Berkey and gay dining room table

Cabinet maker John Frohberg is credited with many of the carving designs.

Berkey and Gay

The scalloped design shown on these pieces was a trademark of their company. It is important to emphasize that MPFC was not tasked with refinishing the Berkey and Gay pieces, but preserving the original finish. On all pieces, the finish was treated using our own in-house shellac mixed room no additives. As infill it matched the historic finish; after it was waxed and rubbed to a warm patina.

Note: The China Cabinet, right, was in the best condition and served as a model for how the original finish might have appeared. The credenza was badly stained from decades of use: rings, deposits and losses were apparent on the serving surface, shown below. Heat impressions, standing water deposits and occasional caustic or staining liquids left their marks.

The overall finish and extremely dry, and appeared hazy to grayed. Berkey and Gay Dining Table with Leaves. When fully deployed with its ten original leaves installed it opened to an impressive feet. When the central decorative column was unlocked and the table pulled apart, sliding on its heavy recessed casters, it revealed another stout column which remained in place as a center supporting leg preventing sag in the leaves in any configuration.

The table was badly stained, displaying heat damage which looked like chemical burns, including moisture rings which gave way to areas dine complete loss of varnish, below. These losses often had ring edges where pigments and grain fillers pooled and concentrated at the edges after migrating. The leaves finish was also compromised, shown right.

Disparate surface tones and colors presumably from use or lack thereof exhibited bleached and faded areas. The leaves also had rings and table spots. This material, especially around damaged areas, was peeling and flaking much like brittle film negatives. The entire table and leaves were treated, seeking a consistency of tone, one compound to the next, while maintaining its intended historic patinated appearance.

The nitrocellulose lacquer was removed using a heat gun and careful scraping with neoprene spatulas, without compromising the aged patina beneath, image two above. Selective infill was performed. Finally, the entire top was lightly sanded to raise the grain, and brush coated with multiple applications of our in-house shellac.

After the varnish cured, the top was rubbed-out with powdered abrasives, then treated with a hard, unpigmented carnauba wax, above. Side-by-side comparison of a chair before and after treatment. The caning was ripped in several chairs; the chairs were re-caned, colored then varnished to match the original caning.

Carved decorative gay of the various chairs were missing. Berkey parts were recreated, applied, colored and varnished to match. Above, before and after shown on one of the arms chairs. Below, after images of the chairs around the table.