Treatment Report

! CONSERVATION REPORT

! Inlaid Table “Buried Forest”!

Report prepared for

Peter Wedde Antiques Ltd86 Upland Road

Kelburn Wellington

by Detlef Klein

Manawatu Museum Services Ltd301 Kahuterawa Road

RD.2Palmerston North 4472

September 2012

Treatment Report Inlaid Table Sept 2012

Manawatu Museum Services Ltd! 2

Inlaid table with timbers from the “Buried Forest” in Arapuni, Waikato

Dimensions:Width 810 x Depth 460 x Height 620

Image of table before treatment

DescriptionSmall table inlaid with timbers salvaged from the so-called “Buried Forest” at Arapuni / Waikato, probably late 1920ʼs when the buried forest was discovered during the diversion of the Waikato river while the hydro-electric dam was under construction. See label attached to verso of top, next page.

ConditionThe veneer / inlay is set into a board of solid kauri. The veneer is around 2 - 4 mm thick. This makes it more prone to warping if the glue fails, and this has happened. The veneer is insecure in its entirety, with some sections missing. The losses have been filled with a putty of as yet unknown variety, inexpertly applied and spilling over the edges. The table structure is also insecure. The surface finish is the original shellac polish which has faded, is worn with abrasions and shows watermarks.



Verso of table top with detail of label describing origin and timber varieties.

Detail of leg joint, representative of all four leg joints

Table top, note putty repairs and surface blemishes to polish



Detail of table top:

Old putty repair, warped and insecure veneer, sellotape remnant miscellaneous surface blemishes



Detail as per previous page, insecure veneer lifting, putty, surface blemishes



Treatment Report

The majority of the inlaid veneer timbers were insecure or almost completely detached, holding fast to their respective positions only because of the relative tightness of adjacent veneer or solid timber sections, or indeed the putty that had been used in previous repairs. Significant amounts of debris - dust, pins and also a fingernail - had accumulated beneath the veneers. In order therefore to comprehensively reset the veneer sections with glue, much of the inlay was taken out. Surfaces beneath were cleaned of dust and debris and the veneer sections refitted using gelatine glue. Lost veneer was restored using timbers of the same type and colour. Small pieces of paua shell were also used where these had been lost. Of interest was the fact that on removal it became evident that much of the veneer had been cut from the solid blocks using a handsaw.

In summary the work entailed:

• Remove the putty from previous repairs• Re-glue all insecure veneers• Restore lost veneer sections using timber of the same type and colour• Disassemble the table legs and rails and reglue• Remove the badly borer damaged battens and corner reinforcings securing the table top

to the table base and replace these with new timber shaped and prepared with screw holes to exactly match the original

• Reassemble the top and table base• Clean all surfaces with non abrasive media and polish with small amount of shellac to

achieve a satin sheen• Cover the label attached to the table top verso with Mylar to protect from accidental

damage

Materials used: gelatine glue (rabbit skin glue + bookbinder gelatine mix) and shellac

Putty removed and one section of veneer lifted: the verso of the veneer shows handsaw marks - consistent with the label which identifies the table as the work of a hobbyist. A large amount of dust and debris is under the veneer. Note also the minimal amount of glue on the veneer verso.



During restoration work - most of the inlaid veneer is temporarily lifted out to facilitate the cleaning out of debris underneath. (left image and above)

Recesses originally cut for the veneer into the solid kauri top are very uneven, as is the veneer thickness.

Bottom images:original veneer sections have been re-glued and the lost sections are being replicated. Detail of whare during work.



During gluing work and after completion of the restoration of lost timbers, before surface finishing work.



The borer damaged corner blocks and the two long fixing battens on the table underside were replaced with facsimiles - new timber fashioned to replicate size and appearance of the original and pre-drilled in the same location as the original to allow the original screws to be re-used in the same positions. The two short end fixing battens were not exchanged.



Table top before and after restoration / conservation treatment



After treatment

Treatment Report

Documents

Transcript of Treatment Report