Recent Frames and Cases Work

Archer's Sword, Sheath & Leather Scabbard

Late 19th / early 20th Century Archer's Sword & Sheath, with leather Scabbard inside a hand-made 22 carat gold leaf and gesso cabinet

We were recently approached to make a gold leaf and gesso cabinet for this late 19th / early 20th Century Archers ‘Field’ Sword, which came in its original battered, and exhausted leather sheath and scabbard. We set to work conserving the sword, removing the rust, and rejuvenating, as best we could, the very fine brass and leather sheath, and delicate leather scabbard, whilst we thought long and hard about the design of the cabinet.
As the scabbard was so flimsy and tired, we decided to make a thick platform in which it could be recessed, before making another, thicker platform to hold and support the heavy sword in place, along with its sheath, which would be placed on top. Designing and making the structure to support the sword and sheath was a real battle, as it needed to be visually light, yet elegant and strong, so we trawled through metal rods which we could bend in position, before cutting them at the right height, and then designing a further brass bracket to embrace both sword and sheath at an angle on the stem.
We then, with the use of many narrow mouldings, pinned and glued together, constructed the simple cabinet around it, finishing it with a delicate lid on top, to enable access to the three works of art within: the sword and leather & brass sheath, along with the leather scabbard concealed beneath.
The colour of the silk shot with pale terracotta and dark green, was specifically chosen to reflect the colour of the Archers dark green uniform, and the terracotta interior of the cabinet, thus bringing everything together, symbolically.
The cabinet was then covered with several coats of gesso, then two further coats of terracotta bole, then a single coat of black bole, distressed with wire wool, waxed and polished so that the black is warmed by the terracotta colouring underneath. 3mm museum glass was installed on the three sides and within the lid, and antique flecked Italian mirror glass behind.
This beautiful piece has remained in the family since creation; The ‘Field’ sword is always carried by the ‘Gentlemen’ of the Archers’ Company, it has the same hilt as the sword carried by the ‘Officers’, but the blade is shorter and wider. Together they formed the Monarch’s bodyguard for Scotland, like the Yeomen of the Guard, in a time when British monarchs relied on the loyalty and skill of their Archers who stood as symbols of protection, authority, and tradition.

The design of the hilt is Romanesque and the aureate grip, Gothic style pommel and thistle shaped top nut, make this sword a mark of pure royalty and the owner was one of the most distinguished aristocrats in Scotland.
We have done our best to reflect the significance of both work of art, and lineage and we have been deeply honoured to make a cabinet for such an exceptional piece, which has now been preserved for ever, along with its own personal link with history
The British monarchs' bodyguards of archers, like the Yeomen of the Guard, were more than protectors, they symbolized strength, skill and loyalty.
This cabinet is a tribute to that legacy, housing not just an important Archer's Sword, but a piece of history, conserved with care forever.

Silver Gilt Commemorative Sword

The conservation for this exquisite silver gilt commemorative sword has just been completed and we have now also finished building a beautiful bespoke display cabinet for it.

The sword was presented to our client's ancestor by the Non-Commissioned officers and privates of the North Devon Yeomanry Cavalry, to their colonel, in 1839. The previous cabinet must have been made just before WWII and it had since become riddled with woodworm. The slightly domed glass has long since broken, allowing moths and other insects to penetrate and the pieces to become badly discoloured.

Our cabinet was made from flat woods and carved bead profiles, covered with three coats of gesso, then a soft terracotta wash on the internal structure. We chose to place the sword and scabbard on their side upright like fish swimming in parallel, so that future viewers might be able to see from both sides. For the base we chose a blue velvet to highlight the sword's colours. The outer structure received several layers of terracotta bole, then a fine layer of black, before being waxed, distressed, and polished. The base moulding was then gilt before we added a new plaque. All the glass was the finest UV filter as to best preserve the materials inside.

Just look how this simple display has transformed the way we see the sword and scabbard, now visible in all their glory!

Passing Lipari, Sicily - Leon Morrocco

This charming watercolour by Leon Morrocco (b. 1984), ''Passing Lipari, Sicily'' was bought in the above frame which closely resembles a Chrysler mudguard!

We decided to ecco the movement of the water in this maritime scene by making an undulating frame with vertical ripples. This structure was then covered with gesso and white gold leaf before being finished with a soft terracotta pink wash and light waxes, that pick up the tender colouring in this charming watercolour.

To pull the whole thing together, we asked our friends at Artists Name Plates to make an antique gold plaque to attach to the frame.

Hendrick de Meyer (1620 - 1689) - The Fishmarket at Scheveningen

BEFORE/DURING/AFTER ✨ details below:

This impressive Dutch Golden Age Baltic oak panelled painting by Hendrick de Meyer (1620 - 1689), of the traditional Fish market on the beach at Scheveningen, just outside The Hague, arrived in our studio earlier this year. It had been bought many years back and neglected, and was dangerously loose in the frame.

🛠HOW WE HELPED 🖌We spent months attending to it, removing the staggeringly amateur retouching of old and bringing the painting back to life. Much of the dark foreground had been brutally over cleaned and the dogs were all but obliterated, along with much of the intricate detail. We found pentimenti (hidden preparatory drawings) beneath past retouching and have left much of it in place so that future connoisseurs might witness the artist's original vision for the composition.

FRAMEWORK 🔧The cassetta designed frame was cleaned and conserved. We laid fresh maple veneer within the centre of the moulding, waxed with Antique Pine and Teak and inserted a 'lambs' tongue' shaped inner slip to embrace the panel more firmly within the frame and added gesso, bole and 22 carat gold leaf. The transformation was our reward!

Roman Vase

This exquisite Roman Jar with twin handles from the 3rd-4th century AD was acquired recently from Charles Ede Ltd, the Ancient Art, Antiquities Gallery run by Charis Tyndall. Our brief was to create a case to protect and display it. Over the past few weeks we have crafted from scratch this delicate cabinet using seasoned wood, gesso, bole, white gold, soft terracotta washes and waxes, where it could be held in place, as though floating, as a stand alone treasure trove of wonders. Italian flecked antique mirror glass set at three different angles behind the jar, illuminate this glorious piece in the round. The carved ripple floor to the cabinet adds lustre to the appearance of this rare, intact piece and complements its delicate colouring. This tender cabinet of wonders is one of the loveliest pieces we have ever had the privilege to make!

Carved cabinet for 200 year old Napoleonic War Ship

This magnificent, exceptionally large, early 19th century Napoleonic French Prisoner-of war bone model for a first-rate ship of the line, with a hundred guns, needed a cabinet that matched the quality of the model's craftsmanship.
With very little time we set to work making the case from scratch which was in itself a challenge giving its need to be at least a metre and a half in length. We decided that the base should simulate the sea. To achieve this we combined a carved ripple moulding, and inlaid beading and twisted rope. Many layers of gesso were applied prior to washing the base with a soft pale blue wash, whilst a terracotta wash was applied to the uprights. A simple cassetta moulding was used to surround the lower platform and fluted vertical mouldings to hold the UV glass in place. These were trimmed with a twisted rope motif. Rather than place UV glass on all four sides of the cabinet, it seemed unusual to reflect the model by placing a back of Italian antique flecked mirror glass, thus adding further sparkle to its existing splendour. The case was finished with a black bole on a terracotta base, and remains accessible through a side door with two elegant brass handles, so the vessel can be placed one way, or other, as our client desires. This commission was truly a labour of love and a fitting tribute to the extraordinary craftsmanship of those prisoners of war over two hundred years ago.