These photos illustrate the dramatic change
from unrestored to restored.
But they also illustrate the principle of
bringing the color of the wood and inlays
back to their original richness and intensity.

Simply stripping, sanding and applying a
new finish will often yield a variety of dull
browns lacking in the liveliness and
intensity originally intended.
Much of the design may be lost because of a lack of separation in color and light and dark.

We search the table for areas that have
most retained their original qualities and
bring the rest of table up to that level
through a tedious method of dying and
blotting that can take weeks on a table like
the one seen here.

The same principle is applied to simpler
tables and larger areas of mahogany,
walnut and rosewood.

Unrestored railtop shown on left and restored railtop
to right shown with new rosewood veneer and newly inlaid ivory diamond.

The correct geometry of a table's pockets is critical to
good playability and does not “just happen” on antique
tables without a good deal of knowledge and deliberate
refitting and manipulation.
The precisely shaped wood to which the cushion is attached will often need re-cutting, repair, modification
or even replacement to ensure correct cushion height
(for proper bounce) and regulation pocket openings.

Pocket irons are very important to a table's authenticity,
character and aesthetic appeal.
We use original irons -- repairing and welding as needed and
re-plating with nickel.
Many times irons are slightly or even greatly different in their shape or gesture and this contributes greatly to the
individuality of the table.
When the correct iron is not available, we will have irons
newly cast at a local foundry using an original for a pattern.
These new irons will be machined and eventually nickeled.
We could buy new, generic, chromed pot-metal irons for a
small fraction of the cost of reproducing authentic ones
But we feel the right irons are important to the finished table.