Posted 11 years ago
KathyKay
(53 items)
Flea market find working on bringing it back to life. When found the hinges were missing and brass and wood were very dirty. Almost completed I need to get replacement leather handles and lid lift on then I can call it done. Love restoring trunks finding them is so much fun and seeing what they look like after being worked on makes it all worth the time. Have others to be worked on running out of room but can't stop looking.....I must be a trunk addict. Update 10/14/13 I finally got the lid lift and the handles on so I can officially call it done. On to the next one.
What a terrific find and beautiful job! Look at all that brass. How did you clean it and where did you find the hinges? Addiction become the diagnosis only when you are trunking rather than carrying out your normal life functions. Otherwise, keep it up. I agree it is really fun!
I used fine steel wool to clear the heavy dirt from the brass and used Never Dull to get the shine. I had an old trunk that was beyond repair I used the hinges from that one for this one. Just have to get the new replacement handles on and this one is done. Moving onto fixing a half trunk that I picked up at Brimfield earlier this year. It had white paint over the canvas, that is really hard to get that off but worth the effort. I will post pictures of that one soon.
That is a great flea market find!!! I love finding and restoring trunks, too and am running out of room. I, too, am addicted.
Hi Kathy,
Wow i love what you've done with is.
My personal taste is to see antiques cleaned and preserved from getting any worse but to change or add to them as little as possible, though appreciate there's probably no option sometimes, when they're really badly gone.
Perhaps you could give me your opinion on an old cabinet secretaire i want to restore?
I realise its not a trunk (though i have a chest you might also like to give an option on:)
But, back to the secretaire, its difficult to know what to do, it has somethings it definately needs work on at the back, done by a restorer not me, but the cosmetic things like whether to add a new leather writing bit inside , brass eyelets outside etc. I'm not so sure of.
And I'm tempted to clean it myself.
May i ask if you're trained or learn as you go along?
Thank you.
Fran
Hi Vintagefran - My mother was in the antique business for years so I learned a lot from her when I was younger. I just started refinishing trunks and furniture again - kids are grown so have more time on my hands. I like finding items and bringing them back to life. Large items are difficult to start on you can do it yourself but I find working on a small project first is good it gives you a sense of confidence seeing it look better. I have never tried to replace leather on a desk, I have a flat top writing desk that needs leather but haven't tried to tackle that project yet. Good luck you will learn as you go. I've seen a lot of good advice on this site. Like you some items I leave as is I just purchased a machinist chest for my daughter to use as a jewelry chest all I did was clean the finish with some fine steal wool and lemon oil. I have to replace the felt on the inside of the drawers. I try to leave some items as found when the finish is still good.
You did an AMAZING job on this Jenny Lind!! BEAUTIFUL!!!