Library Restoration, Rhodes Mansion
I was asked to restore the sun damaged finish in the library of the Rhodes mansion on Capitol Hill, Seattle. Built in 1915 to a superb standard, the library was paneled in shellac finished mahogany with leaded glass bookcases, filigreed bronze radiator covers and light fixtures. The sun had bleached the interior sills and casements to a cracked and vile green, gray color. These were stripped, stained and top coated with shellac and varnish. The wall paneling and casework was refinished with the shellac pad and wax. 16 mahogany window sashes were removed to the studio and treated for water damage, stained; painted and refinished. Some of the glass was etched by careless muriatic acid runoff from roofers. We managed to correct that with a graduated pumice treatment. The glass has been covered with a special U.V. film to limit future harm from summer sun.