Writing Desk Repair
Writing Desk
The Quimper Hitty human discovered a very small and lovely old writing desk in an antique store…there were a few small broken pieces that needed to be fixed:
The lid hinges had been repaired at some point, and fixed to the desk on one side with carpet tacks;
Several pieces of moulding were missing;
The left lid support knob was missing.
So…repairs were needed.
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Wood Glue
First the hinge repair… the carpet tack holes were filled with tiny plugs made from whittled matchsticks…
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Fill
…and left to dry before cutting them flush.
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Tiny
The original screws left in the desk lid were flat topped, but we could only find dome-headed screws locally. Luckily our friend The Dollhouse Lady had some – we sent her the measurements, and she sent us some miniscule flat-headed screws – Thank you Dollhouse Lady!
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Snip
Even these tiny screws were a tiny bit too long, so we cut them shorter! To do this, we pinched the tips with tape. This was both to hold on to, and also so the wee small thing didn’t fly away when we snipped off the end.
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Vinegar
We soaked the new screws in vinegar, to age them up a bit, and take off the shine…
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Fixed!
…then tightened them into place…
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Writing Desk Lid
…and the desk lid was fixed!!
…now to see about replacing the moldings…
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Glad I could be of service. You sure did a great job! Ever considered opening up shop? My girls certainly would trust you with their repairs. There seems to be no limit to the skills in your hands!!! Can’t wait to see the desk in its glory.
Not only service, but encouragement and friendship! That is the best way to work! It is coming along.
What a beautiful find. Looking forward to seeing the piece when you repair the molding. Its wonderful you are able to bring it back to its original glory.
I could not believe my eyes when I spotted the desk in the store! The broken pieces seemed fixable to me, though my furniture repair experience has been very limited so far. I am enjoying the process!
Wonderful desk! Desks are some of my favorite types of furniture. I am so glad your household and friends contain the knowledge to repair this worthy piece.
It is a such a beautiful piece of furniture! Thanks to my friends and relations for practical help and continuous encouragement, I am really happy with the way it is going!
Wow! What a find. And you are the perfect person to bring it back to health☺.
Thanks! It was in a store on Fort Street that I had never been into before…but I think I may have to check it out again!
great find, all those pigeon holes and drawers to fill up with “things”. Beautiful job of fixing.
I know! I am looking forward to putting stuff into the pigeon holes, and the drawers, and Constance is going to write some letters to friends once it is all finished!
This is a stunning piece. It will be quite a feature in the Hitty Cupboard, especially after such skilled restoration. Congratulations!
We were pretty excited to spot it in the shop! I am glad I have some relevant knowledge and experience through my museum conservation work, and also encouraging friends and relations (and dolls) who believe in me!
Very beautifully done. I love it.
Thank you very much! It is really working out well so far, and I think the rest of the project will be successful too!
Gorgeous desk and amazing repairs!! The Quimper Human is a wonder woman!!
We think the project is wonderful fun, and encouragement is a wonderful and essential part of it…thanks to you and everyone!
That desk is gorgeous. What a magnificent find. As always, your repairs and how you do them are so interesting and the result is wonderful.
Is that a miniature or human size…I was wondering if it was one of the wonderful sample finds that woodworkers of old used to show clients what a true size piece would look like.
The desk is tiny, a little taller than a Hitty!
It could be a Salesman’s sample, or possibly a Journeyman’s ‘exam piece’
In any case, we are so pleased that it arrived in the Hitty cupboard!