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The restoration and conservation of fine period furniture
I have been a professional furniture restorer since graduating from West Dean College in Chichester.
I had previously worked as a carpenter but my ambition had always been to specialise in furniture restoration, particularly that of antique furniture.
In 1992, sponsored by Bulmers plc, I was fortunate enough to be awarded a scholarship by The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust which is the charity of The Royal Warrant Holders Association.
Studying at West Dean College was a marvellous experience and whilst there I restored a parquetry work box of unknown provenance and my interest in the history of this piece led me to carry out my own research, revealing it to be a previously unattributed and very rare piece of Tunbridge ware.
I have always been interested in the background of the pieces that I restore – that is what makes my work a vocation rather than just a profession!
I graduated from West Dean College in 1994, being amongst the last group of the Trust's graduates to be invited to meet the late Queen mother. When I left the College I felt very privileged to be offered a placement as a trainee at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, but I was not able to take advantage of this offer in view of my family commitments in Hereford. Instead I took the bull by the horns and started up in business on my own offering furniture restoration and conservation; veneering; marquetry; parquetry; cabinet making and French polishing.
Since then I have had the good fortune to be commissioned to work on some quite important pieces!
By 1998 I had became a Senior Consultant to a company which bought and restored antique furniture and I was also working for Edward Bulmer Historic Decoration, restoring most pf the antique furniture for Home House - the former home of Courtauld Institute and one of the finest remaining Adam Houses in London.
I have been entrusted with numerous other prestigious commissions over the years, including the restoration of a Chippendale chair from Windsor Castle and closer to home I am commissioned to carry out work periodically for Hereford Town Hall - rather nice to feel that part of my work is in helping to maintain some of the important historical framework of my native county!
Fine period furniture restored to its original beauty. Contact Andrew Williams Antique furniture today on
01531 640077