Furniture restoration.(Design notes)

The London cabinetmakers John McLean and Son manufactured and sold furniture beginning in the late eighteenth century, and McLean himself was a subscriber to the 1803 edition of Thomas Sheraton's Cabinet Dictionary. The firm became known for furniture in the French taste and specialized in elegant cabinets and desks with cast- and chased-metal mounts, often with designs based on ancient Greek motifs. An example of the firm's work is the small writing table illustrated here, which after years of hard use was missing pieces of the brass marquetry inlay, a section of the brass gallery was badly damaged, and there was a large water stain in the middle of the leather surface. After consulting with Jonathan Burden, the owners decided to restore the writing table. Jonathan Burden Restoration's workshop then proceeded to strengthen the structure of the table, restore the wax finish on the veneer, and replace the missing and damaged brass work. The gilt-bronze mounts were sent out to be cleaned and lacquered, and a local upholsterer replaced the leather top. In the end the writing table had been virtually returned to its original condition.

Burden began his training as a city and guilds apprentice cabinetmaker at Glue and Whitaker in Yorkshire, England, where he learned French polishing. After completing a three-year apprenticeship, he went on to study furniture conservation at the prestigious West Dean College in Chichester, and was awarded a British Antique Dealers' Association ...