Chris Norman, 1066 Director and restoration expert explains,

‘I was called out to see a fire damaged baby grand piano in the north of England, and to this day I have never forgotten the atmosphere in this once lovely little period cottage.

The main room of the house had caught fire, started electrically. It had already had a quick clean, but everything was black. Everything you touched made you go black; my suit needed a full dry clean and I went to my next appointment looking very much shabbier than normal. Such an event in family history needs to be forgotten and all traces of it in any furniture or effects that are restored and preserved need to be without blemish or even a sniff of the fire about them and it’s a big ask, but it is possible.

This story was particularly poignant as the house belonged to a widow who was now in care and her husband had been a violinist and musician who won many prizes, and this was his special piano which they had wanted to keep in the family, it had significant sentimental value. There was a framed photo of him standing by this piano holding his violin (see below, shown covered in soot on the piano at the fire scene).  

There were one or two other nice pieces of furniture too that they wanted to keep but had almost lost hope of it being worthwhile.

Furthermore, as the widow was not living there, she at the time knew nothing about the fire, so it was important that the pieces to be restored for the family could be done without trace or memory.

We actually restored 6 different pieces of furniture for the family, everyone came up well and is treasured to this day, the photos before and after only give some idea of the incredible transformation.’

Restored Furniture:

Client Testimonial:

A very belated thank you for the amazing restoration job you did on my Father’s piano and stool (Mr Mitchell)

It is in pride of place at my house now for my daughters to do their practise on. Their Grandpa would have been very pleased.

Chrissie Zoltowski.