Battered Bureau or Hidden Beauty? - Thomas Johnson Antique Furniture Restoration
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- čas přidán 30. 03. 2023
- Tom Johnson of Thomas Johnson Antique Furniture Restoration in Gorham, Maine restores this handsome bureau. Tom has been restoring furniture professionally since 1979. Visit our website at www.thomasjohnsonrestoration.com, or write us at thomasjohnsonrestoration@gmail.com. And for those on the west coast looking for custom framing, be sure to check out Tom's daughter's shop, www.emcollier.com (@emcollierframes on Instagram).
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You removed the bad stuff, but left all the character that a 200 year old piece should have. Beautiful work.👍
Thanks 👍 Yes, I felt it was successful!
I agree that the history of this piece of furniture needed to be preserved. What a beautiful job Tom did on it!
Best rub it with a slightly damp single layer cloth and a rubber sanding block. Easy peezy.
I guarantee that anyone else faced with this piece would have refinished it. Your ability to keep the history and character preserved even though it had extensive damage is amazing to me. Thank you so much for sharing your incredible skills with us Tom.
Thank you! I was lucky that it worked out so well
Yep, it looked like someone had used it to cut fire wood on.
As always excellent job
You’re the king of restoration!❤
Mr. Johnson, your skill is amazing and your love for these old pieces is obvious. And you always seem so calm and unhurried.
Thanks! Yes, no reason to rush! I always say the fastest way to get something done is to take your time
Your closing comments about the historical integrity of furniture was great to hear. Thank you for your dedication to preserving the everyday furniture of people who valued and used them many years ago.
It seems like on CZcams the trend is to make videos of people finding old furniture, sand it within an inch of it's life, then paint it or not sand and just slap chalk paint on it. I have always loved the look of natural wood on a piece. It is lovely to see this piece of history returning to health. Great work! I'll bet the customer was happy. btw, those chickens are so adorable!
Thanks Marilyn! I could not agree more!
Ahhh, but now I’m seeing them buy the painted ones, stripping them back to wood and restoring them. lol
I have to admit that when I first saw this one, I was sure you'd have to do a lot more sanding than you actually did. I just wasn't seeing how this one could really come out looking nice without doing all that. Once again though, Tom, you've shown me that you can preserve the antiquity of furniture without refinishing it all. I'm amazed at how nice this looked in the end. You've managed to keep the look of it's age while making it a piece that is still functional and presentable. That's invaluable.
Thank you Wallace! I figured why not try - I could always sand it down if it didn’t work. I lucked out
The finish you achieved on this antique chest of drawers still holds reminders of much of what has happened to it in it's long life. You have preserved both it’s beauty and memory. Such excellent work!
I love the fact that you kept the piece's history intact. As others have said, anyone else would have refinished it.
Thanks! I'm glad people agree
I'd give anything to see the customers face when they see what a beautiful piece this is compared to what it was. Your skill and knowledge just blows us away. Nice job.
For real! I often think that I would so love to see how the customer responds to these miracles that Tom performs.
Thanks! A lot of people have suggested that. Just too difficult to pull off
Thanks! I appreciate it!
My goodness, Tom. It is such a joy to watch the meticulousness of your work.
Thank you!
The Bob Ross of furniture repair and restoration! I have been watching for years now. And have learned so much. Can’t appreciate this channel enough. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and talent
I can't think of two more opposite personalities than Bob Ross and Tom Johnson
You're welcome! I appreciate it!
Interesting! But of course, no one is saying I personally am like Bob Ross, but that our videos have the same effect. Thanks!
The difference in hairdos alone is enough to get me laughing....just teasing Tom. 😁👍
Amazing result, with respect for the originality of this piece. That family must be very happy getting it back with all of its history conserved.
Thanks! They are!
Another great care restoration, preserving the family's history with this piece. I'm near 80, so I can appreciate the history each person/family can have towards their furniture. I have had a lot with some of mine. and I miss the ones that got lost over time and years . I can still remember a closet chest of drawers we had when i was a child, its long gone but it still evokes fond memories. Funny how we can relate to pieces of wood from our past. and you sir. exemplify how to keep that memory intact thru your skill thanks for sharing it all with us. ECF.
Thanks Ellis! I too use the same chest of drawers I've had for 60 years! One of these days I will restore it
What a treasure! And I’m not just talking about the chest of drawers. Tom Johnson’s repair skills are also a treasure!
Thank you! That's so nice!
Just looks superb! The perfect blend of ‘no ugly’ and timeworn patina. Who wouldn’t want to use that chest!
Thanks! That's nice
You never cease to inspire me. Not only because your work is so beautiful, but because of your patient attitude of "well, let's try this and see how she goes." It really helps to know that a real expert and artist like you, are just "trying stuff out" (or course with a wealth of experience) and that if it doesn't quite work out, you just keep at it. I try to apply your calm,patient approach to everything I do now.
I need to catch up. I just found this channel. I'm obsessed with the craft of woodworking and restoration.
Thanks! I like to say the fastest way to get something done is to take your time
Thank you! And welcome to the channel
Keeping a piece of history preserved is a great feeling. I love to see you bring things back to life. Kentucky is always watching. I learn from each of your videos.
Thank you! I appreciate it!
I'm originally from Duxbury, MA. I'm now 76. As a boy I worked summers abroad the Mayflower II as a guide. Your incredible work transports me back to my roots and the love and respect I still embrace for all things old and historic. Thank you Tom!
You're welcome Rick! I could never get over how small that ship is!
Yes, the 'feel of the years' is so important, and satisfying. The owners will be delighted.
Thanks, Tom!
Couldn't agree more! Thanks!
Gorgeous piece. I appreciate how you preserved its character while refreshing it for use over the next hundred years.
Thank you!
It looks pretty good… 😂
I love that you give as much TLC to a simple family heirloom as you would a very expensive piece. What a gentleman restorer you are, Tom…
Thank you! That's nice. Yes, I try to treat every piece the same
So well done Tom. Your determination to preserve the character of the piece rather than trying to make it look like new, resulted in a beautiful finish. I am sure the owner will be delighted with it for many years to come. Thanks for sharing.
You're welcome!
At first, I was glued to your restoration…but in the long run, I took a shine to it.😉 Great job!😀
That got me laughing! Thanks!
Well done, Tom. You succeeded and it was wonderful to see its history.
Thank you Liz!
@@johnsonrestoration You are quite welcome!
I'm always impressed by the care you take with every detail; it really speaks of not only your great experience but also understanding of your materials.
Thank you! That's nice
I am so happy, to see another antique piece of furniture with its aged and beautiful patina, saved from chalk paint - without exaggeration almost every sense in my body feels it.
That's great! Thank you
This, this is one of the many things I love about your work. The respect and understanding of just how and why your clients want you to do what you do. Such a loving touch to produce a beautiful job of preserving the history for the family. 👍
Wow, thank you! I appreciate it!
It's such a pleasure to watch you bring a piece of furniture back to life. Your love for your craft is apparent. I could only wish to live close enough to your shop to be able to bring in a piece to be treated with such care.
Thanks!
I used Krud Kutter to clean up the cabinets in my kitchen. They are Yellow Pine and they have gone very orange over the years. As a disabled person, tasks like that are time consuming and difficult so I find the best products that do most of the work for me. Tom introduced me to the Krud Kutter cleaners and I have been grateful ever since. My friends are older and they too now use it. I told Tom he should go fo a sponsorship with them! I even wrote the company on his behalf. Thanks again Tom!
Thank you! I would definitely do a sponsorship with them
And that's how it's done! The finish is beautiful and all the character is still there. Great job, Mr. Johnson!
Thank you!
Thanks Tom for another great video. It’s wonderful how you demonstrated the method in preserving the patina on the piece. I’ve been doing my own restoration projects like this for years. I don’t know if it’s the case over in your neck of the woods that people want antiques to look like new rather than antique. Here in Australia, it seems to be the norm. When restoring a piece for someone else, I usually deter my client from any heavy restoration unless it’s absolutely necessary. Not only that but keeping the patina on the piece generally makes it more valuable.
Thanks Alex! I agree. Most people come to me and say "I want this refinished" and I say "no you don't!" Nicely of course and then explain to them that "Grandma's Dresser" still has to look like "Grandma's Dresser" when I'm done.
Hahaha, yes. I have the same conversations with my clients too! Thank you for showing the world how it should be done. If I had the technological know-how, I would too.
Such a considerate gentle preservation/restoration. Just master craftsmanship of the highest calibre. Thanks again Tom for sharing your considerable knowledge and talent. When it comes to antique furniture I can see why your clients trust you with their precious heirlooms. Hope you and your family are keeping well. All the best as usual from across the pond. Kate x
Thank you!
Whenever I find a new video on a Friday I have to restrain myself from watching it immediatley. Instead, I save it for Sunday, so I can fully enjoy the comfort it brings.
Love that! Thanks!
I think there should be another category for work like this. Fine art is conserved. I think this beautiful work that maintains the integrity of the piece is also conservation. Sometimes "restoring" is thought to mean to "making something look new." I do not want my antiques to look new. I love that they tell a story! But I want them to be maintained and cared for. Thank you for showing us how that can be achieved.
I agree - the term restoration is used so loosely that it’s meaning is imprecise. I’d love a new term that celebrates the history while repairing the “ugly”.
Thanks Laura! I like that! I also like "sympathetic restoration"
Love your videos, great inspiration to us all with your commitment to the historical aspect of the pieces you work on.
Thank you very much!
Wonderful piece. I love you attitude toward preservation of the finish and texture.
Thank you! I love the texture!
I learn so much from your videos Tom. Thanks so much for showing how to restore and preserve these venerable objects for the next generations.
You're so welcome!
This man is a national treasure.
Thank you! That is very nice!
I scratched my head on those escutcheon troughs: those handles were loose for so long that the escutcheons traveled in an orbit for years (decades). Going with putty repair was an eye opener for me: your precision is amazing in terms of color, fill, and later finish. I learn something every time I watch one of your videos.
Thanks! And I learn something new every time I'm making a video! It works both ways
A wonderful restoration, thanks for posting it.
You’re welcome!
Thank you so much for another fascinating restoration video. My day is always improved when see a new TJA video has been uploaded.
You're welcome!
There is so much zen in the way this master conducts himself. I am sure he has many Japanese fans.
Thanks! I wish that was true! I can actually look that up in the CZcams analytics
I like that it shows all the years, good and bad, but also looks fine and loved now. Like a beloved and aged family member.
Thanks!
What a beautiful job of repairing the damage and preserving the patina! I hope the customer appreciates you giving the chest of drawers another 200 years of useful life.
Thanks! They do!
I'm telling y'all that he is a wizard and not just an ordinary human! I appreciate him sharing his skills (wizardry) with us
Thank you! That's nice
Good job Tom! I love that you are using the metric system in your videos these days. You do have an international audience. People from around the world are learning from you.
Happy Springtime!
Thanks! I'm trying to learn!
Beautifully restored! Many generations have loved and used it and you have given it some much needed TLC.😊
Yes! Thank you!
Wowza! What a beautiful restoration!!! You never fail to surprise! Just beautiful.
Thank you Deette!
Preserving the evidence of hand planing the top and drawer fronts was a very nice touch.
Thank you! I love that shot of the top with the plane marks
Another great video rescuing an antique from the dumpster. The top on this piece looked hopeless before the transformation. More inspiration and guidance to us. Thanks for what you do.
You're welcome!
It's strange after watching your videos for a year and not to immediately see someone is missing in your intro speech 😔
Great work sir.
Thanks. We miss her so much
Thank you for respecting the work of the person who built this beautiful piece of furniture.
You're welcome! I like that!
Beautiful job. Thank you for preserving history, instead of wiping it out.
You're welcome! I'm glad so many people get that
As a novice wood worker in my retirement I enjoy watching and gleaning from your years of skills and love of what you do. Thank you for sharing what you do. ☑️
You're welcome! Enjoy your retirement!
I love that you repaired it and kept the character in this piece.
Thanks! Yes, it worked out well
Removing the signs of use, it's history, it's long life, would remove its character. It is diminished. And, if I were ignored or brushed aside, discounted as knowing nothing, I would feel sad. So, there it stands showing its long life beautifully.
A victory for everything and everyone elderly. Thank you, Mr Johnson. As always your finished work is beautiful.
Thank you! Well said!
Thomas: what a wonderful restoration. The piece itself was a treasure and you made it shine even more. A great family heirloom. Carol from California
Thank you Carol!
Another beautiful, sensitive restoration. Many restorers would have sanded away 200 years of character, it was good to see that you carried out minimal sanding preserving the character and leaving the age of the piece. By inserting a simple pin on the rear plate on the handle you did what should have been done by the original maker, a simple fix that will stop future wear.
Always a pleasure watching you work.
Thank you! Yes, I think this worked out well
Wow, Tom. I thought you might've met your match with this one! Instead it came out more than "pretty good". I think it's exquisite. Well done.
Thank you!
Your client will love this job. It is clearly an antique with flaws and imperfections, but so beautiful now.
Thank you!
wow !
So happy to see you back. Perhaps it’s been me that hasn’t been here.
I admire the love and respect you and your team demonstrate on the furniture you restore.
Again thank you one and all. shalom
Thank you Mercedes! Yes, I've been posting every 2 weeks - you must have missed some
You do such stellar-caliber craftsmanship on heirloom pieces;the families must be thrilled to have their beloved furnishings made ready to be used, cherished and admired for the next 200 years.
Thank you! Yes, they are happy
Well done! Those aren't scars, they're character marks or memories. Love the chickens again.
Yes! Well said
Perfect compromise between historical patina, appearance and functionality. Beautiful work as always.
Thank you so much 😀
Thank you for explaining your rationale for not sanding the piece. It was very touching to me, and I will look at antiques differently now. It looks lovely.
You're welcome! That makes me happy!
This channel is one of the best things on the internet.
Thank you! That's nice
It is really a pleasure and a luxury to be able to watch a profesional “pamper” a piece of furniture so delicately, taking into account the wishes of the client and the needs of the piece. It is exemplary. Thank you!
You're welcome! I appreciate it!
Wonderful job of bringing the dresser back to life without taking the 'life' out of it, Thomas Johnson. I so love to watch your videos!
Thanks! I like that!
Its great to watch someone that knows what they are doing do just enough, rather than hooking up an electric sander to make every piece of wood look like it was just milled. The defects are what makes old furniture so great, as well as people.
Thank you! I'm glad so many get that
I can always count on Tom to remind me I’m just an amateur - beautiful work.
Thanks! The word "amateur" does not mean inferior work, in fact often amateurs can do better work, no time constraints! Just keep at it!
Beautiful, Tom. Simply beautiful! Watching and learning from you I have developed a great appreciation for restoring rather than strip down and refinish.
That’s great! Thanks
Mr Tom you did it again! Perfect!!
Thank you!
I didn't really warm up to this piece in the beginning but I do love it now, a lot. Stunning work as usual! Have a great weekend.
Thanks Marc. That happens to me all the time!
Another wonderfully sympathetic repair. Thank you for sharing your lifetime of knowledge.
You're welcome!
What a beautiful, sensitive restoration, improving a well worn family heirloom, reviving its grace and value fit for pride of place once again.
Thank you Alistair!
You have once again demonstrated that less is more. I continue to be impressed by the results you achieve with minimal intervention.
Thanks! That's my goal!
Stunning finish Tom - you are perfectly correct about not sanding the top right back - all that history would be lost. It looks fabulous again and should last another 200 years, thanks to your care and attention. Thanks for sharing your skills with us. Take care 🙂
You're welcome!
Awesome job again, Tom. I must say I've never noticed a piece that has such bad hammering done in so many places. Maybe this was someone's "teaching piece" to learn how to hammer!
Love the chickens marching out to check things are all going according to Hen..er Hoyle. They are a hoot!
Thanks! Yes, the hammer... I love the chickens!
The in situ shots at the end are always a winner! Thanks for including them, it’s always nice to see where they live when outside of your workshop.
Thanks! They're all taken in our home!
I think this is one of my favorite things you have done. I loved how you fixed the handle circles. And i agree with you it needed to stay as close to original as possible. Can't wait to see what you have next. And i love the intro with all the wild life. You have such a beautiful place to live and work.
Thank you! We are very fortunate
Great work Tom. Your attention to detail and sensitivity to the aesthetics of the piece are remarkable👏👏👍
Thank you so much 😀
Tom, I think you performed a miracle on this piece. Just beautiful!
Thank you!
I like the way, at the beginning of your videos, you give your viewers the bird.
That's a good one!
That is a nice piece coming out of the 1st Industrial Revolution period. So hard with a modern standardized designs that they made drawers to fit the order of clothing size in the past. It is a tribute to the maker who would never think what he made is still in use almost 200 years later.
Thanks! I often wonder what the makers would think if they knew! They'd probably say "isn't it about time you got a new chest of drawers?"
Very true.
Superb! You saw and preserved the beauty of this piece. So easy for a restorer to do a run-of-the-mill revamp which, in this case, would have been a great injustice. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge.
Thank you very much!
Nice work. I have to agree that too many pieces like this one get destroyed by palm sanders and a bucket of paint. Thankfully there are still true craftsmen like yourself out there to save the day.
Thank you! That's nice
I love the way you repaired the leg properly after so many people in this furniture's past tried the quick and dirty fix. Your channel helps me appreciate even more all my Empire pieces.
Thanks! I like Empire too
Watching Tom restore and preserve these beautiful old pieces of furniture, is food for the soul. Thanks for your dedication Tom.
You're welcome! That's very nice
You are indeed a person who believes in the Sympathic Repair! And I applaud you!
Thank you!
You really do love that old wood. It is a joy to watch you rescuing the furniture and the history.
Thank you!
I have every confidence the owner of this chest of drawers is very satisfied with the final achievement! I appreciate your work was to give your customer what they wanted and maintain the integrity of the piece.
Thank you very much! Yes, I have great customers, who understand what I'm trying to do
Invaluable resource here. I finally learned the difference between shellac and varnish. I love watching these videos!
Thanks! It is an interesting subject.
Great job!
Now…200 years from now? Is that even possible. Your amazing craftsman in every aspect of your trade. Thank you Sir.
You're welcome! I appreciate it
Wow! The grains really came back life in this one! Well done, as always!
Thank you!
A Just Enough Effort restoration .Well done, Tom
Many thanks!
Mr. Thomas, I so enjoy watching a master at work, thank you.
You are very welcome!
Tom excellent!! We are all lucky to be able to watch your videos. Your knowledge and workmanship only comes from years of experience and age. Thanks.
You're welcome!
Enjoy your videos, I’ve loved restoration since childhood, it’s great you restore the integrity of these lovely pieces .
Thanks!
You're welcome Jim!
I spent a couple of decades doing carpentry work and am not retired. I have had such a good time watching your videos, learning and then slowly applying what I’ve learned towards restoring and repairing a few of our antiques. Thanks so much for all you have offered here.
You are so welcome! That makes me happy
You gave him back his childhood dresser in better condition but with the character still there! Great job!
Tha
Thanks!
Thomas, you are an artist.
Thank you!
Very well done job restoring the chest of drawers. Your videos are always insightful and filled with great demonstrations of techniques and practices. Thank you.
You're welcome! I appreciate it!