Featured 19th c Khatam fall front cabinet restoration, before and after

By far the most challenging and time consuming restoration I've ever undertaken.
1) using an iron and greaseproof paper re-glue down any lifting veneers, the hide glue underneath should re-adhere under the heat.
2) I tried every solvent, ISP (alcohol), gentle paint stripper, turpentine, and others but nothing would remove the green gunk original finish, so hand sanding was my only choice (this takes ages) don't forget this veneer was hand cut so it could be 2mm or paper thin. I think the original finish must have been hide glue based?
3) Find a donor box of the same age beyond repair (good luck) and lift the mosaics off by gluing a thin veneer on top and sliding a heated paint scraper between the wooden carcass and mosaics, then using a chisel and one single blow cut to shape (don't try cutting un-straight edges) and then glue into place and then sand off the thin veneer.
4) Use camel bone to replace any missing edging and inlay, Jeweller's saw and files to shape.
5) By far the most difficult, re-painting, the paint will be removed with the original finish. Originally this painting would have been done by a very skilled calligrapher free hand, don't under estimate how much there is and how many times you will need to wipe it off and start again, take detailed photos before you begin the restoration.
6) Finishing, I did try and research what was originally used but couldn't find anything so I used shellac, it will protect it and looks fantastic.

 

More pic's

 

Close up pic's as the large pic's don't show detail

 

A labour of love and a lot of patience and skill, but an amazing result. Such stunning khatam, wow!

 

Amazing ! You do museum quality work . Id gladly make room for that !

 

Yes a labour of love, the photos don't really do the restoration justice but the post was more about the process as I couldn't find anything online.

 

Thank you and you are too kind, I don't think I'm up to that standard but I'm yet to see anyone take on any 19th c Khatam as a full restoration project so I'm happy to say I might be the bravest

 

Looks great! So meticulous....

 

Absolutely stunning work. A friend of mine once said some restorations count against your sins when your soul is weighed; I’m pretty sure this is the sort of thing she was talking about.

 

Thank you. Yes it's very difficult and I'm old and shaky so extra hard for me.

 

Thank you, maybe another 1000 restorations of this kind for me and I'll be absolved

 

Bravo Rave-Sublime respectful work ! I think the original Artisans are resting easy with this adoring treatment of their creation.
PS-Can You show some details of areas that needed re-painting ?
PSS-Hope someday you find a stripper gentle enough but less onerous than hand sanding. I assume you started w/ an extremely super fine sandpaper ?
PSSS-Re 'iron and greaseproof paper', like a wax paper ?

 

I always say that projects like this keeps us out of trouble, and it makes us problem solvers.

 

WOW, WOW AND WOWWW!
Fantastic work and the result is fully worth the pain
You were very brave to attack such a project, bravissimo.

 

Thank you, the truth is the original calligrapher would be turning in his grave if he saw what I was doing.
Areas of re-painting were everywhere where you can see paint, the original finish took off all the old paint, it's not easy to paint very thin straight lines with a brush.
I'm nearly sure there isn't a stripper that will remove the old finish and keep the mosaics in place, if as I suspect it's a hide glue based finish then what ever removes the finish will remove the mosaics, hand sanding was the only choice I had, as for sandpaper grit I used 120 and up.
I don't know what they call it in the states but it's the paper used in ovens to stop food sticking.
It looks a lot better in the flesh than in photos.

 

Yes I was kept out of trouble for weeks and weeks with this one and many days scratching my head on how to go about it without ruining it.

 

Thank you, very kind and yes it was worth all the pain.

 

Oh BTW I didn't know it had a secret compartment, under the middle big draw there was a space for a draw at the back so I made a draw to fit in the space.

 

Labor of love ..!
Nice work !!

 

The box is much happier now.