Dutch Cabinet
18th Century Carvings
This heavily carved oak Dutch Renaissance-style cupboard is a long way from home. Early 18th-century pieces like this are rarely seen in Brisbane. An elderly Dutch couple engaged my services to work on this piece after it had sustained damage. It was desperately in need of conservation work.
This piece was badly damaged in transit due to poor handling. The top cornice was broken, and there was also damage to the doors, back, and side panels. The doors originally had timber panels, but at some stage, these were removed and replaced with glass, probably to convert it into a bookcase. A conservation approach was taken, focusing on preservation, structural stabilization, and consolidation.
Large furniture from continental Europe was often designed and made to be disassembled and reassembled, making it possible to move and install in small two-story houses.
The cabinet consists of several components: the top cornice, the bottom base section with a drawer, two gables, a back panel, and two doors. All parts are secured together with four bolts.
Process
This was quite an involved project that needed specialised work skilfully and responsibly done:
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A lot of the damage that furniture sustains happens in transit. Poor handling and incorrect lifting can break old and brittle timber.
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This piece was disassembled in-situ and transported in components. The original damage it sustained was done by carriers moving it while fully assembled.
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The base and the cornice were first repaired. A lot of the applied carved mouldings were coming loose or completely apart. The old hide glue was removed with warm water and the moulding re-glued.
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Old European Oak was used to make glue blocks. Some were missing and others had been replaced with pine.
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The gables, back and doors are frame and panel construction with mortice and tenon joinery. The joinery is pinned in place with wooden pegs.
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The old mortice and tenon joints were still secure. Hide glue was injected into the joinery as needed.
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This piece is a lovely old colour. The finish was retained.
Fortunately, the moldings had come apart cleanly along the glue line. Cabinet timbers are usually very strong and somewhat elastic. However, as they age, they become brittle and are more easily broken.
The old hide glue was washed off with warm water, and fresh glue was applied to secure the pieces. Clamps and properly fitted glue blocks were used to hold everything in place.
The old mortise and tenon joinery is cross-pinned with nails or wooden pegs. This type of joinery is often best left intact, as it can easily break if forced apart.
Splits in the base: Timber shrinkage can cause significant damage. Frank suspects that oak used on this piece was still slightly green, as it is much easier to carve.
The carvings are extensive and skilfully done on this piece. I am continually impressed by the amount and quality of the carvings which came from the ateliers of earlier centuries.
Outcome
This piece, richly carved in a Renaissance style, was a pleasure to work on. It was a very comprehensive conservation based project. This case study offers a brief insight into the process. Such pieces often require many hours of work, encompassing a wide variety of treatments and techniques. Frank can provide written and photographic documentation as needed.