Family antique - Writing slope

[Lyle]

I am about to embark on a restoration. How big/deep is to be determined by the help and information and guidance offered here on the forum.
My wife has "The family heirloom antique ". A writing slope.
As you can see from the photos I don't think it is of great quality. I don't know if it was a family made piece, or not, as I can not see any makers mark or name. Sentimental value more than monetary.

Issues I know about so far.
Brass strips - what glue would have been used, how to identify it, AND which glue to use when I glue them back in.
Veneering - missing, cracked,. Should I just leave it as is? Save the patina.
Finish - more than likely French polished. I haven't tested with metho yet. If it is, maybe just a clean up and a light top off.
That is it for the moment. Just gathering info and building up the courage to start.
Thanks for any help, info etc.
Lyle

[auscab]

Hide glue was used for the brass originally. I was told a long time ago by the older cabinet makers in the restoration business I did my apprenticeship in that Garlic was added to hide glue for glueing brass . Ive never read about it anywhere. I have tried it and couldn't tell the difference .

To test for hide get some hot water and rub a spot for a while . If it gets slippery after a minute or two itl be hide glue. If it turns white itll be PVA . If it does nothing then its something else . Like epoxy . If its the original it should be Hide glue . If its PVA its been restored and the brass has come back off a second time . The glue I can see does have a light look to it . Hide is normally a more brown colour . Fish and Rabbit glues have also been used for things but I have no idea if its was used for brass . They are lighter colours though .

You want to place a piece of brass back in its original slot and see if it sits flush with the wood before doing anything . If you go scraping out the original glue then try re gluing the level will be wrong and lead to more work which wont end up right no matter what you do to try and fix it . If that's its original glue I can see and not some added by someone else changing the level then I would try re glueing the brass back down with a smear of hide glue and flat blocks with newspaper in between . You can even heat the blocks in a microwave oven to help keep the hide glue flowing .

If I wasnt doing it traditional with hide glue I'd either use Titebond or these days poly glue is my new favorite . Ive used epoxy as well which was good. The later glues will be better holding than hide glue. Specially the Poly glue.

Originally the brass was glued in and filed flush before polishing . The only way to get it perfect . If I'm glueing in new or old stuff I sometimes scuff both surfaces . Making sure the level isn't going to be changed if its the old stuff going back in .

Easiest fast way for veneers is Hide glue and flat blocks heated as above in Microwave .

Definitely just glue and don't sand . Then re polish saving patina if you want a fast job . Flattening and sanding thin veneer jobs like that can only be done a couple of times and then your only left with glue after you've sanded through the veneer . Where veneer is missing you can either fill with coloured filler or patch with veneers which will take longer . you then touch out patches with colours and shellac.
And then just a fine cut back and repolish with thin shellac and some oil is the go . That will be shellac on that already.

You have a piece that has probably faded with time as well . Sanding through polish to wood will get you a darker original colour that wont look good up against old faded repolished parts . So protect the faded original would be my recommendation and try and match patches to that colour . It'll look great with the right light shine up.

[Lyle]

Thanks Robert. Great advice. I didn't even think of the different height after scraping out the old glue.
Thank heavens I haven't started yet. Thanks too for the suggestion on how to identify the glue.
The slope isn't a quality piece and as such I think I'll try to be minimalistic in the restoration. Maybe just re-glue the brass strips and a light clean and re-polish (as best as I can at least).

[BEM]

You could also check out Thomas Johnson Antique Furniture Restoration channel on YouTube. He does great work. I've spent hours watching his restorations. You'll pick up some very helpful hints.