Furniture restoration in England.(Design Notes)(British Antique Furniture Restorers' Association)

Edward James (1907-1984), an Englishman, was well ahead of his time. In 1912, at the age of five, he inherited his family's beautiful countryseat, West Dean, in Chichester. He is notable for having established one of the greatest private collections of surrealist art in the world, supporting Salvador Dali for at least two years, and putting up Rene Magritte for an extended period in his London town house, where Magritte executed several paintings. The Edward James Foundation was established in 1964 and subsequently carried out one of James's visionary dreams by establishing a school in West Dean. Called West Dean College, the school offers six postgraduate diplomas in conservation and restoration, tapestry weaving, and making stringed musical instruments.

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In 1978 a number of students at West Dean discovered that they shared an enthusiasm for antique furniture, and they formed a loosely knit group to promote the study and appreciation of furniture and the various cabinetmaking and finishing skills affiliated with it. They were particularly alarmed by the proliferation of unprofessional furniture restorers who worked without any set standards and without much knowledge of what types of treatments were acceptable and what were not. Since then, the organization, now known as the British Antique Furniture Restorers' Association (BAFRA), has flourished. Today, craftsmen and restorers need to meet the following strict requirements to become members of the organization: they must have been in business for at least five years; have achieved a high ...