17c Oak Coffer.

A seventeenth century oak coffer that required reconstruction. The top had broken was subsequently re-jointed. The back leg had suffered significant historic wood worm damage and was partially rebuild by splicing in a large section and then rejointing it to the main structure. This ensured that the visible part of the rear leg still retained the original part of timber and therefore looked right, with the correct patination. The interior candle box was also reassembled. The tinted varnish that had been applied sometime in the previous century was not only flaking off in large patches but was also obscuring the original oak grain under a heavy, opaque brown. This was gently cleaned back and the whole exterior was given a burnished bee's wax finish to bring out the original patina of this wonderful piece.

Before

After