Ella recently became a new client by way of referral from our friend Elizabeth. Her rocker, which had been her mother’s as a child, was damaged. When she and her parents arrived at the shop, we knew immediately this rocker would be a special project. You see, Ella is a darling redhead about 2 years old.
Over the course of time, we complete many projects that are special to our clients. Many are family heirlooms that have been kept with the idea of a future restoration. Many are so damaged that they appear beyond hope. We love to take on these challenges. At the unveiling, we always enjoy the reaction to the final results. Quite often we see tears of joy and I will occasionally get a big hug. “I never expected it to look this good” is something we hear a lot. All of these make us feel proud. As artisans, the photo below says all we ever need to hear.
Ella’s rocker came to us like so many others with a couple of broken legs, a missing stretcher, and a worn, deteriorated finish.
This rocker was originally finished in black lacquer with gold accents. This is a style many will remember from the chairs made by the Hitchcock Chair Company. After all the old finish, dirt, and grime was removed, Ronnie did a great job of putting the rocker back together. The black lacquer finish brought it to life. The final detail is Carolyn’s superb replication of the gold detailing on the crest rail. See what you think.
We love what we do, and we get paid to do what we love. Some days we get a huge bonus like this.
Ella’s joy started to fade as her mother picked her up to leave and I picked up her rocker. That had not been part of her plan! Quickly, I let her grab hold of one arm of the rocker and together we carried it to the car. I hope Ella’s little rocker brings her many hours of happiness.
