Repair of a broken table

In a case like this, you may feel like replacing the entire table. However, this would give the instrument a totally different tone and it would loose the majority of its value. This repair starts by painstakingly gluing each tiny splinter and all of the cracks. The results of the restoration depend on the quality of this work. Here, the work has been performed perfectly, and the retouching of the varnish was practically limited to tiny spots along the cracks. In the interior, some small reinforcements were added. This repair is invisible and the unfortunate accident has long since been forgotten. The sound is just the same as before.

Restoration of woodworm holes

The first thing to repair here is to fill the “tunnels” made by the worms with minute pieces of maple and mastic. Finally, the new wood is re-coloured and the varnish is retouched.

Repair of a back at neck level

The hole below the heel filled with a painstakingly chosen piece of maple, and the heel is then replaced. Retouching the varnish and the imitation graining make the restoration invisible. The instrument has regained its old appearance.

Repair of an old crack in the back of the violin

First the crack is opened, then cleaned and re-glued. The visible traces are filled with specially mixed pigments to obtain a shade close to that of the wood. Fine retouching is key – only the crack should be retouched, and not the original varnish.

Restoration of a violin's table

This type of restoration work is our day-to-day business. We open all the cracks, clean them, glue them back together, and then we retouch the varnish. To ensure that the violin keeps its personality, it is important to respect the natural wear of the varnish. Old blemishes are carefully cleaned and refinished with a varnish which perfectly matches the original.