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A Message of Appreciation

Posted by: Michael Barrington

 

I would like to report on a most successful and highly appreciated experience I have had with a BAFRA Member.

The company was Green and Cockburn in Hitchin,  Hertfordshire  - and they helped me through a process of assessing and completing a renovation of a 17th Century cushioned mirror.

As a complete novice to this - they were informative, and clearly craftsmen. They did not act as a production line nor were they speedy - but they did a fabulous job, kept me informed and guided me about the job before finally producing a fantastic renovated mirror which has retained character but is no longer battered and bruised by life!!!

Grace Wyatt

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West Dean Furniture and Clock Conservation Courses

Posted by: Michael Barrington

As BAFRA Members and Friends will know from receipt of an amended inside front cover page of the latest Journal, Issue No. 41, a very serious mistake was made on the Chairman's page reporting that the West Dean College Furniture and Clocks courses are closing after 40 years.

In response to a letter received from West Dean CEO Peter Pearce written on 6th February 2013, BAFRA apologises very sincerely for what has since transpired as a totally untrue statement described in the following letter:

I was surprised to read your Chairman’s introduction in the December issue that “after 40 years the West Dean furniture and clock courses are to close” as this is most certainly not the case. Indeed our programmes are thriving and we have no intention of closing any of them.

It is true that these are challenging times but we continue to attract students to both programmes and we have ambitious hopes for the future. One of the first initiatives I put in place since joining West Dean as its first Chief Executive in April 2012 was to commission an educational review of all our full-time programmes. I have used an outside specialist, Dr Clare Morris, to ensure the range of courses we offer will meet the future needs of the conservation world.

I urge you please to take every available step to correct this inaccurate report as soon as possible. This damaging rumour needs to be put to rest for the benefit of future students interested in Furniture and Clock conservation.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Pearce,

Chief Executive West Dean, The Edward James Foundation

Read the Press Release about the new Course on Furniture and Clock conservation.

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Veneering and Marquetry

Posted by: Michael Barrington

The latest in BAFRA's popular series of Training Days was held at the workshops of gilder and BAFRA member Rod Titian, and we are most grateful to him for making his premises available to us on a Saturday – though we did notice several of his own gilders putting in a days' overtime.

The course was lead by BAFRA Chairman Bruce Luckhurst with some assistance from Mike Goater who wrote this report and took the photos.

23 people attended the day, and were from diverse backgrounds with BAFRA full members, friends and associates, students and a couple who did restoration for the American Embassy. Although there was good space in the workshop it would have been difficult in the allotted time to give everyone bench space and practical activities. Bruce gave a power house presentation which had people scribbling notes faster than any journalist. Even for the experienced there were many insights and valuable tips, and it was a pleasure to what him going straight in at the deep end with quartering a board in figured walnut.

During the lunch break guests were invited to try their hands at what had been taught and adequate materials and tools were there for all to use. The Day also covered making saw cut veneers, cutting lines and setting up and using treadle fret saws for producing marquetry designs. This included de tempering fine cut fretsaw blades normally used on metals, in molten lead to prevent snapping when used on veneers.

Visitors were invited to bring their own veneering or marquetry problems which involved the whole group in discussing causes and solutions, and covered splits, bubbling and matching-in of new veneers. Considerations of these pieces and common problems ensured the course was relevant to situations we all meet in the workshop. It was an intense day, but from departing remarks a valuable and much enjoyed one.

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