Restoring and renovating antique furniture

"To be a restorer, one has to be a Jack of All Trades," declares Tom Rowland, and in this book he has certainly covered a wide range of the techniques employed by the professional engaged in the renovation of antique furniture. Full of just those practical tips that can make the amateur the equal of the professional, this is not a manual of cabinet making, nor is it just a collection of useful hints. It follows a logical patterns of detailed instruction--from recognizing the potential of a discarded piece of furniture, through every stage of its resurrection, to its final emergence as an article of merit and beauty.The chapters on "How to Examine Antiques" and "The Recognition of Period and Style" are just as valuable to the reader as those giving practical instruction on the different aspects of restoration. Before you can start work on restoring a piece of furniture, you must first find it, and it is easy to miss or pass over hidden treasure in the barn or attic if your eye is not trained to recognize disguised potential.Above all else, it is Tom Rowland's ability to transmit his enthusiasm and confidence to the reader that makes this both a memorable and valuable book.