Wood veneer is a thin layer of fine wood usually applied over a more common species of wood. This veneer can be applied as a plain layer or as marquetry, an intricate design, picture or decorative pattern.
Veneer restoration is one of Bernacki & Associates’ most recognized skills, addressing and resolving advanced to common veneer issues. Adhesive can degrade over time and veneered objects that are exposed to severe temperature or humidity changes will shrink or lift from its foundation. Veneer can also simply chip off due to wear. Additionally, veneers are made from other materials such as ivory, bone, mother-of-pearl, tortoiseshell, stone, brass and various metals. These are some of the various veneers that Bernacki & Associates has accumulated experience.
Stabilizing loose veneer by injecting animal hide adhesive between layers
Decorative veneered surface with damage caused by wear, water, and substrate movements
The same area after treatment. The underlying substrate was stabilized. Large areas of cracked and delaminating veneer were re-attached. New veneer in the same wood and grain direction filled in loss areas. The piece was finished with French polish.
BOULLE WORK
Boulle work is a distinctive form of marquetry decoration making use of metal and other veneers, usually brass and tortoise shell, to form a rich pattern. It takes its name from André-Charles Boulle, ébenisté [contemporary: cabinetmaker] to Louis XIV, who perfected but did not invent a technique known in Italy since the late 17th century.
Boulle work table top during treatment
This rosewood marquetry table exemplifies many design elements of the Regency style, an English furniture style dominant between 1800 and 1830. The round table top is attached to a pedestal base supported by splayed legs terminating in lion’s paw feet, all of which are characteristic of the Regency style. The brass inlay decoration was also a popular feature during this period. Symmetry was another important component of Regency design. Close examination of the inlaid decoration reveals the pieces of veneer used for the large dark petals were cut from the same piece of wood. The use of the nearly identical cuts of veneer placed opposite each other further demonstrates the importance of symmetry in the composition. The tilt-top table design allows the top to be tipped into a vertical position, either to save space or display the decorative design on the table top.
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There are times when antiques require the attention of conservators. An interior designer or architect are often asked for a resource of whom they would feel best qualified for a particular piece.
Mother-of-pearl is a beautiful naturally forming material that has been used as a decorative inlay for centuries. More properly known as nacre, it is a calcium and protein composite substance that is only produced by certain mollusks as an inner shell layer and is the outer layer of pearls. It is very strong and resilient due to its structure which consists of overlapping sheets of brittle aragonite separated by more elastic biopolymers. The thickness of the aragonite leads to the beautiful iridescence and structural colors that seem to change and flow as your viewing angle shifts. It has been used in the design of jewelry, decorative objects such as furniture and musical instruments, and architecture. In furniture, mother-of-pearl has mostly been applied in graceful, distinctive inlays to contrast with surrounding wood or other surrounding surfaces or as a complete overlay to add beauty to a less distinctive substrate.
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