Rosewood Chaise-Longue

As reassembled:

Fig. 14  Fig. 15

Arm reassembled and attached

Fig. 16

When the legs had been removed from the sockets and were still apart, the following was noticed. Looking down into the socket hole, a lag bolt assembly was clearly visible bridging (and adding strength) the side rail-to-end joints (all four). Due to the very neat joinery of and around the work, it appears to have been installed at the time the piece was originally made. The lag bolt assembly would serve to draw the joint together (initially) and keep it under tension.

Upper red arrow shows access slot (which is presently filled with a "Dutchman" plug) to tighten knurled nut. Lower arrow shows nut. The Dutchmans are also visible in Fig. 7 and 12 on Page One.  The green arrow shows the "fixed" end of the lag assembly. The bolt was installed through the bridging hole from this end with the knurled nut tightened through the filled slot from the outside.

Fig. 17

When the radially carved fascia (Fig. 3 and 14) was removed to access the fractured end/side rails, hand writing in pencil lead could be seen on its back (glue side) face. Fig. 18 Photo taken in daylight and shows little information, some lead visible only. Fig. 19 is a digital infrared image of the same piece. The IR images were made using a Nikon® 950 Digital camera with a Kodak Wratten® No. 87 filter. An additional closeup of the left end is below in Fig. 20.

Fig. 18

Fig. 19

Fig. 20 After photography and documentation had been completed, the mating sides of the fascia and joint face were coated with thin films of hot hide glue and reassembled.

After piece was reassembled it was decided by the owner that some finish would be necessary to lessen the very dry-sun damaged appearance overall. The piece was lightly cleaned with hexanes and also water dampened toweling, then lightly French polished with blonde shellac; paste waxed and polished.

Fig. 21

Return to Page One

HOME E-mail Minnick Associates Conservation of Historic Furniture & Objects Copyright © 2003 Minnick Associates