Indrek Lepson writes:
This table has been in the customer's family "forever".
It got damaged during a move. The movers took the top off,
put in the bottom of a box, and the table on top,
or so the customer says.
Immaterial of fault, I have to see what I can do with it.
The wood appears to be of a walnut species.
But the origin of the table, I guess is of Turkish, Cashmereian
or other far eastern country that makes this type of furniture.
All the inlays are mother of pearl.
Each inlay has its own insert cut,
as none are exactly alike,
and around each is a lead/pewter wire,
inserted into it's separate groove.
My first task is to glue the table top, which is cupped,
but I won't be able to reverse it by wetting the top.
The tenons are broken or loose, so I have to stabilize
the thing before I can start the restoration.
The problem: all the inlays are loose.
Most that have dropped out have been saved and are in bags.
Must be hundreds. Give the table a light whack, and a bunch
more drop off. Before I can actually start work on it, I have to
stabilize all the pieces, before many more fall out.
How?
I don't know yet how I'm going to put the puzzle together.
Also, this piece is extremely dry. Any suggestions?
I'll probably have to use a wipe-on oil finish (watco) over the
inlaid surfaces. This certainly is one for the conservators.
These pictures were taken by a friend
with a cheap digital, and thus no close-ups.
Indrek
