg?quality=90&resize=1024%2C1365"\" "\\"\"Drew\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Should you restore your antiques?<\/h2>\n
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