It is a fact that we are often surprised by the requested work to be restored by our clients. Over the year since the studio has been founded we have restored many, in most cases priceless items, who otherwise would have been discarded. I could briefly mention such items as the President Lincoln office chairs that a client had purchased at an auction during the 1940's; or the Chinese hand carved furniture - five piece sitting set - made of black teak wood from the Ming Dynasty period. But instead I will mention how recently a client came to the studio and inquired if I would be interested in restoring a eight foot ocean liner model named, "The Conte di Savoia."

To briefly explain, this client’s grandfather had carved and constructed this ship model in remembrance of his emigration from Europe to the United States in the early thirty’s. After seeing what the client had in the back of his pick-up I immediately took the challenge and, it was in deed a challenge. More than seventy years of neglect in a damp Detroit basement took its toll on what once must have been a beautiful family heirloom. But what became really challenging for me was to locate a few old photographs to aid my reconstruction: most of the masts and rigging were damaged or missing; only two of the original lifeboats were still in tack, and since the hull was electrically wired for interior lighting, the old paper wrapped wiring had to be brought to modern code standards.

After an extensive search the needed photos were found and the restoration began. I literally took the ship apart by firstly repairing the dry rot; later I re-carved the missing lifeboats, then replaced the below deck electrical wires and light sockets. Since one of the propellers was missing I made a mold of the existing original, then cast it in brass as the original. With the aid from the historical photographs I reconstructed all the riggings and duplicated the masts as it was originally designed. After it was painted and detailed I fashioned a small Italian flag and re-christened the model ocean liner,"Conte di Savoia."

What was really interesting about this ship model was that the original creator included a small enclosed metal tank below deck with channels that connected to the two ship’s smoke stacks. Ingeniously, by pouring kerosene down one smoke stack and then inserting a lighted piece of paper in the other, smoke would bellow out and complete the illusion of a ship cruising on the high seas. After nearly six weeks of restoration the Conte di Savoia had been made again "seaworthy."

I also hasten to add that I was told by the client that the ship model would be donated to the Detroit Museum of Folk Art. But the story doesn’t end here. A year later I learned from a friend who had visited the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C.,  mentioned of seeing there a ship model exhibit which included the very same ocean liner, Conte di Savoia.

I have taken a number of before / after photographs during the restoration process of the Conte di Savoia and would like to share them with you. Please click below to see these and other restoration projects.

If you are interested in any items on our web site please enquire via our SWIFT ~ STUDIO e-Mail.

ANTIQUES:

PICTURE FRAMES:

FURNITURE RESTORATION

BAKER'S DESK:

CHAIR REPAIRED:

FURNITURE RESTORATION MIX:

PAINTINGS: CLASSICAL

PAINTINGS: CONTEMPORARY

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PORCELAIN

Please click on the Conte di Savoia to see how she was fully restored

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