My Spelling ?

[SteveA]

A dealer drops off a tortoise shell box for repair.  The top is cracked and one side is tented up 1/8 in. above the other side.  I used a commercial heat gun and it softened the raised part enough that I could press it back in place. A few drops of white glue in the seam and left it to dry over night.  There were sterling silver letters inside the box.  I lay them out and can't figure what they say.  I know there is no "d" in hankerchief  and the first two letters look like "he"  - nothing makes sense !  Maybe it's the ladies initials ?  maybe words or letters missing. The letters "a-n-d" look like different text than the rest - maybe it's what's left from a partially missing word.   So I ask my wife what she thinks - of course she says handkerchief and lovingly reminds me how I wasted my time in school.  Anyway I filled the crack in with timbermate.  Didn't want to use anything too strong and non-reversible on an antique.  I'll color the filler with shellac + trans tint - adding earth-tone pigments to make the final semi opaque color while trying to copy the translucent shell  - final top coat with lacquer just along the filled line.  The repair won't prevent someone from removing the top - fusing it back together and relaying it flat. 




I'm sure the letters a-n-d were replaced at some point and although not done too  badly - no where as nice as the original silversmith workmanship. 
Thank goodness for the endangered protections today - the animal is safe ........ there are great faux plastic alternatives available if splices are needed in this kind of restoration. 
SA

[SteveA]

I think what was making me doubt the spelling was I had the H upside down and it looked like He  -
The a.n.d was different text - which was replaced - and I couldn't spell Handkerchiefs because the d isn't pronounced -
It's finished - the crack is still visible but it's flat, filled, colored; and I didn't want to aggressively work on the crack and damage any of the shell by over sanding or overfilling.
Also got the corners back on - all the silver pieces had small studs soldered onto the back.  Made it easy to line up and to stay put.  A few holes were off because of the movement of the shell from shrinkage.  A few holes were filled and I made a few new holes in the right places. I glued the silver pieces down with Gorilla glue - the waterbased white glue - it dries perfectly clear so even with a little squeeze out between the letters I wasn't concerned.   A lot of work for a little box - I'll charge $ 100.00 and the dealer will say - for that little box ?  Than I'll hit him with the box and he could reach in and get a Han(d)kerchief to wipe the tears! 
SA 

[kodydog]

Nice job Steve. Funny how people think the price should be in relation to the size of the project. I love customers who call and say, I have a small chair... The funny thing is it no longer bothers me when they say, that much?

[SteveA]

Right - and I kind of remember Doc had a good story and comment for those type of bargain hunters - ignore them, and eventually they show back up
SA