Any of you familiar with restoring antiques?

[moriah]

I decided what I wanted to get my man for Christmas. He has said several times that he misses having personalized stationery, but that Crane's stopped making the paper he preferred.

Apparently they have started making it again, I found it on finestationery.com.

However, I'm one of those who likes the wrapping for a gift to be just as useful as what's inside, and we both have a fondness for antiques. My thought was to try to get an old-fashioned lapdesk -- sometimes called a writing slope. Unfortunately, the ones that are already restored are SCARY expensive, and I really can't afford it.

I've seen several on EBay that need restoration. They also sell the new liners for the writing surface of the slope -- leather, felt, or velvet. And they have instructions on how to apply the new writing surface -- but very little on the safest way to remove the old surface.

Has anyone on here taken on a project like this?

Here are a few examples:

Needs liner and likely lock/key, no secret drawers, $30.00

Needs liner and key, no mention of secret drawers but may have them, $47.00

Needs liner, key, maybe some work on inside finish, appears worse than it is because the writing surface has completely detatched, less than $10.00

Needs liners, some TLC... now only at $2.00

To show what a few of these are sold for when they're fully restored...


Fully Restored Writing Slope -- $216.00

Very nice, but over $360.00.

Beautiful, over $470.00!!!

Just wondering if any of you have taken on a project like this and have any ideas...

Thanks!

[grasswire]

1. maybe you could cross post this over in our antiques, eBay and collectibles forum

There are a couple of furniture experts over there.

[moriah]

3. oops, sorry, put it on the wrong forum...

Me feel silly. I will crosspost! :)

Thanks...

[Porschenut1066]

2. Have one made new but following the original design

I have done that since I am near Mexico in the Southwest. They come out great and you don't need to spend tonnes fixing them. It will cost you about the same but you can customize it and make it special. Perhaps put a message in the leather on the writing surface or something.

Thats my 2 cents worth...:-)

[madrchsod]

4. looks like the ones that need restoring

should be done by a furniture restorer. buying one from england is dam expensive..hell you could buy a nice american made writing desk for the same cost. i hope ya find what you need and i think he`d love this gift.

[moriah]

6. Yeah, shipping bites.

The only stateside person I've found who is making the reproductions is charging over $500.00.

[rzemanfl]

5. I saw the subject line and thought you might be from the McCain

campaign.

[Porschenut1066]

7. If you try to restore a McCain it would be so full of woodworm

That it would be impossible. Sorry

[First_Election]

8. Save time, just buy the nice one.

The economy will be back soon. Have something nice.