First National Antique Restoration

02/08/2023

12/21/2022

Steering our way into the Holiday Season like... 👀

11/30/2022

06/09/2020

Business as usual folks ! Working on some great heirlooms ! Laying out white mahoghany veneer for a fantastic bed that was missing the footboard , making a hanging shelf from a gutted 1820 clock case that was Also missing its door ,,rebuilding 1870 dresser interior. Oak buffet coming together !! please text photos of a project your thinking of getting restored to me at 609-709-2847 , it’s best to text or call , a few folks have been asking questions on Facebook about restorations and I don’t always see your questions ,, so call or text ,, hope you all are enjoying this nice spring weather and getting your projects done!!

04/23/2020

Earth day!! Think about this , Restoration and refinishing of your heirlooms and good used furniture makes a huge impact on reducing our carbon footprint on our fragile ecosystem, so not only are you preserving memories you are also helping to preserve our EARTH !! Please help take care of our fragile planet , reuse recycle restore refinish ,, we can all help
We can help and make your life less impactful on the environment, thank you ,,, Jon Szalay ,,,proprietor and restoration artist

04/01/2020

We’re still here! Make the best of a bad situation while your doing your part to help the nation! Perhaps this is a great time to redecorate , clean out the attic and basement and if you rediscover that special family heirloom that needs restoration send us a text photo and we will get right back with you with a free estimate and also find out where we can get you on our work calendar ,,,609-709-2847 check out our page where we document a lot of great restorations and the stories behind them!! Facebook is @. first national antique restoration ,,,stay safe and strong we will all get through this tough time stronger than ever !!!

01/30/2020

"Turn Of The Century Business Man"

The early 1900's America was filled with discovery, adventure, and entrepreneurship. Here's a relic of a earlier time! This steamer trunk is an object that any traveling business man or woman would have used during this time. This particular trunk was owned by our customers Great Grand Father he was a Cooper ( a barrel maker) out of the big city of Chicago. He owned land in Honor Michigan (that's stenciled on top of trunk) he would harvest the wood and use it to make his barrels!

Our Customer brought in this trunk due to water damage. It was important we kept the originality, repaired and replaced where needed. We carefully re used fabric and replaced fabric, a lot of the trunk had to be un riveted and riveted back together, and then making sure the old blends with the new.

We also got to meet our customers half way for a hotel delivery in Pennsylvania seemed very "suiting" lol.

01/30/2020

01/02/2020

Happy New Year Friends!

12/25/2019

"Turn of the Century Seamstress"

A gift of a lifetime...

This beautiful Quarter Sawn Oak Treadle Singer sewing machine belonged to our customers grandmother who received it from her father as a gift.
She learned on this machine and made the clothes for her family it also taught her a skilled trade she put to use later in life working as a seamstress.

Having much sentiment value to our customers it was important to restore it to the day it was new.
The restoration was quite extensive, the entire piece was taken apart. Most of the original veneer was missing from the top part of the cabinet, so it needed to be replaced with new quarter sawn white oak veneer; exactly as the original. Due to the missing veneer the substrate was warped. We had to rebuild the veneer assemblies from the ground up. Also having to recreate missing hardware, and taking apart and repainting the base.
This beautiful turn of the Century machine is looking as beautiful as ever now!
A gift of a life time this machine not only provided for their family but it also taught a valuable skilled trade and career.

12/24/2019

Happiest of holidays from First National Antiques Restoration!!