Alan Herd and Eric Knowles visit a general auction in Shrewsbury to buy a mid-Victorian mahogany mirror-backed sideboard which needs a major clean up and additional carving on the top of the mirror. While Alan is busy doing that in the workshop Eric visits specialist restorers Plowden & Smith in London to see how a bronze figure is repaired. The transformed sideboard is sold at Law Fine Art of Newbury.
Eric Knowles and Alan Herd head to Birmingham to buy an early 19th Century 30 hour oak and mahogany long case clock. In the workshop, Alan discovers there's more work needed than he initially thought. The whole carcass needs to be made structurally sound and Alan turns new rosettes and a spindle for the hood. Meanwhile Eric visits expert restorer Ben Lawson who is restoring an 19th century ivory figure of a Chinese fisherman. Will therestored clock realise its full value?
A 19th Century Windsor Chair in ash and elm that’s seen better days is snapped up by Eric Knowles and Alan Herd at TN Millers Auctioneers in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. While Alan sets to work cleaning and hot wax filling the holes, Eric is shown how to restore a one thousand year old terracotta horse from the Tang Dynasty. The restored chair is taken to a smart country house sale in Berkshire but has the restoration added to its value?
Eric Knowles and Alan Herd venture to North Wales and come away with a very distressed George III flame mahogany card table of demi lune type. In the workshop, Alan deals with its damaged veneers, and shows Eric how to fit new baise to the top. The transformed table is sold in south London; but will it make a profit?
At a general sale in Worcester, Eric Knowles and Alan Herd buy a 19th Century mahogany chest for a bargain price and Eric can't resist buying a monstrous hallstand that Alan hates! The chest has a disastrous finish, possibly caused by fire damage. Alan gives it thorough clean and gets some copies made of the brass handles with Britannia motif while the hallstand just needs a few hours work. Eric visits the Queen's restorers to be see the repair of a Venetian glass mirror. Both the chest & the hallstand are sent to auctioneers Cheffins in Cambridge, but which will make them a bigger profit?
Eric Knowles and Alan Herd venture up to Tyneside and come back to the workshop with a Victorian upholstered mahogany ‘Ladies’ or ‘salon’ chair. Alan undertakes the restoration of the frame and makes an rewarding discovery. He visits local specialist upholsterers to see how the experts deep button his chair. Eric joins him back in the workshop to make the final preparations before sending the chair to Roseberys auction rooms in London to be sold.
A damaged Victorian walnut Davenport catches Alan Herd and Eric Knowles’ eye at Tennants Auctioneers in Yorkshire. The top is stripped of its original dull straight grained veneer and reveneered in burr walnut, and Alan has to turn some new drawer knobs on the lathe. The Davenport is sold at in London and Eric Knowles visits specialist restorers in London who are working on some severely fire damaged chairs.
Alan Herd and Eric Knowles purchase an early Victorian mahogany tilt-top breakfast table from a sale in Mold, North Wales and Alan Herd wastes no time in sorting out its water stains, a nasty split on the top and restores the inoperable tilt-top mechanism. Eric Knowles visits a restorer working on delicate papier mache calling card cases. The restored table is sent to Cheffins Auctioneers in Cambridge.
Presented by Alan Herd and Eric Knowles. At Andrew Grant Fine Art Auctioneers in Worcester, they purchase a set of six early Victorian mahogany balloon back chairs. Alan has to copy and make a replacement top rail on one of the chairs – can Eric spot the repair? Alan sends them to a master upholsterer in Nottingham to learn about modern and traditional techniques. The chairs were sold at Roseberys in London.
Alan Herd and Erick Knowles buy a rather battered but perfect sized 18th Century oak chest of drawers from an antique sale in Birmingham. While Alan repairs the damage, and cleans the chest of its overly dark patina, Eric sees how it’s possible to repair three violins made of clear glass at a specialist workshop in South London.
Alan Herd and Eric Knowles visit TN Millers in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and buy bargain priced early 19th Century mahogany drop leaf occasional table. Though badly sun-bleached Alan convinces Eric he can restore it to its former glory and he even breaks the top in half to clean a nasty split. Eric visits restorers where he is shown how to restore an extremely fragile gilt gesso mirror. The table is sold in south London - will Alan's hard work be worthwhile?
An early 19th Century mahogany ‘Bachelor’s chest’ receives the Restoration Man treatment at Alan Herd’s workshop. Alan has to totally strip back and restain it. Meanwhile Eric Knowles visits the decorative arts department of ‘Plowden & Smith Ltd’ to see the restoration of some badly knocked gilt window seats. The chest is sold at the Law Fine Art of Newbury, but will the buyers go for it?