ART — Antiques. Restoration. Trade.
The Journal

Restoration

Saving a Victorian portrait frame

Last week · Saturday, May 2, 2026

Eight hours, two soft brushes, and a lot of patience to bring back a century of shine.

This frame came in with a hundred years of grime and a few sections of gilt that had lifted. Restoration this delicate is mostly a waiting game — slow brushes, gentle solvents, and stopping the moment the surface tells you to.

Eight hours later, the original luster came back. We didn't replace a single ornament.

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