This cherry bureau was one of the few pieces of furniture that made it through a house fire. Because the bureau belonged to her father, the customer primarily wanted it restored for sentimental purposes.

The bureau had sustained major water and smoke damage as you can see from the pictures. The top was stained, the finish was flaking off, and the wood slightly warped from water damage. Some of the glued joints on the boards that made up the bureau top had degraded and separated leaving cracks along the top. The front was stained by smoke and water. The sides were also stained by smoke and water and showed splitting down the side similar to the splitting on the top of the table.

The bureau was broken down with the top and sides run through a saw where they had split and then through a joiner. They were then biscuited and rejoined. The rest was stripped, neutralized, a chemical wash to restore natural color, sealed, finished in lacquer and hand rubbed.

The brass was polished and reinstalled.