Deciding What To Restore
Everyone has a story of someone who set out to restore an antique and inadvertently wrecked its value. On the other hand, we have seen people restore an antique piece that is extremely damaged and unattractive that it needs restoration to regain some of its value. Understanding and differentiating between these two situations are daunting. In almost all cases, it boils down to the antique piece itself.
Consider The Value Of The Antique Piece Before Restoring
As Peter Cook, a leading producer for the Antique Roadshow, mentions his article in the Professional Refinishing Magazine, the distinction is more about its inherent value and less about the type of object.
Many museum-quality pieces, for instance, pieces crafted by renowned artisans, are valuable without any restoration work. In fact, they may lose value with restoration if done DIY instead of through a specialist company such as the abbey group. For such antiquity, the value is in the work of the artisan who crafted the piece. It is not in the current appurtenance of the item. Unless the pieces are badly damaged, they are best left untouched in their current condition.
What Is The Extent Of The Damage On The Pieces
Obviously, there is a huge difference between a broken antique table with a missing leg or water damaged piece and a piece with a little sun fade surface. the process of restoration focuses on bringing a piece back to its former glory. However, the extent of the damage can dictate whether you should undertake the restoration process or not.
Antique Roadshow: Tips of the Trade reckon that minor damage is best left untouched. Whether you are concerned about fading or cracked in the finish or other minor signs of wear and tear, you should refrain from restoring the pieces.
Conversely, pieces that have already lost their original value or have become an eyesore owing to extensive damage are the best candidates for a restoration job. Another category of antiquity that will benefit from professional restoration are pieces that have had a botched repair done previously.
Understand The Risk
As you contemplate whether to have your piece professionally, restored or not, you ought to keep in mind that every restoration process has its own risk. If you value your piece, whether or not it holds significant monetary value, you should remember that the restoration might alter the condition of the piece for the worse.
Crane Jewellers, a company that specialises in jewellery restoration, reconditioning, and repairing a piece has the potential of damaging the antique piece or even destroying the item. This is especially common among delicate items of jewellery. It can also occur to even pieces that seem robust.
Remember The Value Of Patina
Antiques derive a huge portion of their value from their age. The patina, also known as the surface oxidation nor wear, or an antique piece is evidence of the history and age of the piece. As such, the patina is highly valued by collectors.
With that in mind, if you destroy the patina during the restoration process, you will most likely decrease the monetary value of the antique piece.
Choose The Right Restoration Professional To Carry Out The Work
A critical factor in how much the piece retains its value after the restoration process is who does the restoration job. Quality, professional repair, and restoration can increase the value of the piece. On the other hand, mediocre workmanship can destroy your treasured piece of history. Take your time when deciding who should carry out the respiration job. Whether you pay a professional or not will depend on your specific situation.
Consult A Professional
As mentioned above, the aim of restoring an antique is to bring it back to former glory. That said, it is important to note that this might not be the best way to increase the value of the piece. The decision if whether to restore your antique piece is highly specific to your situation. If you are in doubt, it always best to consult an experienced professional antiquity appraiser before you set out to carry out any work.
