Correcting Wood Bend?

[Chems]

A family friend has these beautiful Pen cases from the first world war. Inside is a small tray to hold pens that is box jointed on the edges and has a ply base. Its only thin. This has bowed a fair amount in one corner.

The whole display unit has a back door and this too has bowed, its a single panel with breadboard ends at the top. The unit is all varnished and it about 30cm high so its only small window display thing.

I gave the usual advice, wet one side and apply weight, steam treatment etc. But the item is VERY valuable and its also got a finish on it obviously which needs to remain in-tact.

What would you wise old hats suggest for correcting this sort of vintage movement?

 

[JoinerySolutions]

I see two choices:
1/ Leave it well alone, the movement is part of it's history.
2/ Take it to a reputable restorer who carries plenty of insurance cover.

If it were mine I'd go with choice one.

Rob.

 

[Steve Maskery]

+1
S

 

[Paul Chapman]

+2.

If your friend wants one to use, you could always make a replica.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[woodbloke]

+3...leave well alone. Attempting to cure the 'fault' may well inadvertently cause more damage - Rob

 

[matthewwh]

+4

nuff sed

 

[OldWood]

I had a period out of work about 20 years ago and went to 'apprentice' with my younger brother. One of the tasks I got to do was to strip and scrape a small drop leaf table that was fantastically inlaid - it wasn't Chesterfield, but something of that ilk and period. It sold for >£20k when we finished - not my brother's money unfortunately.

Neither of us had any idea when we started the restoration quite how brightly coloured the inlay work was - the degree of colour was really totally unexpected.

BUT it had a bend in it - too long ago now to remember the details, but it certainly wasn't something you had any consideration for attempting to correct.

Rob