Carving and Coloring an Antique Victorian Chair - Thomas Johnson Antique Furniture Restoration 

When one finds a new video by Mr. Johnson, one can do nothing other than hit "Play", sit back, enjoy and declare it Pretty Good. Anyone who thinks these kinds of restorations/repairs are too expensive needs to watch this and see how many hours of intensive, painstaking work goes into just ONE chair.

Your dog's face looking at you while working is priceless!

I love your videos. I love how you explain everything in a calm voice. No yelling or stupid giggling. No horrendous music during fast forwarding. I love listening to the sounds of sawing and sanding and most of all the animal clips at beginning and the end. Thank you for such an enjoyable and informative video.

These videos offer many lessons applicable beyond the realm of furniture repair. As a writer, I’m reminded that something that looks like a mess can be brought back to life. It requires not only the skill that Tom exhibits, but also the patience, humility, and a graceful self-forgiveness that make his videos so deeply instructive and inviting. Thank you, Tom!

This man fixes all the wooden parts with confidence and no hesitation. A master craftsman and mentor.

The woodwork and the finishing are two trades and you’re master of both

Any video that starts with: "Hello, I'm Tom Johnson of 'Thomas Johnson Antique Furniture Restoration' in Gorham Maine." and ends with "It looks pretty good." is going to be filled to the brim with phenomenal skills and encyclopaedic knowledge. This one was no exception, and your attention to detail is amazing. The fact that you put endless effort into getting your work as perfect as possible shows your outstanding craftsmanship. My respect and admiration for your work is boundless and I am always in awe of your amazing abilities. However, that respect always goes up a notch when you outsource work to other specialist craftsman that work outside your remit. I know there are several restorers on RU-vid that seem to feel they have to do everything, though I think these are extremely competent hobbyist rather than professionals. No offence at all meant to them as their skills certainly surpass mine by some distance. But your work is of a totally different level, and I'm sure you must be one of the top furniture restorers in America. I would say the same about the U.K. if you lived here. The finished chair was stunning, and I wouldn't have been surprised if there wasn’t a tear or two from the owner when it was returned. I’ve noticed before that you use two bandsaws, is this to save spending half the day swapping out blades? Or is there another reason please? Another absolute gem Thomas, thank you very much for bringing thirty minutes four seconds of sheer pleasure into my day.

Tom Outstanding! Love watching a true craftsmen work! Gary from NJ 👍❤️

The wildlife is as good as the repair work. Love them both.

Sir, you are truly the best. You are on another level. Lost for words. My best wishes to you.

He takes so much care not to further damage the pieces. Master restorer!

Your pup, watching every move you make and listening to every word you say is the sweetest thing ever. Love your videos!!

Another triumph from a basic salvage to your end product of usable furniture is nothing short of a miracle! Good on you!

Mister Thomas is a true Craftsman, Excellent work!

Masterful....A new life for an old piece. " looks pretty good" is a classic understatement.

Beautiful work. So glad the upholsterer could save the needlepoint. A family treasure.

Always look forward to another episode of "Thomas Johnson, Furniture Surgeon." Haven't been disappointed yet. Nice piece, great repairs and fantastic color/finish work.

Your lab reminds me of our sweet Bentley, gone 3 years now RIP. He'd be with me in the shop and on the back of the ATV when I checked fences on our property. Great memories.

Wow, your workmanship is superb! The chair will be in the family for generations to come. 🤗❣️🌸👍

Sir, you are an artisan and a pleasure to watch. Thank you!

LOL - that's not just a repair / restore ... that's a work of art in its own right!

I'm watching these videos as the world is in some sort of meltdown. So relaxing to watch something restored with care and made beautiful and useful again. Thank you for making these.

Putting the gouge into the vice and moving the workpiece along it is a great trick. Always learning so much watching your videos, thanks!

I knew a lady in Germany where I grew up who had a store selling notions doing alterations, selling yard and even taking up runs in silk stockings (guess that shows my age) she would save small pieces of thread of unusual colors and also fabrics. Many a times someone came in and had a few stiches that opened on a glove or some other thing and couldn't find the color thread to match. Well this lady was usually able to fix them up. You seem to be the same way with old nails hardware and pieces of wood. I love that about you because I am the same way. Eventually there is a use for the stuff we save. We have become so much of a throw away society that this is really refreshing. Love you work on the chair one can not see where the repairs were done.

You are not only amazing with your knowledge and skills, you have artistic talents as well! You have done an amazing job yet again! I watched you do that fancy carving work and couldn't believe my eyes! You never cease to amaze me! 😀 💕

It's amazing how much time can be spent just fixing little broken out pieces of wood and dings. I know this from experience. Been down that road more than once.

I hope I left a great comment the last time I was watched this. So incredibly talented.

I love the way your dog pays so much attention when you explain what has to be done!!!!

It's no wonder it was thought during the medieval period that people who could do the kind a specialized work you do had magical powers. Looks pretty magical to me. Amazing!

Amazing complex great job. My grandpa made a Victorian oval walnut sofa for my parents wedding day; you’d love it. I’ve kept it in pretty good shape: walnut flowers cherubs, horns....

Sir i just love your videos.You are a master in restoring antique furniture.Keep giving us more good video's please.

So easy on video but having done my Great Grandmothers four similar chairs I can testify to the fact that “It ain’t that easy.” And the fabric restoration is the icing on the cake. It’s ready for enjoyment by generations to come. I still think that you should sign and date your work. Larry in beautiful Arizona.

My daily fix of Master Craftsman Tom Johnson's magic. Okay, TWO fixes, I didn't have too many chores today. Victoriana is a favourite era of mine so between your channel and the Farmhouse-Vernacular channel I've pretty much got it covered.

Exceptional carving and color matching. Beautiful chair

Hi Thomas, I have watched quite a few of your restoration videos and learnt a lot. This one was outstanding work that finally put back a beautiful chair to its deserved position.

Replacing missing bits of curved wooden parts is so impressive, especially when it's complicated with decorative carving. Inspiring work.

You amaze me. You are an old world craftsman. Such fine attention to detail.

A master for detail!

Your dog is intently watching you as you personally explain what your about to do...and only for it to hear... 😄 they are remarkable companions!! 👍

WOW! The client must have been Overwhelmed with how this Chair turned out! Another Perfection Restoration from Thomas Johnson Antique Furniture Restoration.

What a meticulous work!!!! My favorite one so far :D BRAVO!

Beautifully done Tom.

Very nice repair Thomas. I'm surprised to hear you only had about 12 hours into the project. I would have expected a bit more. Your client must be extremely happy with the result.

Ich will hoffen das es jemanden gibt der diesen Mann beerben kann denn sowas kann man nicht lernen das Gefühl für Farbe und Form das finde ich unglaublich ich bin Total Begeistert.

Wow! You really are a master craftsman! Love watching you work. Thanks for sharing your incredible skills with us. Just speechless!

"This is a balloon back chair from the 1880s" Tom's dog: Yep, I knew that PS Another wonderful restoration, your videos are always a pleasure to watch, thank you

Love the way the apprenticed pooch is listening so diligently to the lesson from the master maker.

Beautiful repair work. Hard to believe you can do these projects so quickly.

I agree with Mr. Harris(below). Opened the window this morning on my way up to get changed and begin morning feedings of horses, chickens, etc; will watch it later, says I. Next thing, our aging Lab is reminding me, we need to get going, and I was 12 mins into the video....Always great watching...cheers...rr Normandy, Fra.

Outstanding work Tom.My favourite video so far.

Your pup is enjoying the masterclass! "If only I had opposable thumbs..."

What a great repair..the upholster turned out beautifully..

That one looked really tricky! once again, you kept me mesmerized.Well done!! Thanks again for lettn us hang out in the shop.

Simply masterful restoration. I really enjoy watching your videos.

Great video. I loved the repair to the missing chunk of wood on the chair back. I am convinced that Tom could take a cardboard box and turn it into a piece of fine furniture.

Love that you include the up close work in video!

All that wonderful carving-repair....wow!

I have watched most, if not all of your vids, and I have to say that your skills with matching and carving are eye candy. I do some woodworking too, but you are truly a craftsman. Love your work

hi tom...this is penny from upstate ny. about 6 months ago i bought an eastlake book case secretary desk off of craigs list. it was not in the best of shape.the drop down front was split and just attached by a thread. i was told that it is mahogany. well, i stripped it right down and refinished it. because of your videos, i was able to fix the drop down front. it's not quite done. i have to redo the shelves on the bottom and put them back in. it's a gorgeous piece of furniture. i just want to thank you for what you do. i didn't know how to repair it until i saw you repair so many things and i thought "i can do that!" and i did! :::)))

Amazing repair as always. I wish we got to see the reaction of some of your clients , they must be so pleased to have their family heirlooms returned to their former glory by you. Thank you once again for a fantastic and instructional half hour.

You're a wizard Thomas! The repairs just disappear.

I watch every video and many several times. I have learned so much from you and have worked on new projects because of your teaching. Thank you.

Outstanding work Tom.

Mind-boggling craftsmanship and skills in every aspect from carving to finishing. Incredible.

Just want to say I recently subscribed to your channel but I have watched some of your videos off and on for a few years. I have lots of interests and projects that I get involved with (watch lots of channels). I love repairing old furniture and making it beautiful again. This video really spoke to me since I started a jacobean table and chair repair project about two years ago. The chairs really needed some re=carving and I did what I could. I have some tools but I am not a wood worker, but you just provided me with more ideas to reproduce some areas, etc. I have also watched your videos pertaining to repairing the veneer and I pretty much finished that area with your help. I am hoping to go back to working on this set perhaps in the spring and summer. I have many other projects but the rescued jacobean dining set is a big challenge for me. Thanks for all you do! You're a wood working genius! And so meticulous! P.S. I would love to see a picture of your befores and after at the end of your videos! . One tends to forget how bad the piece was with all the work you do!

One word......amazing!

That, sir, is craftsmanship!

i'm a simple follower: I see you uploaded a new video and i push the like button before watching it because i know it will end up looking pretty good

Beautiful job. I'm mesmerized by the skill it takes to do this.

More great artistry and tips and techniques to try and emulate. Thank you and keep the videos coming please as they are not only packed with information but are so entertaining and calming to watch!

You're very patient person, I don't mind how long of your video, I will watch till the end,.

This was a very interesting video. You did an excellent job on this chair. I really enjoyed watching the carving process. That chair looked impossible to repair. You pulled it off. Fantastic

Jaw-droppingly beautiful work, Thomas. (As usual for you). In your understated manner, you pack an incredible amount of information into every video, and that’s why I often watch them several times. Thanks for sharing your gift and experience with us.

You do AMAZING work! It's nice to see someone that really enjoys what they do and is passionate. I love it

Truly a skilled woodworker, with all the little cuts and scars on his hands to prove it. I can watch him for hours....and sometimes do.

I love watching your videos. You are not only a master craftsman, but your video coverage is some of the best on RU-vid!

I never cease to be amazed by your artistry and skill, Mr. Johnson!

Another stella result from the workshops of Thomas Johnson Antique Furniture Restoration! Love these master classes! Thank You Tom.

Here's another video that, in the beginning, seems simple enough, but then you watch and think along with Thomas, finding out that this is a very difficult thing to do. Of course, Thomas makes it turn out great in the end. Thanks for posting!!

Lovely work! You have such patience. Another awesome job!

This was an amazing repair. Thank you for taking the time to make this video. You explained your work very well !

Brilliant job Tom.

Another SWEET Job DONE!

Patience and gentleness are absolute requirements for this art. That's why I could never do it!

Can't tell it was ever broken. Awsome work.

The Black lab is so cute 🥰🥰

Wow, just wow. Incredible restoration. I like how you understand what needs to be left alone and what needs to be replaced or fixed. That takes talent, skill and experience. I admire how the carving you did matched so well with the original.

This is probably the most painstaking work I’ve watched you do. And it came out great.

Such an artistic touch you have. Great job!

I could watch these restoration videos all day long!

I think a lot of us would have looked at that wreck of a chair and decided it had lived a full life, and walked away in regret... But you. my goodness! I cannot believe the lengths you go to, to coax that beautiful work of a long-gone craftsman back into its original luster and glory! Some of those joints were distorted, cracked, split, broken, misshapen beyond reasonable hope of ever getting them back to a semblance of their original shape - to say nothing about their structural integrity! The multiple tack holes tell the story of how many times in the decades gone by, that it has been worked over... But there it is, and with the upholster's careful, masterful hand on the cloth work... It's a thing of old world beauty, once again! Amazing, utterly amazing, to me. Like others have already said, your touch with the color matching, knowing just what can, bottle, or rag to reach for to persuade that fresh new, foreign fragment of walnut to cozy up to it's rich old counter-part... That's artistic sorcery, that's all I can say! Years of experience expressed in such quiet confidence that somebody like me is left to lie down, curl up in a fetal position, and rethink one's "delusions of grandeur" from the ground up! Thanks for sharing! It'll keep me humble for at least a day! :-)

Impressive. Truly a master craftsman.

Amazing job, as usual, especially all the carving and matching the color up in the end. Inspiring. Thank you.

I am amazed by the scale of your skills. you are so meticulous and dedicated, it's a joy to watch you work.

I worked with wood for over 50 years the repairs and the way you match the finish is truly impressive

Looks incredible!!!

Loved this repair and restoration of this heirloom chair--meticulous, perfect work. Being a needlepoint fan, it was nice to see the seat restored beautifully as well. I've been binge watching your videos recently--you are a master craftsman. And watching you work is very relaxing--perfect way to spend a winter's day. And I like that your dog is right by your side when you're working, keeping you company. Hope you didn't get too much of a snowpocalypse recently in your neck of the woods!

Outside environment where young fawn comes close for a video has to project a calming affect of mood and also the effect of peaceful surroundings. Incentive to work!

Always harder to fix other people's poor work. Making chicken soup out of chicken feet comes to mind. Masterful work by you and your upholsterer. Saved an old wreck from the fire pile and made it an heirloom again.

Who else finds watching these videos very therapeutic?