The Antique Question: Refinish or Refurbish?

[Renderking Fisk]

Andy said in one of the threads we?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ve been having a heated debate that he wanted to know my view about vintage things. My way of saying sorry for letting things get out of hand is starting ANOTHER heated debate about something TOTALLY different.

I would love to get to know you better by discussion (s) of your hats, what your thoughts are on vintage stuff, adventures you have enjoyed. Something fun you did with that yound lad on your lap, pictured in the Avitar.

I love vintage things, having old things around is sort of having a portal to what I consider a better time and makes me feel ageless. Not only that, but I like reproductions of vintage things because of the style. Reproductions (In my casual observation) seem to command better craftsmanship then other things also made in this day and age.

But my issue is this. Somewhere in this house we have a well used (translation: Abused) relic. It?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s a footrest that was upholstered with a cloth that is now threadbare and looks pretty bad. It?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s almost an eyesore. My wife and I are debating about what to do with it.

Over in the next town off Main Street there?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s a man who does an amazing job reupholstering furniture. He has his windows wide open and you can see him as he?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s working. We?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ve seen chairs that he?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s ripped apart, replaced the stuffing and the fabric and looked like he hooked a trailer hitch to the back of Doc Bown?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s Delorian and brought back some brand new items from a by-gone era.

I want to give this footrest the same treatment, by the wife (Translation: The Boss) says that items lose their value when you refurbish them?¢‚Ǩ¬¶ since this footrest doesn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t have the same cloth, it won?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t be ?¢‚Ǩ?ìWorth?¢‚Ǩ? the same.

I don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t have items that hold much ?¢‚Ǩ?ìvalue?¢‚Ǩ? other then the fact that they are ?¢‚Ǩ?ìuseful?¢‚Ǩ?.

What do you think about refinishing or refurbishing antique items?

 

[Kentucky Blues]

Well, I'd say in it's current condition, it has not much value. I think it should be reupholstered.

 

[havershaw]

I operate on the theory that I'll never, ever resell almost anything I own (this is why we just had to move into a bigger house).
The question of an item's monetary worth is one you only need to consider if you're ever going to resell it. Otherwise, the item's worth is judged by how useful it is to you, in your daily life. And as previously mentioned, I operate under the delusion that I'll never get rid of anything I've got, so it doesn't really matter that much to me what is done to the item to make it practical and useful. I won't buy a hat I won't wear, and if I accidentally do, I'll always try to pass it on to someone who will use it, and not just let it sit in a box and collect dust. The hat will be "worth" much more, obviously, if it's not worn daily and kept in a box like a time capsule, but I'm a big fan of "production for use" (see His Girl Friday for reference), and if something's not going to actually be used, I don't have a lot of use for it. I think some folks just dig having stuff that they know is worth a bundle and that they could get a lot of dough for if ever they were to unload it. That, in and of itself, is the reward of ownership for some folks. But for me, it's gotta be something that somehow has a use and purpose in my daily life. And (for example) if a hat is big enough on me that I think I'll always leave it on the tree in favor of another because I'm self-conscious about its size, then I don't need to own that hat. even if I like having a hat that is great-looking and "valuable."

Now, don't get me wrong. I own a few movie props and things that serve no particular purpose right now, other than to sit there and look cool as all hell. But I mean, what can you do with fifteen silicon frogs (I got them from the Magnolia set)? So of course, there are exceptions, and obviously, to each his own. I just bought a couple of pairs of 40s gabardine new old stock pants. They are obviously "worth" more if I leave the original store tags on them, but then I can't wear them, so off they come.

now of course, I do like things to be useful and as authentic as I can get them to be. If I could get away with it, I'd try to find some vintage fabric that looks similar to yours and is of the same era. I wouldn't do it for the sale of its "worth," but rather because I like old stuff and I try to keep things all of the same era. On my '64 VW, I try to only use new old stock parts whenever anything needs replaced. I figure the car's veins are forty years old - so I do my best to keep the blood that flows through it close to that age range too. (If I could find leaded fuel...!)

The preceding statements are just my opinion, obviously. I've just never been a big collector of stuff that's super valuable but you can't touch and hardly ever see...another reason my 27 hats adorn multiple hat trees throughout our house. But like I said, to each his own. You gotta do what floats your boat and not worry too much about the other folks' boats.

 

[Kentucky Blues]

I agree with that theory, and it's exceptions I have a bunch of Ghostbusters figures on a shelf, which I still collect, but will never play with. On the other hand, I buy vintage hats and wear them (except that stupid stetson and it's small size). And it didn't break my hear too terribly when Optimo changed the ribbon *sniff* on my cavanagh...But it looks really good now, and the old one looked like crap (from what I'm told).

 

[Andykev]

YES

I agree with Havershaw, USE IT. Or, you can let it sit in a box in the dark, and after you die, someone who doessn't care the same for it as you did will sell it for next to nothing to a stranger.

Ren, Get IT redone. You have the joy of the frame, the vintage, etc. But unrepaired, it is an eyesore. You have to put your foot down!! (or up on the foot rest) and make it good.

If you are a fan of "This Old House" you will know that making it look old and vintage, but be modern and useful is the ticket.

Go for it!

(see this was nice )

 

[Kentucky Blues]

Btw, Ren, why is your wife the boss? You're the King of your house, what you decide to do with your foot rest is what should be done. And all of us agree with you, so there

 

[Michaelson]

Living in a house with a past restorer of artifacts fir the New York Metropolitian museum, as well as as the New Orleans Civil War museum, you can imagine what MY spin on this would be. Get it done, but get it done right. There are to many cut and slash wannbe restorers out there who cobble things together and say they're restored that in reality complete screw up your piece. Find somebody who uses the old craftsmanship of the original makers, and once done, USE it. Regards. Michaelson

 

[Renderking Fisk]

Originally posted by Kentucky Blues
Btw, Ren, why is your wife the boss? You're the King of your house...

Yep... and she's the Queen. In the feild of battle, I'm in charge. In the Castle, she's in charge.

And yea, Andy... this is more fun.

 

[Michaelson]

Sort of reminds me of the old military saying regarding why artiliary is called the King of the battlefield, and the infantry is called the Queen, but because this is a class joint, I won't explain why. Regards. Michaelson

 

[John in Covina]

Refinish Refurbish. With the Antiques Roadshow in the forefront of these debates, I'd say that items of great value and historical significance should not be touched until a really good appraiser can give you the lowdown. How many times do we see the appraiser saying if you hadn't cleaned this it would be worth x times more. However, family furniture that's let's say less than a hundred years old, not some famous maker or style and you want to use it should be fixed cleaned repaired refurbished so it is a usable piece of furniture. The question is along the lines of is it a museum piece or a bit more ordinary. A 1928 Chevy that has been restored to Concours condition retains value over a badly abused barn find no matter what the "patina" is on it. I have a Western Electric 202 that i plan to have restored one of these days to use in the home office. I don't want it looking like it does now, heaven forbid!