| Musical Box Restoration by
Edmund Czajkowski & Son Ltd.
 |
Michael Czajkowski, of Edmund Czajkowski & Son
Ltd., the present owner of the firm, working on an orchestra
musical box movement, see below.
We conserve and restore musical boxes, both movement (works)
and cases. We also restore piano cases.
We work on musical box combs and barrels in partnership
with a variety of skilled craftsmen. Consequently we can undertake
most musical box restoration work.
We have all the necessary skills to do case work as can be
seen from the page on furniture
restoration. We have considerable
experience in timber consolidation, carving, gilding, French,
oil and wax polishing, marquetry, metal work, inlay and Boulle
work, an expensive marquetry of brass and tortoiseshell, all
the processes that can be seen displayed on case work.
We have a vast range of old timber and there are very few
species of timber that we cannot obtain to match missing timbers.
Considerable care is taken in staining and colouring of replacement
timber and veneers. This work is naturally time consuming,
but poor quality conservation and restoration can severely
devalue, what was otherwise a valued item of furniture. |
Michael Czajkowski, the owner of the firm, is an accredited conservator
with the Institute of Conservation (ICON), a member of the British
Antique Furniture Restorers (B.A.F.R.A.) and as such adheres to
the best principle of conservation practice.
Below are some examples of our work.
Orchestra musical box with bells, drum and castanets after
assembly of the movement after cleaning. The drum liner
was also replaced. |
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Walnut musical box case, after restoration. |
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Musical box after restoration of the box and movement.
The
missing teeth were not replaced. |
Lid before restoration. The central panel of painted paper
beneath a Perspex coved was badly damaged and a new panel was
made, based on the remains of the illustration. |
Close up of finished lid. |
Barrel organ book case by George Pyke, London, 1785
Before restoration showing the space for the interchangeable
barrels below.
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Above: the barrel and small organ pipes
of the George
Pyke organ.
Left: a side view
Right: following restoration
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Above and right; interchangeable musical box, where the
barrels can be removed and new ones inserted.
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After carrying out adjustments to the regulator (governor).
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Miniature musical box. Above; after assembly, Right; during
cleaning |
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Movement (works) of the musical box,
during restoration.
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Movement assembled after cleaning
and teeth replacement.
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Musical box, after restoration. |
Pianoforte musical box showing the movement in pieces during
conservation. The movement is much longer than normal to
accommodate the extra pins and comb teeth that allow a fuller
expression of the music to be played.
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Key wound, pianoforte musical box after restoration.
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Symphonium disc player, after restoration.
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Birds-eye-maple case, during restoration.
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Interior of finished case
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Birds-eye-maple veneered musical box case c.1815,
after
restoration of the case.
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Broadwood square piano c.1830, after restoration. |
Domestic organ case.
Restored and converted into a bookcase,
Sledmere Hall, Driffield Yorkshire. |
New clavichord case built for existing action and soundboard. |
Restoration of a rare early 19th century tetracord strung
piano by Graff of Vienna
after woodwork restoration
and before polishing.
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Graff piano during case restoration and after the woodwork
repairs. This required new legs and feet, frame with gilded
brass mounts, an extension of the soundboard and case to
its original length, and rebuilding the keyboard cover and
cheeks. The piano had been “modernised” by
shortening it and cross over stringing.
The legs had been
replaced with square ones, the keyboard cover cut back.
This
piano is similar to one made for Beethoven in 1804.
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Edmund Czajkowski & Son Ltd. 96 Tor
O' Moor Road, Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire. LN10 6SB
Tel. 01526 352895 ~ Email: enquiries@czajkowski-furniture.co.uk
Company Registration Number NL18225747
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