Patinations

Louis XVI Style Cabinet

French Table de Salon with Kingwood Veneer, Fruitwood Inlay, and a Pierced Ormolu Gallery, circa 1760-70.

The geometric parquetry decorating this cabinet is a kingwood veneer on oak, and features a fruitwood floral trophy inlay. As with a lot of furniture in Australian climatic conditions, this object had suffered from splits and lost veneers due to the movement of the cabinet’s structural timbers. Small sections of inlay from this cabinet had been lost, several sections of veneer were loose or lifting, and the cabinet had one leg broken. Fortunately all the ormolu mounts, such as the key escutcheons, were accounted for.

The cabinet’s structural issues were identified and all movement was stabilised. Veneer patches were inserted and blended to match the original surrounds, while the fruitwood inlays were sand-shaded to match other sections. The overall object underwent consolidation using vacuum-bag suction in conjunction with infrared heat to re-adhere the original animal glues used on the piece. Finally a conservation grade clean and hard burnishing wax brought this piece back to life with exceptional results.