1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:03,320 Welcome to The Repair Shop, 2 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:06,800 where cherished family heirlooms are brought back to life. 3 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:09,480 Anything can happen. This is the workshop of dreams. 4 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:12,400 Home to furniture restorer Jay Blades. 5 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:14,560 Nowadays, things are not built to last 6 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:16,880 so we've become part of this throwaway culture. 7 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:19,920 It's all about preserving and restoring. 8 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:22,400 We bring the old back to new. 9 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:27,320 Working alongside Jay will be some of the country's leading craftspeople... 10 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:29,080 I like making things with my hands. 11 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:32,360 I love to see how things work and I want to know how things work. 12 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:35,520 Whether it is a Rembrandt or somebody's family piece, 13 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:37,600 every painting deserves the same. 14 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:41,520 ..each bringing their own unique set of skills. 15 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:43,160 You're about to witness some magic. 16 00:00:43,160 --> 00:00:45,520 They will resurrect... 17 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:46,640 revive... 18 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:47,800 Oh, yes! 19 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:49,680 ..and rejuvenate 20 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:51,880 treasured possessions 21 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:55,280 and irreplaceable pieces of family history... 22 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:58,280 Oh, my goodness me. It looks like it's new! 23 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:00,160 ..bringing both the objects... 24 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:02,760 - SHE GASPS - Oh, wow. 25 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:05,080 ..and the memories that they hold 26 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:06,400 back to life. 27 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:08,680 - Oh, thank you. - Come here. - Oh! 28 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:19,680 In The Repair Shop today... 29 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:27,040 ..conservator Lucia Scalisi rescues a painting 30 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:31,160 and restores the early memories of a lifelong love story... 31 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:33,720 Wow! What have you done? It looks like you have been shaving. 32 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:35,720 Little cuts, yeah. 33 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:38,400 ..while ceramics whizz Kirsten Ramsay 34 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:42,320 gets to grips with a broken, but beloved, painted plaque. 35 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:01,680 First to arrive at a rather rain-soaked Repair Shop today 36 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:04,280 is Emma, who's travelled from Wimborne in Dorset. 37 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:06,800 - Hello, Emma. - Hello. 38 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:09,440 - How you doing? - I'm good, thank you. How are you? - Very good. 39 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,200 - Is it in the front there, then? - It is indeed. - OK. You have that. 40 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:17,800 Cool. Let's go inside. This way. 41 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:22,200 She's brought something that's crying out for 42 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:26,360 the help and skills of furniture restorers Will and Jay. 43 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:27,680 Wow! 44 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:31,600 - What is it, Emma? - It's a jewellery chest, which was my grandmother's. 45 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:37,400 When Emma was ten years old, 46 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:41,800 she inherited this cherished family heirloom from her grandma - 47 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:45,040 a Japanese lacquered jewellery chest. 48 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:48,480 Since I inherited the chest it's always held a real significance for me. 49 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:52,520 It's always lived on my dressing table, held my grandmother's jewellery, 50 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:56,960 my jewellery. I think she'd had it, you know, for most of her life. 51 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,440 So it's a real special item. 52 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:03,720 Emma treasured the jewellery box for the next 26 years - 53 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:07,920 but in 2012, her home was burgled. 54 00:03:07,920 --> 00:03:11,600 As soon as I entered the bedroom, my heart sank. 55 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,840 Not only had the jewellery gone but they'd taken the drawers 56 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:17,040 completely from within the chest, 57 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:19,000 they'd ripped out the heart of the chest 58 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:22,200 and it's like they had sort of ripped out my heart, as well. 59 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:27,280 My father-in-law kindly remade the drawers but they have no handles. 60 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:30,600 You either have to try and prise them from the side 61 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,760 or you have to, kind of, lean the cabinet forward 62 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:36,840 in order to get them out. It's not easy. 63 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:46,040 I'm sure there's something we can do, definitely, with the lacquerwork, 64 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:48,760 because I think the front of the drawers would need to be relacquered 65 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:52,400 - to, sort of, be in keeping with the top drawer and everything else. - Yep. 66 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:55,680 So would there have been any detail on these? 67 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:58,760 - Yep, they were the same colour as the top drawer... - OK. 68 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:03,400 ..and had vine work on them, and you can see that it used to run, 69 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:07,320 - sort of, through and, sort of, connect all the drawers up. - Yes. 70 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:10,840 I see that. One thing I will ask - the handles. 71 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:16,200 - Er, it'd be hard for me to find exactly the same handles. - Yep. 72 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:21,120 Would you be happy for me to replace them with something similar? 73 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:25,160 Yeah, I think as long as it's all in keeping, then I'd be happy with that, yeah. 74 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:27,800 What would it mean to you to have it repaired? 75 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:30,760 When we got burgled, I felt... 76 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:33,320 Even though we were secure as we could be, 77 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:35,480 I kind of felt like I had let my grandparents down 78 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:37,680 in losing all their jewellery and everything. 79 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:40,760 And this'd kind of be... You know, we never recovered their jewellery. 80 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:43,680 - Right. - This would be like the last piece of the puzzle, really, 81 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:44,840 to get this restored. 82 00:04:44,840 --> 00:04:47,760 So I'd feel really proud that I'd been able to do that for them, 83 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:50,280 - even though they're no longer here. - Yeah. 84 00:04:50,280 --> 00:04:53,840 So if you leave that with us, what we'll do is, once it is repaired, 85 00:04:53,840 --> 00:04:56,600 - we'll get back to you and let you know. - Lovely. - OK? - Brilliant. 86 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:00,200 - All right. - Thank you. - No problem. Thank you for bringing it in. - Thanks so much. - Cheers. 87 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:04,680 - It's nice, isn't it? - It IS nice. - Yeah. 88 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:10,480 I felt really nervous about leaving the jewellery chest there 89 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:14,680 but really excited, really looking forward to having it repaired 90 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:17,080 and seeing it restored to its former glory. 91 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,440 I think it'll be really tricky getting the design right 92 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:24,000 so it doesn't look too overpowering. Something quite simple. 93 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,000 Let's get on with it, then. Lovely. 94 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:34,360 Will's challenge is to transform the bare wooden replacement drawers 95 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:37,800 by recreating the look of ancient Japanese lacquer, 96 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:40,520 using his modern materials. 97 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:44,280 The plan is to match the new drawers to the top drawer. 98 00:05:44,280 --> 00:05:48,040 As soon as I've found and made up the right colour lacquer 99 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:52,920 for the drawers, I'll then lacquer the rest of the drawers 100 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:54,920 to, sort of, tie in with the original 101 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:57,160 and once that's thoroughly dry, 102 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:00,120 then I'll get on to the design of the front, 103 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:02,720 which I'm slightly nervous about. 104 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:15,000 Next through the Repair Shop doors are Patricia and Ivor Sansom, 105 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:17,720 who've travelled here from Hertfordshire. 106 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:19,520 Hello. How are we doing? 107 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:23,560 On here it says "painting", so obviously... 108 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:26,640 Lucia...if you don't mind joining me over here, please. 109 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:28,400 Their prized possession 110 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:32,960 will need the expert attention of art conservator Lucia Scalisa. 111 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:34,280 - Hello. - Nice to see you. 112 00:06:34,280 --> 00:06:37,600 - Hello. - So, what is it? 113 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:40,040 Well, it's a very special painting. 114 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:42,000 - It's of a house... - Oh. 115 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:45,200 - ..that I was brought up in when I was a little girl. - Right. 116 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:50,480 During the war years, I was evacuated there with my grandmother, 117 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:52,640 who was cook-housekeeper at the house. 118 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:58,440 - Wow! - Then I lived there until I went into nursing 119 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:03,240 and I met Ivor and we had our courting years there. 120 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:06,560 - Wow! - And we were married from there. 121 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,400 That's nice. How did you manage to have it, then? 122 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:11,080 How did it come into your possession? 123 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:13,360 It belonged to my grandmother originally. 124 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:16,680 It was painted by Mrs McDougall, who she worked... 125 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:21,480 - It's signed. Signed here. - She worked for Mrs McDougall until she died. 126 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:25,760 - Right. - And on her death, it was given to my mother, 127 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:28,440 who was also brought up in the house. 128 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:33,440 And then, when my mother passed away, it was given to Ivor and I, 129 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:35,560 because it was sentimental to us. 130 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:37,680 Yes. Where was your courting done? 131 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:39,760 IVOR: We can't show it in the picture itself, 132 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:42,200 cos it'd be more farther out. 133 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:45,160 - So there was more garden here as well? - Garden, yes. 134 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:46,200 And shrubbery. 135 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:48,640 Conveniently! 136 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:53,040 - So you had your... - Maybe we should move on. 137 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:54,800 Do you know when she painted this? 138 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:59,640 I don't. I know that my grandmother had it from the 1920s. 139 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:02,040 Yeah, it looks beginning of the century, 140 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:04,400 - 20th century, yeah. - That's right. That's right. 141 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:05,960 Sometimes we get paintings like this, 142 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:07,520 - we don't know the background. - No. 143 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:11,680 So to have you here telling us this story, it's like living history. 144 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:13,200 It's fantastic. 145 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:16,680 It's a bit funny because it's brought up so much of our life, 146 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:19,440 really, that's been tucked away there 147 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:21,280 and forgotten about, really, isn't it? 148 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:24,240 - Yeah, yeah. - And now you're bringing it all back. 149 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:27,560 So I can see there's a little bit of paint flaking off there. 150 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:29,280 How was the damaged caused? 151 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:32,720 When it belonged to my mother, she had a pub near Bristol 152 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:34,920 and, unfortunately, they had a fire 153 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:38,680 and I understand it was fire damage and smoke damage from that. 154 00:08:38,680 --> 00:08:40,760 It's not been hung since. 155 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:43,000 - Really? - It's been in store. 156 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:45,200 We'll be taking it out of its frame, 157 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:47,120 which needs a little bit of repair, 158 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:50,880 - which Jay will take care of, I think. - Yeah, we can do that. 159 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:53,680 It's part of the original history of the object, so it's worth... 160 00:08:53,680 --> 00:08:55,240 Yes, I wouldn't like it changed. 161 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:57,600 Absolutely - keep it, keep it. 162 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:02,000 All right, so, then, surface cleaning and re-varnishing, 163 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,520 filling these losses but then retouching them. 164 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:06,200 Really lovely if you could do it. 165 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:07,560 Yeah. It's your history. 166 00:09:07,560 --> 00:09:10,000 It is the history of love. 167 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,120 THEY CHUCKLE 168 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:15,640 Thank you for bringing it along. 169 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:18,520 Once we've repaired it and got it back to its former glory, 170 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:21,360 it might bring back some more memories of courting days. 171 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:24,360 - All right? OK. - Thank you. 172 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:26,040 Thank you. All right? 173 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:31,360 First things first - what a lovely couple. 174 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:33,440 - Unbelievable. - What a story. - Yeah. 175 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:38,120 Four generations, going onto five generations, who've owned this painting. Fantastic. 176 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:41,920 NARRATOR: Icknield House in Tring dates back to 1913. 177 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:45,320 And although Patricia and Ivor haven't been back there 178 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:49,280 for over 50 years, it will always hold very special memories. 179 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:53,480 I'd forgotten we were young once upon a time. 180 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:56,200 Yes. To talk about the picture 181 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,680 and the memories just come flooding back, really. 182 00:09:59,680 --> 00:10:02,360 It's just unbelievable, really. 183 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:04,120 They were lovely memories. 184 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:06,920 So, what DID happen in the garden? 185 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:08,640 No comment. 186 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:11,360 THEY CHUCKLE 187 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:20,080 Lucia has over 25 years' experience conserving paintings 188 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:22,000 and, on initial inspection, 189 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:25,120 it looks like she has a big challenge on her hands. 190 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:30,160 Well, the flaking is a lot more extensive than I thought. 191 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:34,480 The worst area is here, where large lumps of paint have gone. 192 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:37,880 All these little tiny areas, the paint is curling up at the edges. 193 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:40,000 You can see there's little teeny-tiny white dots. 194 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:42,160 That's where the paint has gone. 195 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:43,760 There's also lots of little cracks 196 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:45,800 that are the paint beginning to lift. 197 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:48,560 And if you don't do something about it, it will get worse 198 00:10:48,560 --> 00:10:50,640 and you're losing original material. 199 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:54,040 So the first thing I'm going to do is get this consolidated 200 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:57,080 because I want to be able to handle the painting and turn it over, 201 00:10:57,080 --> 00:11:01,320 so I need to consolidate this and make sure that the paint isn't going to fall off. 202 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:10,400 In order to preserve the original paintwork 203 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:12,800 and prevent any further flaking, 204 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:15,680 Lucia applies an adhesive and uses 205 00:11:15,680 --> 00:11:19,120 a heated spatula to fuse it to the paint. 206 00:11:23,680 --> 00:11:26,400 OK. That's the last piece. 207 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:28,000 I'm going to turn the painting over now, 208 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:31,880 so we can get an idea of what's going on at the back. 209 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:33,760 - Jay... - Yes, how we doing? 210 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:37,760 You couldn't give me a hand to get it out the back of the frame? 211 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:41,040 If we lift it out, then I'll lift it out and up. 212 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:43,720 And if you could take the frame... 213 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:46,080 - It's all yours. - Thank you. - Good. 214 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:50,480 And this is my lovely painting out of its frame. 215 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:53,040 Wow, what have you done? It looks like you've been shaving. 216 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:56,480 - What's all those, like, tissues on there? - Yeah, little cuts, yeah. 217 00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:58,920 Why have you got these tissue paper... 218 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:01,680 - This is tissue paper, isn't it? - It's acid-free tissue. 219 00:12:01,680 --> 00:12:04,480 I've used it just to get the paint flakes down but, as you can see, 220 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:06,320 I've got to now take all this off 221 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:08,440 and then I can clean the front of the painting. 222 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:11,080 But it means that all the paint is now fixed, it's secure. 223 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:14,160 - It's not going to peel any more? - No. - Right. 224 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:21,600 From treasured toys in need of emergency surgery... 225 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:26,000 ..to ceramics that have seen better days, 226 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:28,400 the experts that man The Repair Shop 227 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:31,440 are determined to put the pieces back together. 228 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:42,560 Over in Carpentry Corner, 229 00:12:42,560 --> 00:12:46,080 work is well under way on Emma's jewellery chest. 230 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:49,320 Will has given the only original drawer a deep clean 231 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:53,960 so that he can establish the exact colour he needs to recreate. 232 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:59,160 So I'm trying to make the lacquer with natural shellac polish 233 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:02,560 mixed with some pigments, so I've got a crimson-red pigment, 234 00:13:02,560 --> 00:13:04,600 brown and black. 235 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:07,360 And I think it's a case of trial and error, really. 236 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:12,400 Not too bad. It's still quite red. 237 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:14,640 So what I'll do is move it over here. 238 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:18,040 And a bit of black... 239 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:24,160 It's not... 240 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:27,440 too, too far off from the colour I'm trying to get to. 241 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:30,120 I'm pretty happy so far. So far, so good. 242 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:34,720 But it's not just the drawer colour that has to match. 243 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:39,080 The intricate gold detailing is slightly three-dimensional, 244 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:40,960 which is proving tricky. 245 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:44,480 I've got some gold paint that I'm trying out at the moment 246 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:46,680 but it is just not... 247 00:13:46,680 --> 00:13:50,400 It just doesn't look, doesn't have the same feel. 248 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:54,600 Ceramics connoisseur Kirsten might have just the thing. 249 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:59,160 A couple of the flowers and especially the thicker branch... 250 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:01,560 - Yeah. - It's slightly raised. 251 00:14:01,560 --> 00:14:03,160 Is there any way to... 252 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:05,600 - So you just want it slightly thicker? - ..thicken it up? 253 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:08,280 - Slightly thicker, yeah. - Actually, you could... 254 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:11,400 You could pop a bit of French chalk in there. 255 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:14,880 - French chalk? - Yeah. - This might seem a bit of a silly question... 256 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:15,920 Try me. 257 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:18,280 - French chalk? - Yeah. 258 00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:21,760 Is that just chalk but from France? 259 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:26,640 Er... Sorry to laugh. No, it's talc, actually. 260 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:29,920 - Is it? - Yeah. French chalk is talc, yeah, so... 261 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:31,400 Do you want to take those, then? 262 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:32,920 Yeah, that'd be great. 263 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:39,640 With the gold paint perfected, 264 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:42,760 it's now just a case of working out the design. 265 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:51,800 How you doing, Will? 266 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:56,840 I'm just mapping out the detail for the front of the jewellery chest. 267 00:14:56,840 --> 00:14:59,960 Cool. What I was thinking is, basically, in the drawers, 268 00:14:59,960 --> 00:15:01,760 cos it is going to be a jewellery box, 269 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:03,560 why don't I put something a bit nice? 270 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:06,320 Cos what she's got is just a wooden... 271 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:09,520 Yeah, a wooden inlay. We can put something - a little bit of velvet - 272 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:11,720 to put her rings and things underneath there. 273 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:14,520 On top of it, I should say. Is that cool with you? 274 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:17,040 - That sounds really nice, actually. - Can I do that? - Yeah, lovely. 275 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:18,720 - Brilliant. - I can do that, yeah? - Yeah. 276 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:21,600 - Measure this. I'll bring it back to you, two seconds. - Lovely. 277 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:25,200 While Jay gets to work on the luxurious inserts, 278 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:27,960 it's time for Will to take the plunge. 279 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:30,680 I think it is about time I start painting. 280 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:32,840 Oh, gosh, I'm nervous. 281 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:35,720 Small strokes, I think. 282 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:08,800 Next into The Repair Shop, Delia Scott from Essex. 283 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:13,080 I've had my item for 40 years and, before that, 284 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:16,960 my grandmother had it from 1914, when it was painted for her. 285 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:20,240 And I can remember it as a child in her house. 286 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:23,560 It passed to my mother when my grandmother died 287 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:25,200 and she passed it to me. 288 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:28,440 This one is a clear-cut case for Kirsten. 289 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:31,280 - Hello. - Hello. - What have you brought for me? 290 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:34,960 It was one of a pair that my grandmother had. 291 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:38,880 - Right. - And I think it got dropped... 292 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:40,160 Oh, right. 293 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:42,880 ..by the way there is this crack running from top to bottom. 294 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:45,400 - Yes, I see. - And then there's a further crack 295 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:46,840 which runs through there. 296 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:50,920 - Yep. - And that's got to have been 45 years ago. 297 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:53,480 Oh, golly. So it's been broken all that time? 298 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:55,040 - Yes, it has. - Oh! 299 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:56,760 I'm just going to... 300 00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:58,440 cut through there, actually. 301 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:07,680 - Yeah, no, it is. - Oh, dear. Loads of plaster! 302 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:11,640 I have had all sorts of things... 303 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:17,800 I've literally had chewing gum and all sorts but I haven't had plaster. 304 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:22,880 I think if I can clean it really well and get it stuck back... 305 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:25,600 It looks like it's quite a clean crack, isn't it? 306 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:29,120 Very, yes. Are you happy to leave it with us, Delia, yeah? 307 00:17:29,120 --> 00:17:31,880 - Yes, I am. - OK. - Thank you for seeing it. - I'll get to work. 308 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:37,520 The news that it can be mended is just amazing. 309 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:40,040 I can't tell you how chuffed I am. 310 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:42,960 Having examined it after it came in, 311 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:47,160 it's actually glass and, really, I think all I need to do 312 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:52,160 is actually get the edges nice and clean, give the surface a clean, 313 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:55,560 and then just get it back together again. 314 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:59,720 I'm just going to leave it now to cure overnight. 315 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:11,960 A new day in The Repair Shop 316 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:15,760 and Kirsten's making ready for the return of her customer, 317 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,800 the owner of the broken glass plaque. 318 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:21,480 After expertly gluing the pieces together, 319 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:25,120 it's time to see if her handiwork has held. 320 00:18:25,120 --> 00:18:28,000 So I'm just taking this tape off now... 321 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:32,480 ..that's been holding the joins in place. 322 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:35,400 It would have been really nice if those joins had have 323 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:38,560 completely disappeared, which sometimes they do. 324 00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:43,160 I think the owner will just be happy to have it all back in one piece 325 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:44,880 and up on her wall. 326 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:49,000 The last stage is just to fill this area here, 327 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:54,080 where there's little flakes of paint missing along the break edge. 328 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:56,720 So I'm just going to pop some filler in there 329 00:18:56,720 --> 00:19:00,440 and retouch it and that's it. 330 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:06,720 - Hi, Delia. - Hello. Nice to see you again. - And you. How are you? 331 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:09,000 I'm very well, thank you. 332 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:11,040 Right. Well, I won't keep you in suspense. 333 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:13,960 - Oh, thank you. - So here it is. 334 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:20,360 Oh, wow! 335 00:19:20,360 --> 00:19:23,240 It's gone back beautifully, hasn't it? 336 00:19:23,240 --> 00:19:27,120 It's just wonderful to see it whole again. 337 00:19:27,120 --> 00:19:29,240 So, what are your plans for it, then? 338 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:32,200 It's going to go straight on the wall when I get home. 339 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:35,520 It'll be magical to see it back there. It really, really will. 340 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:37,000 Fantastic. 341 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:38,840 It means everything to me, 342 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:43,560 because it's a tangible link with my grandma and my mother. 343 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:47,800 And every time I'm going to look at it, I'm going to smile. 344 00:19:53,800 --> 00:19:58,600 Back inside, Lucia is slowly uncovering the original artistry 345 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:02,160 of Patricia and Ivor's fire-damaged picture - 346 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:05,200 and she's roped in Jay to fix the frame. 347 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:09,800 I usually have to do this myself on the frame, so it is really nice that 348 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:12,160 - you're here today, Jay. - OK. 349 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:14,480 I must say, this is the first frame I've ever worked on. 350 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:16,960 - Don't let me hear you say that. - HE CHUCKLES 351 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:20,200 It's my 16th frame I've worked on. 352 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:26,280 One corner done. Just three more to go. 353 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:28,880 So, are you going to take it apart and put it back together again? 354 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:31,400 - Yeah, take it apart and then do it properly. - Great. 355 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:35,560 - So, what are you doing? Looks like you have been cleaning out Will's ears. - I know! Look at it. 356 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:37,160 Amazing. But what I'm 357 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:41,560 pleased about is that the flaking consolidation has worked, 358 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:44,280 so the paint is all secure now, which is great. 359 00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:45,320 I mean, the colours - 360 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:47,880 - look at those colours now, how bright they are. - They are bright. 361 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:50,560 With the painting consolidated and cleaned up, 362 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:53,600 Lucia can begin to fill in all the gaps. 363 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:56,520 This is the OptiVisor I use for close work. 364 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:59,040 And I'll be using it to do the filling. 365 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:04,160 The purpose of the filling is to actually bring up the surface 366 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:07,280 to the edge of the paint layer, the original paint layer, 367 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:09,320 and then I'll retouch to that. 368 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:11,720 Over the whole surface, there are easily 369 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:14,600 a thousand losses. Some of them are tiny but they're relatively deep 370 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:19,000 and if you don't fill them, you get too much of a dip on the surface 371 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:22,920 and it catches the light, so it disrupts your viewing of the image. 372 00:21:29,840 --> 00:21:31,960 On this painting I'm actually retouching 373 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:33,440 the losses that I've filled, 374 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:37,280 so these are all the little white specks and there's lots of them. 375 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:41,880 I'm not actually going over any of the original painted surface at all. 376 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:44,760 The idea is that the artist's original intent 377 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:46,480 is all there for you to see. 378 00:21:46,480 --> 00:21:49,000 So, hopefully, at the end of this process 379 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:53,160 you won't actually be able to see any of my work at all. 380 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:55,920 You'll just see the artist's painting. 381 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:58,560 As a conservator, you actually mix your own paint up 382 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:00,160 using these dry pigments, 383 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:03,840 and then mixing them with a synthetic resin so you have a paint, 384 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:07,040 which is what happens here. And I do the colour mixing on here. 385 00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:11,640 One of the privileges of my job, for which I am eternally grateful, 386 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:14,440 is that nobody gets closer to the work of art... 387 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:18,120 ..after the artist has done it than a conservator. 388 00:22:18,120 --> 00:22:20,680 So I actually sort of see the whole thing, warts and all. 389 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:22,840 But usually the beauty of it. 390 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:25,280 It is a really privileged job. I love it. 391 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:31,760 In the fight against disposable culture, 392 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:35,800 the Repair Shop experts are using all their skills and expertise 393 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:39,040 to breathe new life into the nation's neglected possessions. 394 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:46,800 Over in Will's woodwork corner, 395 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:51,640 he's recreated the dark, glossy finish and meticulous hand painting 396 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:54,040 of an authentic Japanese design. 397 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:58,680 I'm just giving it a little buff up now. 398 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:00,040 Slightly nervous. 399 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:04,360 Hope that she'll be really pleased with this. 400 00:23:04,360 --> 00:23:06,520 - All done, Will? - Amazing. 401 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:09,400 - Talk about amazing - THAT'S amazing. - Yeah? - Yeah, let's see. 402 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:12,640 Oh, yeah, you've done well, mate, you've done well. 403 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:15,240 - She's going to be happy. - She's going to be even happier 404 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:17,240 when she sees what you've done for the insides. 405 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:19,480 The inlays, yeah. Let's get them in. 406 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:21,920 - Is she coming now, yeah? - She will be here any minute. 407 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:28,480 Emma's back and ready to be reunited with her family heirloom. 408 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:34,320 It's been five years since it was damaged 409 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:37,480 and it's looked really sad in that time, so to have it back, 410 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:39,800 to have at home, to have it complete, 411 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:41,880 will be really, really special. 412 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:47,480 - Hello. - How we doing? 413 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:49,320 I'm good, thank you. How are you? 414 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:50,960 Very good. You all right? 415 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:53,840 - Hi. Nice to see you. - Hiya. 416 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:55,960 You've come for your jewellery chest - is that right? 417 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:57,800 - I have indeed, yes. - OK. 418 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:01,120 Are you ready? 419 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:07,440 It's lovely. 420 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:09,680 Really lovely. It's amazing. 421 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:11,680 Really, really amazing. 422 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:13,240 Good, good. And you've got handles. 423 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,280 - And we've got handles! - So you can actually use it. 424 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:16,440 I can use it again. 425 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:20,720 That's lovely! 426 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:23,160 Jay's done a really good job by lining all of the drawers. 427 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:24,960 - That's lovely. - Now you have something soft 428 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:27,520 - to put all your... - That's lovely. - ..jewellery on. 429 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:31,360 Really beautiful. 430 00:24:31,360 --> 00:24:34,760 So, I know this is your grandma's chest that she gave to you. 431 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:37,600 - Would she be proud? - She would be really pleased. 432 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:39,120 Really, really pleased. 433 00:24:39,120 --> 00:24:43,160 It's a long time since I have seen it looking...complete. 434 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:45,120 - Complete? - Yeah. 435 00:24:45,120 --> 00:24:49,000 I feel like it kind of closes the story on the burglary, 436 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:51,680 and I think my grandma would be really, really proud 437 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:54,720 and really pleased to see it looking so beautiful again. 438 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:56,600 - I think she would. - I think she would as well. 439 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:04,520 So, let's get this wrapped up. 440 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:07,400 'I'm really pleased with the jewellery box.' 441 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:10,160 It looks absolutely amazing. 442 00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:12,160 It looks just as it should do. 443 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:14,320 - And good luck for the future. - Thank you. 444 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:16,760 It's had a lot of love and care put into it 445 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:18,160 and I'm really, really pleased 446 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:21,760 and really looking forward to putting my jewellery back into it. 447 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:30,080 Over at the art station, 448 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:34,320 Lucia has been working her magic on that prized painting, 449 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:37,840 which has been hidden away in storage for 40 years. 450 00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:42,480 Let's have a look. 451 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:44,520 JAY CHUCKLES 452 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:46,080 Oh, well done. 453 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:49,560 Wow! You guys have got to see it. Have a look at this! 454 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:51,360 NOW it's a painting. 455 00:25:51,360 --> 00:25:54,880 That is a transformation, isn't it? 456 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:57,120 It's stable, it's been conserved, 457 00:25:57,120 --> 00:25:59,720 so it will go through to future generations. 458 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:01,240 When I'm actually working on it, 459 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:05,560 I try and find out a bit more about the painting and who painted it. 460 00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:09,400 And Violet McDougall - she did sell her paintings. 461 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:11,800 And they have been up for auction fairly recently. 462 00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:14,000 - This is worth some money, then? - Well, in the hundreds. 463 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:17,120 - I mean, it's not, sort of... - Couple of hundred? - Yeah. Yeah. 464 00:26:17,120 --> 00:26:20,480 The way you have an object and, actually, it kind of leads you, 465 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:22,000 - sort of... - Into these stories. 466 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:24,360 That's one of the beauties of the job, really. 467 00:26:24,360 --> 00:26:26,520 - Yeah. - Wow! That's amazing. - Do think they'll like it? 468 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:27,920 - WILL: - I think they'll love it. 469 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:40,480 Patricia and Ivor have returned to Icknield House 470 00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:42,720 for the first time since 1963 471 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:47,440 to collect their treasured painting and to relive some memories. 472 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:48,800 It is just wonderful, isn't it? 473 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:50,440 Just to be back. 474 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:54,600 We haven't been back since my grandmother died. 475 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:59,320 So long ago, but it's just as it used to be, really. 476 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:01,800 Making me feel old, now. 477 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:03,640 Well, we ARE old, aren't we? 478 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:06,000 They haven't been able to display their painting 479 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:07,720 since it was damaged in a fire 480 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:10,760 but, today, they'll be seeing it beautifully restored 481 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:12,800 and back to its former glory. 482 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:14,280 This is exciting. 483 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:19,440 - Gosh, that's lovely. - Our painting! 484 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:21,560 Oh, that's lovely. 485 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:23,120 Beautiful! 486 00:27:23,120 --> 00:27:24,960 It's come back to what it used to be. 487 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:26,160 It is, isn't it? 488 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:28,040 It's just how I remember it. 489 00:27:28,040 --> 00:27:29,800 I can't believe it. 490 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:31,120 All those memories. 491 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:36,080 It IS lovely. 492 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:40,320 I can't... 493 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:44,760 - Steady! - Well, it is just... 494 00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:47,960 Just as it used to be, isn't it? 495 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:51,720 Such a long time ago. 496 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:55,920 It's just perfect, isn't it? 497 00:27:59,120 --> 00:28:02,080 It's brought back so many memories - 498 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:04,080 memories of childhood 499 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:08,520 and, of course, spending time with Ivor round the bushes. 500 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:12,160 Those bushes have gone, the same as other things have gone in life! 501 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:22,240 There will be more incredible transformations 502 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:25,480 at the hands of our experts next time in The Repair Shop, 503 00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:29,000 where treasured items are brought back to life.