0:00:02 > 0:00:03Welcome to The Repair Shop,
0:00:03 > 0:00:06where cherished family heirlooms are brought back to life.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09Anything can happen. This is the workshop of dreams.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12Home to furniture restorer Jay Blades.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14Nowadays, things are not built to last
0:00:14 > 0:00:16so we've become part of this throwaway culture.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19It's all about preserving and restoring.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22We bring the old back to new.
0:00:22 > 0:00:27Working alongside Jay will be some of the country's leading craftspeople...
0:00:27 > 0:00:29I like making things with my hands.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32I love to see how things work and I want to know how things work.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35Whether it is a Rembrandt or somebody's family piece,
0:00:35 > 0:00:37every painting deserves the same.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41..each bringing their own unique set of skills.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43You're about to witness some magic.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45They will resurrect...
0:00:45 > 0:00:46revive...
0:00:46 > 0:00:47Oh, yes!
0:00:47 > 0:00:49..and rejuvenate
0:00:49 > 0:00:51treasured possessions
0:00:51 > 0:00:55and irreplaceable pieces of family history...
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Oh, my goodness me. It looks like it's new!
0:00:58 > 0:01:00..bringing both the objects...
0:01:00 > 0:01:02- SHE GASPS - Oh, wow.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05..and the memories that they hold
0:01:05 > 0:01:06back to life.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08- Oh, thank you.- Come here.- Oh!
0:01:18 > 0:01:19In The Repair Shop today...
0:01:23 > 0:01:27..conservator Lucia Scalisi rescues a painting
0:01:27 > 0:01:31and restores the early memories of a lifelong love story...
0:01:31 > 0:01:33Wow! What have you done? It looks like you have been shaving.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35Little cuts, yeah.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38..while ceramics whizz Kirsten Ramsay
0:01:38 > 0:01:42gets to grips with a broken, but beloved, painted plaque.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01First to arrive at a rather rain-soaked Repair Shop today
0:02:01 > 0:02:04is Emma, who's travelled from Wimborne in Dorset.
0:02:05 > 0:02:06- Hello, Emma.- Hello.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09- How you doing?- I'm good, thank you. How are you?- Very good.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12- Is it in the front there, then? - It is indeed.- OK. You have that.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Cool. Let's go inside. This way.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22She's brought something that's crying out for
0:02:22 > 0:02:26the help and skills of furniture restorers Will and Jay.
0:02:26 > 0:02:27Wow!
0:02:27 > 0:02:31- What is it, Emma?- It's a jewellery chest, which was my grandmother's.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37When Emma was ten years old,
0:02:37 > 0:02:41she inherited this cherished family heirloom from her grandma -
0:02:41 > 0:02:45a Japanese lacquered jewellery chest.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Since I inherited the chest it's always held a real significance for me.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52It's always lived on my dressing table, held my grandmother's jewellery,
0:02:52 > 0:02:56my jewellery. I think she'd had it, you know, for most of her life.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59So it's a real special item.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03Emma treasured the jewellery box for the next 26 years -
0:03:03 > 0:03:07but in 2012, her home was burgled.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11As soon as I entered the bedroom, my heart sank.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14Not only had the jewellery gone but they'd taken the drawers
0:03:14 > 0:03:17completely from within the chest,
0:03:17 > 0:03:19they'd ripped out the heart of the chest
0:03:19 > 0:03:22and it's like they had sort of ripped out my heart, as well.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27My father-in-law kindly remade the drawers but they have no handles.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30You either have to try and prise them from the side
0:03:30 > 0:03:33or you have to, kind of, lean the cabinet forward
0:03:33 > 0:03:36in order to get them out. It's not easy.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46I'm sure there's something we can do, definitely, with the lacquerwork,
0:03:46 > 0:03:48because I think the front of the drawers would need to be relacquered
0:03:48 > 0:03:52- to, sort of, be in keeping with the top drawer and everything else.- Yep.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55So would there have been any detail on these?
0:03:55 > 0:03:58- Yep, they were the same colour as the top drawer...- OK.
0:03:58 > 0:04:03..and had vine work on them, and you can see that it used to run,
0:04:03 > 0:04:07- sort of, through and, sort of, connect all the drawers up.- Yes.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10I see that. One thing I will ask - the handles.
0:04:10 > 0:04:16- Er, it'd be hard for me to find exactly the same handles.- Yep.
0:04:16 > 0:04:21Would you be happy for me to replace them with something similar?
0:04:21 > 0:04:25Yeah, I think as long as it's all in keeping, then I'd be happy with that, yeah.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27What would it mean to you to have it repaired?
0:04:27 > 0:04:30When we got burgled, I felt...
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Even though we were secure as we could be,
0:04:33 > 0:04:35I kind of felt like I had let my grandparents down
0:04:35 > 0:04:37in losing all their jewellery and everything.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40And this'd kind of be... You know, we never recovered their jewellery.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43- Right.- This would be like the last piece of the puzzle, really,
0:04:43 > 0:04:44to get this restored.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47So I'd feel really proud that I'd been able to do that for them,
0:04:47 > 0:04:50- even though they're no longer here. - Yeah.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53So if you leave that with us, what we'll do is, once it is repaired,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56- we'll get back to you and let you know.- Lovely.- OK?- Brilliant.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00- All right.- Thank you.- No problem. Thank you for bringing it in. - Thanks so much.- Cheers.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04- It's nice, isn't it? - It IS nice.- Yeah.
0:05:05 > 0:05:10I felt really nervous about leaving the jewellery chest there
0:05:10 > 0:05:14but really excited, really looking forward to having it repaired
0:05:14 > 0:05:17and seeing it restored to its former glory.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19I think it'll be really tricky getting the design right
0:05:19 > 0:05:24so it doesn't look too overpowering. Something quite simple.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26Let's get on with it, then. Lovely.
0:05:29 > 0:05:34Will's challenge is to transform the bare wooden replacement drawers
0:05:34 > 0:05:37by recreating the look of ancient Japanese lacquer,
0:05:37 > 0:05:40using his modern materials.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44The plan is to match the new drawers to the top drawer.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48As soon as I've found and made up the right colour lacquer
0:05:48 > 0:05:52for the drawers, I'll then lacquer the rest of the drawers
0:05:52 > 0:05:54to, sort of, tie in with the original
0:05:54 > 0:05:57and once that's thoroughly dry,
0:05:57 > 0:06:00then I'll get on to the design of the front,
0:06:00 > 0:06:02which I'm slightly nervous about.
0:06:10 > 0:06:15Next through the Repair Shop doors are Patricia and Ivor Sansom,
0:06:15 > 0:06:17who've travelled here from Hertfordshire.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19Hello. How are we doing?
0:06:21 > 0:06:23On here it says "painting", so obviously...
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Lucia...if you don't mind joining me over here, please.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Their prized possession
0:06:28 > 0:06:32will need the expert attention of art conservator Lucia Scalisa.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34- Hello.- Nice to see you.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37- Hello.- So, what is it?
0:06:37 > 0:06:40Well, it's a very special painting.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42- It's of a house...- Oh.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45- ..that I was brought up in when I was a little girl.- Right.
0:06:45 > 0:06:50During the war years, I was evacuated there with my grandmother,
0:06:50 > 0:06:52who was cook-housekeeper at the house.
0:06:52 > 0:06:58- Wow!- Then I lived there until I went into nursing
0:06:58 > 0:07:03and I met Ivor and we had our courting years there.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06- Wow!- And we were married from there.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09That's nice. How did you manage to have it, then?
0:07:09 > 0:07:11How did it come into your possession?
0:07:11 > 0:07:13It belonged to my grandmother originally.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16It was painted by Mrs McDougall, who she worked...
0:07:16 > 0:07:21- It's signed. Signed here.- She worked for Mrs McDougall until she died.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25- Right.- And on her death, it was given to my mother,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28who was also brought up in the house.
0:07:28 > 0:07:33And then, when my mother passed away, it was given to Ivor and I,
0:07:33 > 0:07:35because it was sentimental to us.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37Yes. Where was your courting done?
0:07:37 > 0:07:39IVOR: We can't show it in the picture itself,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42cos it'd be more farther out.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45- So there was more garden here as well?- Garden, yes.
0:07:45 > 0:07:46And shrubbery.
0:07:47 > 0:07:48Conveniently!
0:07:50 > 0:07:53- So you had your... - Maybe we should move on.
0:07:53 > 0:07:54Do you know when she painted this?
0:07:54 > 0:07:59I don't. I know that my grandmother had it from the 1920s.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02Yeah, it looks beginning of the century,
0:08:02 > 0:08:04- 20th century, yeah.- That's right. That's right.
0:08:04 > 0:08:05Sometimes we get paintings like this,
0:08:05 > 0:08:07- we don't know the background.- No.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11So to have you here telling us this story, it's like living history.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13It's fantastic.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16It's a bit funny because it's brought up so much of our life,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19really, that's been tucked away there
0:08:19 > 0:08:21and forgotten about, really, isn't it?
0:08:21 > 0:08:24- Yeah, yeah.- And now you're bringing it all back.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27So I can see there's a little bit of paint flaking off there.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29How was the damaged caused?
0:08:29 > 0:08:32When it belonged to my mother, she had a pub near Bristol
0:08:32 > 0:08:34and, unfortunately, they had a fire
0:08:34 > 0:08:38and I understand it was fire damage and smoke damage from that.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40It's not been hung since.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43- Really?- It's been in store.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45We'll be taking it out of its frame,
0:08:45 > 0:08:47which needs a little bit of repair,
0:08:47 > 0:08:50- which Jay will take care of, I think.- Yeah, we can do that.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53It's part of the original history of the object, so it's worth...
0:08:53 > 0:08:55Yes, I wouldn't like it changed.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57Absolutely - keep it, keep it.
0:08:57 > 0:09:02All right, so, then, surface cleaning and re-varnishing,
0:09:02 > 0:09:04filling these losses but then retouching them.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06Really lovely if you could do it.
0:09:06 > 0:09:07Yeah. It's your history.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10It is the history of love.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12THEY CHUCKLE
0:09:13 > 0:09:15Thank you for bringing it along.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18Once we've repaired it and got it back to its former glory,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21it might bring back some more memories of courting days.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24- All right? OK.- Thank you.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26Thank you. All right?
0:09:29 > 0:09:31First things first - what a lovely couple.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33- Unbelievable.- What a story.- Yeah.
0:09:33 > 0:09:38Four generations, going onto five generations, who've owned this painting. Fantastic.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41NARRATOR: Icknield House in Tring dates back to 1913.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45And although Patricia and Ivor haven't been back there
0:09:45 > 0:09:49for over 50 years, it will always hold very special memories.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53I'd forgotten we were young once upon a time.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56Yes. To talk about the picture
0:09:56 > 0:09:59and the memories just come flooding back, really.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02It's just unbelievable, really.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04They were lovely memories.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06So, what DID happen in the garden?
0:10:06 > 0:10:08No comment.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11THEY CHUCKLE
0:10:15 > 0:10:20Lucia has over 25 years' experience conserving paintings
0:10:20 > 0:10:22and, on initial inspection,
0:10:22 > 0:10:25it looks like she has a big challenge on her hands.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30Well, the flaking is a lot more extensive than I thought.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34The worst area is here, where large lumps of paint have gone.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37All these little tiny areas, the paint is curling up at the edges.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40You can see there's little teeny-tiny white dots.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42That's where the paint has gone.
0:10:42 > 0:10:43There's also lots of little cracks
0:10:43 > 0:10:45that are the paint beginning to lift.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48And if you don't do something about it, it will get worse
0:10:48 > 0:10:50and you're losing original material.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54So the first thing I'm going to do is get this consolidated
0:10:54 > 0:10:57because I want to be able to handle the painting and turn it over,
0:10:57 > 0:11:01so I need to consolidate this and make sure that the paint isn't going to fall off.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10In order to preserve the original paintwork
0:11:10 > 0:11:12and prevent any further flaking,
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Lucia applies an adhesive and uses
0:11:15 > 0:11:19a heated spatula to fuse it to the paint.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26OK. That's the last piece.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28I'm going to turn the painting over now,
0:11:28 > 0:11:31so we can get an idea of what's going on at the back.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33- Jay...- Yes, how we doing?
0:11:33 > 0:11:37You couldn't give me a hand to get it out the back of the frame?
0:11:37 > 0:11:41If we lift it out, then I'll lift it out and up.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43And if you could take the frame...
0:11:43 > 0:11:46- It's all yours.- Thank you.- Good.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50And this is my lovely painting out of its frame.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53Wow, what have you done? It looks like you've been shaving.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56- What's all those, like, tissues on there?- Yeah, little cuts, yeah.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58Why have you got these tissue paper...
0:11:58 > 0:12:01- This is tissue paper, isn't it? - It's acid-free tissue.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04I've used it just to get the paint flakes down but, as you can see,
0:12:04 > 0:12:06I've got to now take all this off
0:12:06 > 0:12:08and then I can clean the front of the painting.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11But it means that all the paint is now fixed, it's secure.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14- It's not going to peel any more? - No.- Right.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21From treasured toys in need of emergency surgery...
0:12:22 > 0:12:26..to ceramics that have seen better days,
0:12:26 > 0:12:28the experts that man The Repair Shop
0:12:28 > 0:12:31are determined to put the pieces back together.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42Over in Carpentry Corner,
0:12:42 > 0:12:46work is well under way on Emma's jewellery chest.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49Will has given the only original drawer a deep clean
0:12:49 > 0:12:53so that he can establish the exact colour he needs to recreate.
0:12:53 > 0:12:59So I'm trying to make the lacquer with natural shellac polish
0:12:59 > 0:13:02mixed with some pigments, so I've got a crimson-red pigment,
0:13:02 > 0:13:04brown and black.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07And I think it's a case of trial and error, really.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12Not too bad. It's still quite red.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14So what I'll do is move it over here.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18And a bit of black...
0:13:21 > 0:13:24It's not...
0:13:24 > 0:13:27too, too far off from the colour I'm trying to get to.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30I'm pretty happy so far. So far, so good.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34But it's not just the drawer colour that has to match.
0:13:34 > 0:13:39The intricate gold detailing is slightly three-dimensional,
0:13:39 > 0:13:40which is proving tricky.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44I've got some gold paint that I'm trying out at the moment
0:13:44 > 0:13:46but it is just not...
0:13:46 > 0:13:50It just doesn't look, doesn't have the same feel.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54Ceramics connoisseur Kirsten might have just the thing.
0:13:54 > 0:13:59A couple of the flowers and especially the thicker branch...
0:13:59 > 0:14:01- Yeah.- It's slightly raised.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03Is there any way to...
0:14:03 > 0:14:05- So you just want it slightly thicker?- ..thicken it up?
0:14:05 > 0:14:08- Slightly thicker, yeah. - Actually, you could...
0:14:08 > 0:14:11You could pop a bit of French chalk in there.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14- French chalk?- Yeah.- This might seem a bit of a silly question...
0:14:14 > 0:14:15Try me.
0:14:17 > 0:14:18- French chalk?- Yeah.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21Is that just chalk but from France?
0:14:23 > 0:14:26Er... Sorry to laugh. No, it's talc, actually.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29- Is it?- Yeah. French chalk is talc, yeah, so...
0:14:29 > 0:14:31Do you want to take those, then?
0:14:31 > 0:14:32Yeah, that'd be great.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39With the gold paint perfected,
0:14:39 > 0:14:42it's now just a case of working out the design.
0:14:50 > 0:14:51How you doing, Will?
0:14:52 > 0:14:56I'm just mapping out the detail for the front of the jewellery chest.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59Cool. What I was thinking is, basically, in the drawers,
0:14:59 > 0:15:01cos it is going to be a jewellery box,
0:15:01 > 0:15:03why don't I put something a bit nice?
0:15:03 > 0:15:06Cos what she's got is just a wooden...
0:15:06 > 0:15:09Yeah, a wooden inlay. We can put something - a little bit of velvet -
0:15:09 > 0:15:11to put her rings and things underneath there.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14On top of it, I should say. Is that cool with you?
0:15:14 > 0:15:17- That sounds really nice, actually. - Can I do that?- Yeah, lovely.
0:15:17 > 0:15:18- Brilliant.- I can do that, yeah? - Yeah.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21- Measure this. I'll bring it back to you, two seconds.- Lovely.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25While Jay gets to work on the luxurious inserts,
0:15:25 > 0:15:27it's time for Will to take the plunge.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30I think it is about time I start painting.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32Oh, gosh, I'm nervous.
0:15:34 > 0:15:35Small strokes, I think.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08Next into The Repair Shop, Delia Scott from Essex.
0:16:08 > 0:16:13I've had my item for 40 years and, before that,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16my grandmother had it from 1914, when it was painted for her.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20And I can remember it as a child in her house.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23It passed to my mother when my grandmother died
0:16:23 > 0:16:25and she passed it to me.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28This one is a clear-cut case for Kirsten.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31- Hello.- Hello.- What have you brought for me?
0:16:31 > 0:16:34It was one of a pair that my grandmother had.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38- Right.- And I think it got dropped...
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Oh, right.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42..by the way there is this crack running from top to bottom.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45- Yes, I see.- And then there's a further crack
0:16:45 > 0:16:46which runs through there.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50- Yep.- And that's got to have been 45 years ago.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53Oh, golly. So it's been broken all that time?
0:16:53 > 0:16:55- Yes, it has.- Oh!
0:16:55 > 0:16:56I'm just going to...
0:16:56 > 0:16:58cut through there, actually.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07- Yeah, no, it is.- Oh, dear. Loads of plaster!
0:17:09 > 0:17:11I have had all sorts of things...
0:17:11 > 0:17:17I've literally had chewing gum and all sorts but I haven't had plaster.
0:17:17 > 0:17:22I think if I can clean it really well and get it stuck back...
0:17:22 > 0:17:25It looks like it's quite a clean crack, isn't it?
0:17:25 > 0:17:29Very, yes. Are you happy to leave it with us, Delia, yeah?
0:17:29 > 0:17:31- Yes, I am.- OK.- Thank you for seeing it.- I'll get to work.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37The news that it can be mended is just amazing.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40I can't tell you how chuffed I am.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42Having examined it after it came in,
0:17:42 > 0:17:47it's actually glass and, really, I think all I need to do
0:17:47 > 0:17:52is actually get the edges nice and clean, give the surface a clean,
0:17:52 > 0:17:55and then just get it back together again.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59I'm just going to leave it now to cure overnight.
0:18:10 > 0:18:11A new day in The Repair Shop
0:18:11 > 0:18:15and Kirsten's making ready for the return of her customer,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18the owner of the broken glass plaque.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21After expertly gluing the pieces together,
0:18:21 > 0:18:25it's time to see if her handiwork has held.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28So I'm just taking this tape off now...
0:18:29 > 0:18:32..that's been holding the joins in place.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35It would have been really nice if those joins had have
0:18:35 > 0:18:38completely disappeared, which sometimes they do.
0:18:38 > 0:18:43I think the owner will just be happy to have it all back in one piece
0:18:43 > 0:18:44and up on her wall.
0:18:44 > 0:18:49The last stage is just to fill this area here,
0:18:49 > 0:18:54where there's little flakes of paint missing along the break edge.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56So I'm just going to pop some filler in there
0:18:56 > 0:19:00and retouch it and that's it.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06- Hi, Delia.- Hello. Nice to see you again.- And you. How are you?
0:19:06 > 0:19:09I'm very well, thank you.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11Right. Well, I won't keep you in suspense.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13- Oh, thank you.- So here it is.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20Oh, wow!
0:19:20 > 0:19:23It's gone back beautifully, hasn't it?
0:19:23 > 0:19:27It's just wonderful to see it whole again.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29So, what are your plans for it, then?
0:19:29 > 0:19:32It's going to go straight on the wall when I get home.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35It'll be magical to see it back there. It really, really will.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Fantastic.
0:19:37 > 0:19:38It means everything to me,
0:19:38 > 0:19:43because it's a tangible link with my grandma and my mother.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47And every time I'm going to look at it, I'm going to smile.
0:19:53 > 0:19:58Back inside, Lucia is slowly uncovering the original artistry
0:19:58 > 0:20:02of Patricia and Ivor's fire-damaged picture -
0:20:02 > 0:20:05and she's roped in Jay to fix the frame.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09I usually have to do this myself on the frame, so it is really nice that
0:20:09 > 0:20:12- you're here today, Jay.- OK.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14I must say, this is the first frame I've ever worked on.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16- Don't let me hear you say that. - HE CHUCKLES
0:20:16 > 0:20:20It's my 16th frame I've worked on.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26One corner done. Just three more to go.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28So, are you going to take it apart and put it back together again?
0:20:28 > 0:20:31- Yeah, take it apart and then do it properly.- Great.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35- So, what are you doing? Looks like you have been cleaning out Will's ears.- I know! Look at it.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37Amazing. But what I'm
0:20:37 > 0:20:41pleased about is that the flaking consolidation has worked,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44so the paint is all secure now, which is great.
0:20:44 > 0:20:45I mean, the colours -
0:20:45 > 0:20:47- look at those colours now, how bright they are.- They are bright.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50With the painting consolidated and cleaned up,
0:20:50 > 0:20:53Lucia can begin to fill in all the gaps.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56This is the OptiVisor I use for close work.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59And I'll be using it to do the filling.
0:20:59 > 0:21:04The purpose of the filling is to actually bring up the surface
0:21:04 > 0:21:07to the edge of the paint layer, the original paint layer,
0:21:07 > 0:21:09and then I'll retouch to that.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11Over the whole surface, there are easily
0:21:11 > 0:21:14a thousand losses. Some of them are tiny but they're relatively deep
0:21:14 > 0:21:19and if you don't fill them, you get too much of a dip on the surface
0:21:19 > 0:21:22and it catches the light, so it disrupts your viewing of the image.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31On this painting I'm actually retouching
0:21:31 > 0:21:33the losses that I've filled,
0:21:33 > 0:21:37so these are all the little white specks and there's lots of them.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41I'm not actually going over any of the original painted surface at all.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44The idea is that the artist's original intent
0:21:44 > 0:21:46is all there for you to see.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49So, hopefully, at the end of this process
0:21:49 > 0:21:53you won't actually be able to see any of my work at all.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55You'll just see the artist's painting.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58As a conservator, you actually mix your own paint up
0:21:58 > 0:22:00using these dry pigments,
0:22:00 > 0:22:03and then mixing them with a synthetic resin so you have a paint,
0:22:03 > 0:22:07which is what happens here. And I do the colour mixing on here.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11One of the privileges of my job, for which I am eternally grateful,
0:22:11 > 0:22:14is that nobody gets closer to the work of art...
0:22:15 > 0:22:18..after the artist has done it than a conservator.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20So I actually sort of see the whole thing, warts and all.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22But usually the beauty of it.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25It is a really privileged job. I love it.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31In the fight against disposable culture,
0:22:31 > 0:22:35the Repair Shop experts are using all their skills and expertise
0:22:35 > 0:22:39to breathe new life into the nation's neglected possessions.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46Over in Will's woodwork corner,
0:22:46 > 0:22:51he's recreated the dark, glossy finish and meticulous hand painting
0:22:51 > 0:22:54of an authentic Japanese design.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58I'm just giving it a little buff up now.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Slightly nervous.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04Hope that she'll be really pleased with this.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06- All done, Will?- Amazing.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09- Talk about amazing - THAT'S amazing. - Yeah?- Yeah, let's see.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12Oh, yeah, you've done well, mate, you've done well.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15- She's going to be happy.- She's going to be even happier
0:23:15 > 0:23:17when she sees what you've done for the insides.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19The inlays, yeah. Let's get them in.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21- Is she coming now, yeah?- She will be here any minute.
0:23:23 > 0:23:28Emma's back and ready to be reunited with her family heirloom.
0:23:29 > 0:23:34It's been five years since it was damaged
0:23:34 > 0:23:37and it's looked really sad in that time, so to have it back,
0:23:37 > 0:23:39to have at home, to have it complete,
0:23:39 > 0:23:41will be really, really special.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47- Hello.- How we doing?
0:23:47 > 0:23:49I'm good, thank you. How are you?
0:23:49 > 0:23:50Very good. You all right?
0:23:52 > 0:23:53- Hi. Nice to see you.- Hiya.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55You've come for your jewellery chest - is that right?
0:23:55 > 0:23:57- I have indeed, yes.- OK.
0:24:00 > 0:24:01Are you ready?
0:24:05 > 0:24:07It's lovely.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09Really lovely. It's amazing.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11Really, really amazing.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13Good, good. And you've got handles.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15- And we've got handles! - So you can actually use it.
0:24:15 > 0:24:16I can use it again.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20That's lovely!
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Jay's done a really good job by lining all of the drawers.
0:24:23 > 0:24:24- That's lovely.- Now you have something soft
0:24:24 > 0:24:27- to put all your...- That's lovely. - ..jewellery on.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31Really beautiful.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34So, I know this is your grandma's chest that she gave to you.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37- Would she be proud?- She would be really pleased.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39Really, really pleased.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43It's a long time since I have seen it looking...complete.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45- Complete?- Yeah.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49I feel like it kind of closes the story on the burglary,
0:24:49 > 0:24:51and I think my grandma would be really, really proud
0:24:51 > 0:24:54and really pleased to see it looking so beautiful again.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56- I think she would. - I think she would as well.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04So, let's get this wrapped up.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07'I'm really pleased with the jewellery box.'
0:25:07 > 0:25:10It looks absolutely amazing.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12It looks just as it should do.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14- And good luck for the future. - Thank you.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16It's had a lot of love and care put into it
0:25:16 > 0:25:18and I'm really, really pleased
0:25:18 > 0:25:21and really looking forward to putting my jewellery back into it.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30Over at the art station,
0:25:30 > 0:25:34Lucia has been working her magic on that prized painting,
0:25:34 > 0:25:37which has been hidden away in storage for 40 years.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42Let's have a look.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44JAY CHUCKLES
0:25:44 > 0:25:46Oh, well done.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Wow! You guys have got to see it. Have a look at this!
0:25:49 > 0:25:51NOW it's a painting.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54That is a transformation, isn't it?
0:25:54 > 0:25:57It's stable, it's been conserved,
0:25:57 > 0:25:59so it will go through to future generations.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01When I'm actually working on it,
0:26:01 > 0:26:05I try and find out a bit more about the painting and who painted it.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09And Violet McDougall - she did sell her paintings.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11And they have been up for auction fairly recently.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14- This is worth some money, then? - Well, in the hundreds.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17- I mean, it's not, sort of... - Couple of hundred?- Yeah. Yeah.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20The way you have an object and, actually, it kind of leads you,
0:26:20 > 0:26:22- sort of...- Into these stories.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24That's one of the beauties of the job, really.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26- Yeah.- Wow! That's amazing. - Do think they'll like it?
0:26:26 > 0:26:27- WILL:- I think they'll love it.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40Patricia and Ivor have returned to Icknield House
0:26:40 > 0:26:42for the first time since 1963
0:26:42 > 0:26:47to collect their treasured painting and to relive some memories.
0:26:47 > 0:26:48It is just wonderful, isn't it?
0:26:48 > 0:26:50Just to be back.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54We haven't been back since my grandmother died.
0:26:54 > 0:26:59So long ago, but it's just as it used to be, really.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01Making me feel old, now.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03Well, we ARE old, aren't we?
0:27:03 > 0:27:06They haven't been able to display their painting
0:27:06 > 0:27:07since it was damaged in a fire
0:27:07 > 0:27:10but, today, they'll be seeing it beautifully restored
0:27:10 > 0:27:12and back to its former glory.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14This is exciting.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19- Gosh, that's lovely.- Our painting!
0:27:19 > 0:27:21Oh, that's lovely.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23Beautiful!
0:27:23 > 0:27:24It's come back to what it used to be.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26It is, isn't it?
0:27:26 > 0:27:28It's just how I remember it.
0:27:28 > 0:27:29I can't believe it.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31All those memories.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36It IS lovely.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40I can't...
0:27:41 > 0:27:44- Steady!- Well, it is just...
0:27:44 > 0:27:47Just as it used to be, isn't it?
0:27:49 > 0:27:51Such a long time ago.
0:27:54 > 0:27:55It's just perfect, isn't it?
0:27:59 > 0:28:02It's brought back so many memories -
0:28:02 > 0:28:04memories of childhood
0:28:04 > 0:28:08and, of course, spending time with Ivor round the bushes.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12Those bushes have gone, the same as other things have gone in life!
0:28:19 > 0:28:22There will be more incredible transformations
0:28:22 > 0:28:25at the hands of our experts next time in The Repair Shop,
0:28:25 > 0:28:29where treasured items are brought back to life.