repair, restore, restoring of bronze and silver antique art objects and mechanisms,
HOME repair, restore, restoring bronze, pewter and silver statues, antique mechanisms, and art objects PRINTS restoration of mechanisms in applied arts PAINTINGS Candelabra repair and restoration of decorative and technical models and art objects SCULPTURE bronze sculpture,repair, restore, restoring, fine metal, bronze statues, coffeepot handles, antique mechanisms, art objects, Antiques, coffee pot MUSEUMS Refinishing of historical mechanisms and decorative scientific and hopusehold memorabilia REVIEWS We conserve fine metal objects from our scientific heritage and collections of complex decorative metal objects RESTORATION We also work with many other materials; ivory, glass, and plastics in historical objects PROFILE Many other materials ore often combined with damaged fine metal objects CONTACT We have experimented with innovative approaches to mixed material objects. INDEX French Candelabra in Ormolu with bronze elements as well as silver nineteenth century sheffield plate and broken American candelabra
Damaged candelabra contain subtle mechanisms that need restoration along with the metal candelabra forms and silver plate surfaces

Filled Sheffield Silver Candelabra
 
Rebuilding filled silver candelabra is one of the most demanding types of fine metal restoration. In this example, we removed old solder repairs, restructured the stem, reassembled the entire piece, and integrated the coloring.

The stem of the candelabra has broken from the base. The solder joint has cracked. The original internal steel support rod was too short, and did not span the narrow section which it was supposed to span. The surface of the Sheffield silver plate was worn through to the copper substrate at the highlights, and was dirty and dark with silver oxide. The piece needed to be emptied of the pitch which served as interior strength and weight. The steel disk in the base had to be unsoldered.

The stem, before, with the entire inner stucture broken
The candelabra was reassembled by soldering the stem to the base. The steel disk was resoldered onder the base, and the assembly was refilled with the original pitch. The steel support rod was correctly reinserted to span the narrow neck. The final touches were to reoxidize the details, polish the entire piece, lacquer it, and inpaint the small joint which had been remade, with lacquer colored to match the oxidized metal coloring.

After rebuilding the structure, the joint is repatinated, to blend with the whole design.
The matching pair of candelabra ready for use. Note the slight differences in the parts; the differing base shapes, and form of the foot sections. the arms were straightened. The removeable bobeches are not pictured. The individual parts have been oxidized, hand polished and lacquered.

Both candelabra rebuilt and ready to be used

the planishing hammer is a beautful, primary tool in the silversmith's workshop, which is used to create the characteristic surface for which fine silver handmade objects are renowned. Each silversmith forms his planishing hammer head to fit his needs, and shapes the handle to fit his hand.