WPatrickEdwards

A traditional furniture conservator, restorer and maker discusses his life experiences and his philosophy of work. If you love marquetry this is the place to discuss it. All work is done with hand tools and organic traditional materials and methods.

Showing posts with label restoration. Show all posts

Showing posts with label restoration. Show all posts

Friday, January 13, 2017

Carpenters, Electricians or Plumbers?

I have quite a few clients who are doctors. Now that I think of it I also have had quite a few doctors as students. Years ago (many years ...

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Disposable, Renewable or Enduring?

I was raised in a very thrifty environment, a direct result of my parents working hard to hang onto the lowest rung of the middle class ladd...

Friday, December 27, 2013

Why Not Period Glue?

Synthetic Glue Sucks I joined the Society of American Period Furniture Makers in 2000, when they first got together. I really enjoyed g...

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Typical Marquetry Restoration

I really enjoy working on period marquetry surfaces, in particular those made with sawn veneers before 1800. The quality of the materials, ...

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Human vrs. Chair

Many, many years ago I worked in the garage behind my house. I know this is not unusual. It is a real pleasure to get up, eat and walk out...

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Why Reversibility?

I have always tried in my career to follow accepted museum practice for proper conservation of antique furniture and other wooden objects. ...

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

More Vector Clamping

I make a lot of my income from repairs. They are often quick and the simple methods I use guarantee results. I have always told customers ...

Monday, April 23, 2012

The Phoenix Table

Last September I posted an entry here about an elderly lady who lives in a historic Craftsman house just a few blocks from the shop. I men...

Thursday, November 24, 2011

The Final Reward

I often think that I could have gone into the medical field. I might have been a plastic surgeon or a "bone doctor" for exampl...

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Conservation and Restoration

How do we treat cultural objects which have survived generations of changing taste? Are we simply custodians, and, if so, what is our role ...

Monday, October 31, 2011

Upholstery Conservation

Burlap in place over springs Original straw stuffing in place New Burlap tacked over stuffing Original Spanish moss in place ...

Upholstery Conservation

A few weeks ago, one of my marquetry students stopped by the shop and asked me if I wanted a chair. In his pickup was this chair, made...

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Typical Upholstery Project

Of all the traditional organic materials used in upholstering antique furniture, perhaps straw is the most difficult to conserve. Straw...

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About Me

W. Patrick Edwards: San Diego, CA, United States; I was born in Los Angeles in 1948 and moved to San Diego in 1958. I entered UCSD as the first freshman class in 1967 and graduated in 1971 with a degree in Applied Physics and Information Science, minor in American History. During my college years I owned an antique store at the same time I worked 20 hours a week in the physics department at UCSD. In 1968 I worked on site at Brookhaven Labs in New York for a year and took my classes by mail. Upon graduation I secured a job for Maxwell Labs, ran my antique business on the weekends and taught Decorative Arts classes at night. I produced a series of 10 shows on CBS called "Welcome to the Past...The History of American Furniture." In 1972 I decided to quit my physics career and devote full time to the antiques business. It was the best decision of my life. I choose to work by hand, without machinery, using only period materials and methods. I also walk to work every day. Life is good.

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