Yes, young women all over Europe would start working on their daughters chests (dowry chest) from the moment their daughters passed the age of young childhood. Then, the girls themselves would continue to fill the chest with the best of the best they could make. It breaks my heart that my grandmother had prepared a chest for me too. Every time I would be there she would take one afternoon and show me the content of the chest and would explain the embroidery meaning and the specific symbols of our family, though I was very young and didn't care one bit for those old things. Now I cry every time I remember it, I was abroad when she died. I hope the person who found this chest is glad he has something so precious, you restored it beautifully.
in chests like that it was not only the garments ( clothes, that is) but also bedlinen, curtains, dishcloths, table clothes, everything that a new bride needed to give the new home HER personal touch. i like these kinds of Episodes. no talking, no - heroic - music. just the translation. and this way it can easily also be changed for audiences that do not speak english. where i grew up, my grandmother had a similar one. inside there were still - inserts- , sitting on a wooden - frame- in smaller sizes. to be used for smaller things.
In the past, wedding chests were widespread in the countryside (Europe). My grandmother had one in the attic that was very old. Not hers, she got married in 1931, so they were out of fashion. Probably from some grandmother. Unlike the one shown, it was twice as big and made of oak, with small inlays. It also had an insert to hold small items and a false bottom. There were initials and a year (1841 or 42?) painted on the side.
This would be called a dower chest in English. It's fun to imagine some farmer or craftsman working hard on this so his daughter can be proud on her wedding day.
What I like is that you didn't break the whole thing apart and redo everything. You fix just the faults and try to keep the most of the original "story".
Fan of your work. Thanks for saving the possessions of those who have gone before us. I'd like to think you have their blessings but regardless you have mine . Please keep posting videos. I have many pieces of furniture I rescued from rubbish tips, abandoned houses and the side of the road and had restored. They give me a lot of pleasure and are recycling at its best. .
Thank you for including the story and the pictures. It was a labor of love when it was built,💜💜💜 and you treated it with the respect it deserves. I really enjoyed this video.
@@rizpahjael1 Just shows what can be done. I would probably have smashed it up with a sledgehammer and used it for firewood. That's the best option for most people as they don't have his skills.
My heart cried “please don’t over-restore this chest” when I first saw it. I should have known better. You did a remarkable job conserving and restoring this chest to just the right degree. Perfect! 👌
What I enjoy most about you and your channel is that unlike other channels who claim to do furniture restoration you ACTUALLY restore furniture to its former beauty. Other self proclaimed restorers just sand items and paint it with modern colors destroying the unique beauty of a piece.
Trena is a master restorer. You should look at the grandfather clock she restored. It included wood turning and hand painted art restoration. There seems to be nothing she can’t do. I love watching her work.
@@tetedur377 they are fantastic at what they do, it's nice to see a woman do what she does, Trena is a treat and Thomas is a great old school craftsman.
Hes not wrong though, the vast majority of channels that do "restoration" are actually doing refurbishing. They will make the item look new again, but not necessarily the way it originally looked or with the appropriate materials and techniques. Certain words on RUclips like "diy" and "restoration" have basically lost all meaning.
HAHAHA!!! What a great beginning! Love the spy music, but not quite Tom Cruise Mission Impossible! (That's a good thing!) Lol. Love you, love your talent! ❤️
Loved the way you used natural pigments as were used then and matched them so well...such a maestro! It's always about the stories to me and how the craftsmen/artisans create the value and longevity with quality like those hinges and curved top. Thank You for bringing us with you on your journey of quality, saving these wonderful pieces and the history.
Beautiful restoration, in complete sympathy with the history of the piece. That linseed-based paint really held up well and probably helped preserve it, despite it's less than ideal environment. I liked the technique of allowing the shrunken timber to remain as is and a thin piece of timber put in the sawn crack. There's no tension and everything remains square as a result. Your videos are real gems Ahti. I always look forward to them. Cheers.
How wonderful you found those photos! They really brought the chest back to life, and you made it look new again. You asked us what kind of furniture you should restore on your channel. This was absolutely perfect. Thank you!
There are many restoration channels in RUclips. Why this channel is my best - because every video is a cool performance. And I still cannot say which I like more - restoration technique or staging.
I'm a classically trained musician with a keen interest in folk music. That folk song is quite simply lovely. Thank you for sharing such an authentic rendition.
Ah, the symbolism of the double X’s. The old trunk in the photos also had interesting “art”/symbolism on its side. Great find and restoration as always.
Estonia meet new friend with Latvian grandparents. This chest is so beautifully handled. Thank you from new admirer from Penn's Woods(Pennsylvania,USA.).stay well.
This was lovely. Not only a seamless & flawless repair (that paint was awesome) but the history of this type of chest was wonderful. Thanks for a great video.
This is a beautiful restoration. Thank you for sharing the history behind the chest’s design. Your color matching is right on the mark, and I also appreciated your pointing out the repairs on the finished piece. The intro was cute, too.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful restoration with us. What a beautiful and quite rare glory box. It was nice to see that you respect the integrity of the original finish and didn’t try to make it look brand new, it is truly a credit to you and your skills. The difference from start to finish is fantastic. More restorers should do this instead of trying to make things look new. Regards from Australia 🇦🇺, Rob T.
I love old fashioned furniture like this! They don’t make anything nowadays like they used to back, then backed then they built it to last forever and a lot of it has lasted forever! The time the sweat and the passion that went into making stuff like this!! One of the things that makes it so beautiful!
I really appreciate that you use modern finishing supplies for added durability but try to maintain the integrity of the piece with traditional pigments and finishing techniques.
Actually laughed out loud when you popped up from the chest! Then gasped when your phone took a dive. Really liked the history lesson as well. Thanks Ahti
What a beautiful restoration! I was so fearful you would remove the soul of this chest, especially the carvings. Instead, you gave it new life! Well done!
Amazing color matching! I have a feeling the owner of the chest was watching you from above as you repaired her chest with such care. Just Beautiful work!! 💙🥹💙
Nicely done! Sometimes IMO you go a little further than I’d like in restoring/repainting (it’s a debatable point, I know), but what you’ve done here will preserve this piece of history for another 120 years. Also - sometimes the pieces you restore prove that not every old craftsman was a good craftsman, but this guy knew his stuff!
We cannot see what he sees in person. He does minimal repairs to restore the items to good working condition.without being there we cannot adequately see the true damage ourselves.
@@cab102361 Sorry, with due respect, and I mean that, by the same token, the camera might also hide imperfections in his work. We can’t see everything. But I like his work.
Your skills are commanding of respect. The moment the chest became something special was sealed with your words "this piece of furniture was somebodys pride and joy". Beautiful work.
Beyond all the qualities mentioned, let's not forget the sense of humor that you regularly put into the development of your videos in order to brighten them up ! Awesome :)
A nice bit of history to go with the re-emergence of a beautiful old brides chest. She would have been filling it with quilts, bedding etc that she’d been sewing for her marriage. It’s lovely to see that it will be preserved now. Great job. 👏👏
What a lovely thing to have! And lovingly restored with care and consideration for its history. You didn’t overdo it, just enough and to keep it going another few hundred years
WOW, that is stunning. What a lovely story about its history too. Somebody must be very proud to be the custodian of it now. Thanks for sharing your skills with us. Take care 🙂
I think that most in the furniture trade would not have done such an extreme renovation and not have repainted so much of the piece. Leaving a piece "honest" is part of its charm and value. Frankly, after just cleaning the paint, it was fine. Perhaps just repair the missing piece at the bottom of the front.
"If it ain't broke don't fix it." You have repaired what needed repairing, lubricated the wooden hinges with a candle (beeswax I hope) in true old school fashion, and given this wonderful heirloom another hundred years of usefulness, preserving its value. Thanks for another great video!
The little bit of history was really cool! I liked seeing you point out at the end the places where you made your (invisible) repairs. And you varnished the inside! A complete job. 😀
Thank you for saving some brides dream. It is beautiful. Very similar to a Hope Chest here in the states. Beautiful history for a beautiful bride. Have a great day
Love that you kept the original finish. Sometimes when people refinish furniture pieces; I feel like they take the “soul” out of the old piece. Thanks for sharing your videos!!
I said WoW so many times that I just had to hit the subscribe button. To observe a Master Artist and craftsman as they work is a privilege. Thank you for giving us history on these objects.
Вы его помыли и он уже стал выглядеть гораздо лучше! Отличная работа, классная вещь получилась😊 Отдельно спасибо, что показали фото из истории этого сундука!
I enjoyed the history of the chest along with the historic pictures and singing. It really added to the value of this piece of furniture. Beautiful restoration of a family heirloom.
Yes, young women all over Europe would start working on their daughters chests (dowry chest) from the moment their daughters passed the age of young childhood. Then, the girls themselves would continue to fill the chest with the best of the best they could make. It breaks my heart that my grandmother had prepared a chest for me too. Every time I would be there she would take one afternoon and show me the content of the chest and would explain the embroidery meaning and the specific symbols of our family, though I was very young and didn't care one bit for those old things. Now I cry every time I remember it, I was abroad when she died. I hope the person who found this chest is glad he has something so precious, you restored it beautifully.
Same in Turkey. Also, it is not rare for grandmas to prepare one for their grandson either. Like mine.
I assume every country has their version of the same. In the USA, we call it a hope chest.
Wonderful
in chests like that it was not only the garments ( clothes, that is) but also bedlinen, curtains, dishcloths, table clothes, everything that a new bride needed to give the new home HER personal touch.
i like these kinds of Episodes. no talking, no - heroic - music. just the translation. and this way it can easily also be changed for audiences that do not speak english.
where i grew up, my grandmother had a similar one. inside there were still - inserts- , sitting on a wooden - frame- in smaller sizes. to be used for smaller things.
In the past, wedding chests were widespread in the countryside (Europe). My grandmother had one in the attic that was very old. Not hers, she got married in 1931, so they were out of fashion. Probably from some grandmother.
Unlike the one shown, it was twice as big and made of oak, with small inlays. It also had an insert to hold small items and a false bottom. There were initials and a year (1841 or 42?) painted on the side.
This would be called a dower chest in English. It's fun to imagine some farmer or craftsman working hard on this so his daughter can be proud on her wedding day.
You're a great craftsman but your sense of humour gives your videos the perfect touch! Thanks!!!
What I like is that you didn't break the whole thing apart and redo everything. You fix just the faults and try to keep the most of the original "story".
Fan of your work. Thanks for saving the possessions of those who have gone before us. I'd like to think you have their blessings but regardless you have mine . Please keep posting videos. I have many pieces of furniture I rescued from rubbish tips, abandoned houses and the side of the road and had restored. They give me a lot of pleasure and are recycling at its best. .
Thank you for including the story and the pictures. It was a labor of love when it was built,💜💜💜 and you treated it with the respect it deserves. I really enjoyed this video.
You got it just right Anita! Great work Ahti!
I agree Anita Morales. It's such a special piece, with a wonderful history. I'm so glad he was able to save it. 💜
Yes I totally agree
Its beautiful
@@rizpahjael1 Just shows what can be done. I would probably have smashed it up with a sledgehammer and used it for firewood. That's the best option for most people as they don't have his skills.
Anita Morales :
Yes ,i think so ,this is a good job und i like it . Bravoooooo !👍
My heart cried “please don’t over-restore this chest” when I first saw it. I should have known better. You did a remarkable job conserving and restoring this chest to just the right degree. Perfect! 👌
What I enjoy most about you and your channel is that unlike other channels who claim to do furniture restoration you ACTUALLY restore furniture to its former beauty.
Other self proclaimed restorers just sand items and paint it with modern colors destroying the unique beauty of a piece.
I love Tom Johnson’s channel too. You should check out the Fixing Furniture channel as well.
Watch his channel. He restores amazingly too. ruclips.net/user/ThomasJohnsonAntiqueFurnitureRestoration
Trena is a master restorer. You should look at the grandfather clock she restored. It included wood turning and hand painted art restoration. There seems to be nothing she can’t do. I love watching her work.
@@tetedur377 they are fantastic at what they do, it's nice to see a woman do what she does, Trena is a treat and Thomas is a great old school craftsman.
Hes not wrong though, the vast majority of channels that do "restoration" are actually doing refurbishing. They will make the item look new again, but not necessarily the way it originally looked or with the appropriate materials and techniques. Certain words on RUclips like "diy" and "restoration" have basically lost all meaning.
Historian, comedian, master woodworker, thanks for making my Sunday. Cheers Michael🇨🇦
13:07 Thank you for the cultural/tradition overview, and the beautiful folk music!
You save not only the furniture, you save the culture and history. Thank you.
HAHAHA!!! What a great beginning! Love the spy music, but not quite Tom Cruise Mission Impossible! (That's a good thing!) Lol. Love you, love your talent! ❤️
Loved the way you used natural pigments as were used then and matched them so well...such a maestro! It's always about the stories to me and how the craftsmen/artisans create the value and longevity with quality like those hinges and curved top. Thank You for bringing us with you on your journey of quality, saving these wonderful pieces and the history.
Beautiful restoration, in complete sympathy with the history of the piece. That linseed-based paint really held up well and probably helped preserve it, despite it's less than ideal environment. I liked the technique of allowing the shrunken timber to remain as is and a thin piece of timber put in the sawn crack. There's no tension and everything remains square as a result. Your videos are real gems Ahti. I always look forward to them. Cheers.
How wonderful you found those photos! They really brought the chest back to life, and you made it look new again. You asked us what kind of furniture you should restore on your channel. This was absolutely perfect. Thank you!
There are many restoration channels in RUclips. Why this channel is my best - because every video is a cool performance. And I still cannot say which I like more - restoration technique or staging.
Absolutely loved the intro. But jokes aside you are not just a master craftsman but a genius as well.
I'm a classically trained musician with a keen interest in folk music. That folk song is quite simply lovely. Thank you for sharing such an authentic rendition.
Ah, the symbolism of the double X’s. The old trunk in the photos also had interesting “art”/symbolism on its side. Great find and restoration as always.
And now that chest will once again be someone's special treasure. Terrific restoration, and a wonderful history!
WOW- love it! the jack-in-box opening, the cultural background + music, the finishsed product, the orange & black jumper!!!👏🏽❤🔥
You saved it. I loved hearing about the history of pieces like this and knowing that you preserved it so beautifully.
Estonia meet new friend with Latvian grandparents. This chest is so beautifully handled. Thank you from new admirer from Penn's Woods(Pennsylvania,USA.).stay well.
This was lovely. Not only a seamless & flawless repair (that paint was awesome) but the history of this type of chest was wonderful. Thanks for a great video.
GORGEOUS!!! I LOVE IT!!
This is a beautiful restoration. Thank you for sharing the history behind the chest’s design. Your color matching is right on the mark, and I also appreciated your pointing out the repairs on the finished piece. The intro was cute, too.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful restoration with us. What a beautiful and quite rare glory box. It was nice to see that you respect the integrity of the original finish and didn’t try to make it look brand new, it is truly a credit to you and your skills. The difference from start to finish is fantastic. More restorers should do this instead of trying to make things look new. Regards from Australia 🇦🇺, Rob T.
Beautiful piece
Beautiful work.
Impressive...and thank you for including the history of the peace...lovely 🥰🥰
I could watch a man scrubbing all day. 😊
You color matching skills are also amazing. Beautiful restoration.
Loved the folk music tie in to the old culture and history. Glad the original finish was preserved and refreshed using classic pigments
I love old fashioned furniture like this! They don’t make anything nowadays like they used to back, then backed then they built it to last forever and a lot of it has lasted forever! The time the sweat and the passion that went into making stuff like this!! One of the things that makes it so beautiful!
I really appreciate that you use modern finishing supplies for added durability but try to maintain the integrity of the piece with traditional pigments and finishing techniques.
Beautiful work!
Интересно смотреть не только на вещь, которую Вы реставрируете, но и какие инструменты и приспособления используете.
Спасибо за мастерство!
👍👍👍
Beautiful job!!!
Actually laughed out loud when you popped up from the chest! Then gasped when your phone took a dive. Really liked the history lesson as well. Thanks Ahti
You made that look like new. Amazing. Thank you for telling about the chest. God bless you.
I love Saturday evenings: A nice, relaxing dinner while watching AT Restoration.
Great job . Beautifully done!
What a beautiful restoration! I was so fearful you would remove the soul of this chest, especially the carvings. Instead, you gave it new life! Well done!
Never saw anyone make paint in that way. Touching restoration. Thank you.
Amazing color matching! I have a feeling the owner of the chest was watching you from above as you repaired her chest with such care. Just Beautiful work!! 💙🥹💙
Absolutely beautiful
It became the one of my favourite videos on your channel. Thank you!
Seeing a new AT video is one of my best weekend presents. Always a pleasure to watch a true Master at work.
Wish we could send you all of the 100 year plus stuff we have over here to restore, you do great work.
Nicely done! Sometimes IMO you go a little further than I’d like in restoring/repainting (it’s a debatable point, I know), but what you’ve done here will preserve this piece of history for another 120 years. Also - sometimes the pieces you restore prove that not every old craftsman was a good craftsman, but this guy knew his stuff!
We cannot see what he sees in person. He does minimal repairs to restore the items to good working condition.without being there we cannot adequately see the true damage ourselves.
@@cab102361 Sorry, with due respect, and I mean that, by the same token, the camera might also hide imperfections in his work. We can’t see everything. But I like his work.
Amazing job as always. Thanks for sharing your skill and bits of Estonian history,
culture, and language too. You rock!!
I find your channel rather relaxing to watch! Thanks!
It looks perfect! And thank you so much for giving us the history behind it. That really brings it to life, and sets it in a time and place.🐝🤗❤️
It's a miracle that some of these pieces ever survived, given the tumultuous history of Estonia in the last 100+ years.
@@cv990a4 I love learning about the history.🤗❤️🐝
I love big pieces like this. You did an awesome job bringing it back, but the back story makes it even cooler. Great work.
You put a lot of love into these beautiful pieces. Its true, another man's waste is another man treasure.
Such a nice video adding the historical picture accompanied by singing in the native language. Thanks so much! BTW, I love that little steamer tool!
It’s so beautiful even before you began.
Excellent restoration 👍👍👍Thank you for sharing. Be safe🇨🇦
this makes me so happy! takes me back to my childhood with my Papa and also when I used to watch my husband many years ago
I greatly appreciate your unobtrusive restoration of this piece.
That was a brilliant restoration. You never cease to amaze me with your talents.
Your skills are commanding of respect. The moment the chest became something special was sealed with your words "this piece of furniture was somebodys pride and joy". Beautiful work.
Beyond all the qualities mentioned, let's not forget the sense of humor that you regularly put into the development of your videos in order to brighten them up !
Awesome :)
A nice bit of history to go with the re-emergence of a beautiful old brides chest. She would have been filling it with quilts, bedding etc that she’d been sewing for her marriage.
It’s lovely to see that it will be preserved now. Great job. 👏👏
What a lovely thing to have! And lovingly restored with care and consideration for its history. You didn’t overdo it, just enough and to keep it going another few hundred years
I like it when restoration if kept as one to the original as possible. The pictures are greatly appreciated as well as the story behind them.
What a lovely sympathetic restoration!
And I appreciate the history segment with pictures and music.
WOW, that is stunning. What a lovely story about its history too. Somebody must be very proud to be the custodian of it now. Thanks for sharing your skills with us. Take care 🙂
I hope whoever gets this chest treasures it as it is a remarkable piece of history and restoration.
Special treatment for a special piece with a special history. Bravo, well done Sir! That's true restoration.
I think that most in the furniture trade would not have done such an extreme renovation and not have repainted so much of the piece. Leaving a piece "honest" is part of its charm and value. Frankly, after just cleaning the paint, it was fine. Perhaps just repair the missing piece at the bottom of the front.
I really enjoyed seeing this restoration. I am so glad you were able to save this wonderful piece of History.
"If it ain't broke don't fix it." You have repaired what needed repairing, lubricated the wooden hinges with a candle (beeswax I hope) in true old school fashion, and given this wonderful heirloom another hundred years of usefulness, preserving its value. Thanks for another great video!
Beautiful and very sympathetic restoration. Loved the story that came with it as the brides garment chest.
More great tips. Thanks
The little bit of history was really cool! I liked seeing you point out at the end the places where you made your (invisible) repairs. And you varnished the inside! A complete job. 😀
Thank you for saving some brides dream. It is beautiful. Very similar to a Hope Chest here in the states. Beautiful history for a beautiful bride. Have a great day
Beautiful! I love that you repair and RESTORE these beautiful antiques!
Love that you kept the original finish. Sometimes when people refinish furniture pieces; I feel like they take the “soul” out of the old piece. Thanks for sharing your videos!!
Love this restoration you never painted it you kept it's history and the original artwork beautiful it must be a keeper
A beautiful restoration of that wonderful heirloom. Congratulations.
Incredible transformation. Loved back story about brides dress and gifts. ❤
That colour is something else. Wonderful restoration.
Wow amazing patience and skill! Enjoyed watching you save her just like a surgeon in an ER
I'm glad you restored it instead of remaking it. Beautiful job, even though I don't care for the color of rust.
Very nice!
I’m glad you’re playing this background music again! I love it!
That steamer is coming in handy on many of your projects.
Great Chest restoration!!🤩
I said WoW so many times that I just had to hit the subscribe button. To observe a Master Artist and craftsman as they work is a privilege. Thank you for giving us history on these objects.
Always a joy to watch a master of his craft at work. Thank you.
Beautiful ! And thank you for not painting it blue or green or pink ! It's lovely the way it was and how you brought it back !
What an exceptional restoration. It filled me with joy though I was somewhat apprehensive when the circular saw came out…
Congratulations!
Another 100 + years of life added to this hystorical piece. I can see it storing all the family bedding. Beautiful work on a beautiful old chest.
very sympathetic restoration, you brought new life and love back to that beautiful chest
Вы его помыли и он уже стал выглядеть гораздо лучше! Отличная работа, классная вещь получилась😊 Отдельно спасибо, что показали фото из истории этого сундука!
Beautiful Work , on something with so much meaning .
не обычное начало. Как всегда великолепная работа! Чем вещь проще, тем сложнее её реставрировать. Браво!👍
I enjoyed the history of the chest along with the historic pictures and singing. It really added to the value of this piece of furniture. Beautiful restoration of a family heirloom.
This is such a beautiful antique and it’s wonderful to see it returned to life