Replicating The Marquetry On A Pair Of Stunning Dutch Tables | Salvage Hunters: The Restorers

French polisher, Alex, takes drastic action to restore a pair of rare Dutch tables. Watch as he attempts to replicate the table's sophisticated pattern and fix the crack down the length of the table top.
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[@chrismalcomson7640]

I've been a marquetry maker for 30 years and had my fair share of this type of repair. Its nice to see an appreciative client who values your skills, many of them don't because they think it'll cost them more. Thats antique dealers for you. As someone who knows, this type of work is massively difficult to pull off successfully. Hats off to you. Great job..

[@Grandpa_Grinch]

I know Alex is a very experienced & skillful restorer but damn he's got some massive balls to take a circular saw to that table top

[@ryanandrusky]

Why not use protein glues for the restoration work? That is what would have originally been used. It also makes no sense to use wood glue to close the gap together when you are not even certain it will come together perfectly till you clamp. Hide glue (old brown glue) at least affords you the ability to redo the fitting and take your time in clamping it back together. A proper restoration of the missing marquetry pieces would have been to trace the cavities and cut the veneers with a saw to an exact fit, not leaving it gappy in places.

[@sidneyharris4003]

I was thinking the same thing. Shock horror that he used pva glue. He should have applied a reversible glue like animal derivative. Also those machine made replacement veneer sheets were no way the same thickness as whats on the original. He should have cut ones that have the same depth as whats on the table.

[@alexj3185]

@@sidneyharris4003 Unfortunately he has destroyed the future of so many decent pieces of furniture during his career. Not sure why anyone actually thinks this is a decent job as it's absolutely awful in every way. He seems like a nice bloke but shouldn't be let near anything of historical importance

[@caroline0515]

He is an artist. When you look at that intricate work, it boggles the mind and makes you appreciate that there are only a few people who can do this. It also makes you hope that in the future someone will also be able to do this.

[@kathrynarnold4201]

Alex is an amazing craftsman. His attention to detail and knowledge of woods is incredible.

[@janetbeebe6578]

Alex is a Renaissance man, a true artist and craftspeople of the highest caliber.

[@mkgruetter4571]

Alex is Drew's miracle maker. I bet he gets a big Christmas card every year!

[@patrikfloding7985]

I was stunned by what Alex achieved in this episode!

[@johnpartridge7623]

I hope that there are young People willing to follow in Alex's & other Masters Footsteps, this is a wonderful restoration by a true master of His Craft.

[@carolarnold9916]

Wonderful work by an incredibly patient artist.✌❤🇺🇸

[@elmerfudd1086]

This is such an interesting and fun series. I love watching all the restorers do their thing.

[@davidsnyder2000]

I’ve never seen such a drastic repair before. I didn’t know this could be done. What an amazing job. I’d be too afraid to try and accomplish this particular task. Wonderfully done. It shows how much experience this craftsman has. Tables look beautiful. If I could afford them, I would love to own them. Can’t imagine how many hours it took to originally to build these tables, but I’m certain it was a lot. A person has to have a ton of patience in order to do this type of work….really nicely done🙂👍

[@barnabyaprobert5159]

Truly a gifted artist. I'm stunned.

[@seveno1]

Frighteningly clever, well done.

[@visi1508]

Wow! Although it looked brutal repair to begin with Alex is a Master! Respect and admiration for his skills and patience.

[@arkadashi]

Priceless pieces of art!!! 😍😍😍

[@anndoig2459]

Restoration genius at work - Wonderful -

[@PeteTsimMatrixDestruction]

watching master restorers is like meditation

[@misha1980]

Watching him fumble together that cracked table made my head hurt, what a butcher.

[@Benjaminwolf]

Absolutely magnificent tables!

[@joeduffy9764]

Brilliant job!

[@leighmartin5293]

Incredible work. 👍💕

[@bnanabelle]

wonderful work

[@JonBlondell]

What an artist!

[@tracywheeler1227]

Beautiful !! I love Everything about this video. From the obvious Gorgeous Inlaid tables to the Stunning Ginger haired Craftsman, with his fab leather overall apron & the beautiful pieces of leather & wood hanging about his workshop, to even the dealers pretty curly hair. Eye candy all around. Lol

[@Itsaboutthewaterlife]

Dang. Why not just find an excuse to go visit Wales.

[@tracywheeler1227]

@@Itsaboutthewaterlife Haaaa

[@zeferinoarroyo7673]

Congratulations... Excellent 👌

[@johncrosley1]

Am I the only one who noticed the excessive gaps in some of the pieces.

[@michaeleleftheriou9876]

No--it was pretty bad: but, then, trying to replicate the work of mastercraftsmen from a golden age is bound to fail. It also goes beyond restoration to mimickry. The 'carpentry' on the reclining chair was a disgrace, too! No offence, Gav, but what about mortice and tenons? And what was that finish: creosote?

[@albinbaecker8374]

You're correct - I certainly don't want to detract from the work done, it's very conscientiously done, but these tables are not perfect and I do not believe10K is fair for less than perfect.

[@bernardkroeger4045]

Whilst I have no idea of the building techniques of this period , I was however surprised by the actual construction method employed in that top.

[@cudak84]

They were teaching us not to use white glue during restoration. It should be reversible for next restorer. Also it works diferently under veneer. Especially regarding moisture.

[@2020Bookworm]

I just wonder how much those Dutch tables would cost.

[@julielewis5037]

Stunning. What did you use to clean it? I have a marquetry panel from the 1930s and the woods have darkened to where the scene is head to depict. I am not sure how to properly clean it. Thanks.

[@sonyawood3531]

Alex❤️

[@derestaurator]

Did he really cut the rails and stretchers? 😭

[@alejandraroig-gironella]

Hola artista

[@robertgsands3521]

Why no CC for those of us who lost our hearing serving you/

[@bongoib]

whole episodes?????

[@joeduffy9764]

On quest catch up!!

[@destreefrancois4382]

White glue is a shame

[@readmycomment3157]

Alexs work here was very shoddy, it didnt look anywhere near as good as the original one.

[@alexandermakhlai3859]

Table lost it's value at the moment when a circular saw touched it. Also using the PGA glue to restore the antiques is not a good idea. Good luck!

[@nwbstudio]

What would you suggest as an alternative? How else could the crack be closed? Or would you leave the crack?

[@alexandermakhlai3859]

@@nwbstudio I can't tell you, unfortunately. I haven't seen the item personally. There are plenty methods of doing this. And to saw the table in halves is at very end of the list. As for the else I was told that when you restore something you ought to use tools snd glue with which it was originally made with. Hope I was clear. Sorry if not, English is not my mothers toung.

[@johno4377]

Making relief cuts is common in furniture repair and restoration.

[@derestaurator]

@@johno4377 only when the blades are solid. These are hollow. Should separate the parts as they were build. Than repairs, than back. Ohw, and no pvc glue, hide glue only.

[@albinbaecker8374]

@@derestaurator Well done sir! You are absolutely correct.

[@pip6645]

This is a joke, right? I could do better with my eyes closed. Sorry, but that has not been sympathetically restored and has been finished to a very poor standard. Speaking as an antique furniture restorer. Dutch marquetry masters will be spinning in their graves.

[@misha1980]

Right? Even my wife was calling him out. "Why is he cutting veneer with a box cutter on the table?" "That piece doesn't look like it fits." "Is that a cordless circular saw with a rip blade? What's that for?"

[@Chris-sx6kc]

a bit confused with the white glue. Why not use hide glue ? seems more appropriate for restoration..

[@bombtwenty3867]

What's the most expensive piece you've restored? Upload your own work

[@misha1980]

@@bombtwenty3867 I did pretty extensive repairs on a Paul Evans credenza. I don't know what it actually sold for, it was listed for $480k on 1st dibs. It wasn't very difficult work, just a very desirable piece. Probably the most difficult was a nearly destroyed Dunbar magazine tree. I've done a fair bit of marquetry repair as well, I have about 80k sq feet of veneer in pretty much every species imaginable. I don't make videos, sorry. And I don't even post photos of most repairs, especially the high dollar stuff, it belongs to the client, not me.

[@chrismalcomson7640]

@@misha1980 Show a bit of respect, the guys done his best and the client is happy.. I use a stanley knife for my veneer cutting, when I'm not sawing, and white glue is ok because you can undo it. In my experience you do whatever works. These aren't William and Mary tables anyway, they're probably late 18th century and the original marquetry is very crude, so the repair fits in with the quality.. I've found that sometimes you have to dumb down on your skills to match it up...