We all wish every antique could survive centuries of use and come out totally unblemished. But that's not even conceivable.

Fortunately, "period" restorations, performed with the exact same techniques originally used in the making of an antique, will preserve both the beauty and value.

Trouble is, few, if any, know the techniques of the past. Today newer, faster, easier methods have replaced the painstaking procedures that would have insured authentic restorations.

You see, there's no official written documentation on by-gone techniques. No "how-to" books passed from one generation to the next. And the truth is, period restoration is an art few would be interested in today.

But at Antonio's you can still get faithful period restorations. Performed with exacting techniques and meticulous care. That's because Antonio has inherited five generations of historic techniques and faithfully employs them in every restoration project.

You're invited to the Bryant Street location to watch period restorations in person. There you'll see an exciting art from a bygone centuries alive and thriving today.

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of any period restoration is the repair to woods and veneers. No matter how talented the restorer, it is impossible to make them appear centuries old.

Antonio, however, keeps sheets of 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th century veneers at his Bryant Street Restoration Shop. And he has the period woods to match. French walnut, kingwood, satinwood, mahogany, fruitwood, and many more. These, he started acquiring in Europe nearly 37 years ago. He has amassed this unique and impressive collection of period woods in a truly romantic way. You see, when an estate sale is conducted at a grand European chateau or palazzo, Antonio directs his attention to the estate's "workshop." There, he finds his unclaimed treasures - magnificently preserved period woods.

And this stunning collection of period woods and veneers is a source of great pride for Antonio. "Just look" he says, lightly stroking one of the sheets, "200, 300, 400 year old veneer. Where else can you find this!"

And it is the Master himself, Antonio, that matches and selects these wood veneers during restorations. And he is quick to point out that he can even match a veneer to a certain geographical location - so the veneer is actually indigenous to the area where the antique was originally made.

"It is a great comfort to have Antonio's expertise and period wood for our projects" says Nigel Coombes, "I just hope he never retires!"

Some secrets have vanished. Experts still rack their brains trying to figure out how Stradivarius made, and applied, varnish to his violins. The answers to other mysteries have also disappeared: like the Pyramids and the roof of Rome's Colosseum.

But at Antonio's one technique has survived - the art of period finishes. We say finishes, in the plural, because each period demands a different technique. A different substance.

For example, an Oak Jacobean chest requires a radically different finish than that of a period Kingwood veneered Louis XV bureau plat. And a chair from the Gothic era must receive a finish unlike that given to a Regency sofa table.

At Antonio's great consideration goes into every piece - before it's finished. Considerations such as "type," "depth," "texture," "shade," and more, are all accounted for. And it is this painstaking attention to detail, and the skillful execution of the secrets of centuries past that return a period piece to its splendor.

"The quality difference is in the tiniest details."

Welting or tacks? Tufting or not? Added cushioning? And the questions get more detailed. Width of the welt? "Thickness" of the fabric? Tension on the springs?

True, "non-period" upholstery does not have to answer to such a scrutinizing interview. It is color, texture, and pattern that matter most. But period upholstering must take all these elements into account. Just as importantly, period upholstering techniques must be employed. In other words, no "short-cuts."

Antonio's has been providing clients with period upholstering for over 35 years. And every upholsterer at Antonio's is thoroughly schooled in the disciplines of period techniques.

Perhaps that's why museums, which by nature are sensitive to their responsibility to history, use Antonio's. Because when it comes to period upholstery, it has to be more than beautiful - it must be perfect in every detail.

"Gilding is like cooking," says London's Rupert Bevan, "the right recipe for the right piece is important, and there are different ingredients for each period."

In no other aspect of restoration, save the finish, is it so crucial to have both an excellent eye and a precise technique. When you consider that gilding goes back thousands of years, you understand how much historic knowledge the gilder must posses. Gilding techniques used in ancient Egypt differ from those of 14th century England. There's even a subtle difference between gilding from early 18th century France and late 18th century France.

At Antonio's you can feel confident that all gilding restoration is performed to exacting historic standards. In fact, historic residences throughout Europe often call on Antonio to do on-site gilding. The reason is simple. It's a high art that demands the Master's hand. And eye.