An excellent example of the finest furniture craftsmanship the 19th century had to offer, this walnut breakfast table, circa 1870s, was originally from a castle in Scotland. The top was veneered with European circadian burl walnut, quartered and book-matched into four mirror image panels, each with exquisitely designed boxwood inlays.
 

 The specialized skills and techniques exhibited by the craftsmen who made this table and others like it have nearly been lost. Studying examples of period furniture gives us insight into how some of these tasks were accomplished permitting us to correctly replicate components when needed.

For example, close examination of this table’s veneered top reveals a barely visible cut line encircling just the inlays. This tells us that these sections were removed at the time of construction so that a craftsman who specialized only in inlay work could install the delicate inlays. Once the fragile inlays were fashioned, the removed sections were skillfully re-installed creating a nearly flawless surface.
  

The restoration process included finding matching pieces for missing veneer on the top and base. We also tested all the veneers for looseness, regluing with animal hide glue where necessary. The unstable base was disassembled and reglued. In the critical last phase of this project, deteriorated coatings from previous restorations were meticulously removed from the top without damaging the all-important original finish. We then augmented that finish with several coats of shellac thus protecting this fine artistry in wood. Finally, we had the pleasure of seeing this table pass to another generation: from mother to daughter.