Straighten 18th C Mahogany Chest Side Panel

[Patrick Sparks]

I am trying to restore a c.18th century cuban mahogany chest (see photo). One of the side panels (14x32x7/8) has some pretty severe twist (1/2") and cupping (1/4"). I have messed around with steam bending thin stock before, but wondering if anyone has any experience with something like this. Any thoughts?
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[Mel Fulks]

The restoration guys usually just glue with slivers of same wood. I’ve used it a number of times, and that is the way the serious
collectors usually want it done. Cuban is hard to get, use some good mahogany, adding darker color if needed is easy.

[Mel Fulks]

I think the Captain ordered the ships carpenter to make the Cuban box for himself….just doesn’t look like what the wealthy people were
gonna want. Definitely not made by Chippendale .

[John TenEyck]

Why mess with it? Unless someone is paying you to ruin it on purpose, I'd just clean it up and enjoy its authenticity.

John

[Andrew Hughes]

If it were mine to decide I would remake the piece using the wood. It would be a bit thinner and smaller but ready for another 100 years of service.
I see wood ready to be reclaimed + Cuban mahogany would be a real treat to work with.
Good Luck

[Mel Fulks]

If it were mine to decide I would remake the piece using the wood. It would be a bit thinner and smaller but ready for another 100 years of service.
I see wood ready to be reclaimed + Cuban mahogany would be a real treat to work with.
Good Luck

There have ,always been 2 ways . Keep it as original as possible. And make it look good. Both are legal, but too good …..
can’t be fixed to tempt the real collectors , no matter how well the work was done. My thinking is a fine high style antique should be
sold usable with “ patches” and any needed reglueing , but not “refinished” . Things that were utilitarian are sometimes deemed
“over done” . That can knock down the mood of a buyer.

[Mike Cutler]

Patrick

Many years ago I repaired two large mahogany bowls. Both had cracked and had taken a different shape. They were estimated to be about 50 years old when I got them.
Those bowls sat in my garage for probably 5+ years with band clamps and clothespin clamps to slowly put that bowl back into shape to repair those cracks. It took a long time for the natural humidity cycles to "reform" those bowls. I had space, and the person that owned them was going to burn them, so for me it was no big deal other than losing the use of some clamps for those years. Maybe that can be done with what your chest, maybe not.
In the case of what you have there, if you can date it to 18th century, and positively identify it as cuban mahogany, I would leave it alone, or at most, remove any modern finish, and reapply a period authentic finish. I would not try to straighten it out, and make it look like new.

[Patrick Sparks]

Thank you for the responses. It was previously badly refinished (pigmented varnish). Also, the dovetails on that side were already sprung when I got it, and won't go back together without some modification, which I didn't want to do.

The box is clearly nothing fine or fancy, just utilitarian. No lid. The lock is handmade, and the antique lock forum bros seem to think it is pretty old.

Mike, I will probably try your method.

[Mel Fulks]

The Brits found Cuban Mahogany about 1680, I just looked it up. Oil was the finish.

[Mel Fulks]

I think the thing was made on the ship, so it was not allowed to dry first. That wood is stable when dried ,that was part of why
mahogany was so coveted.

[Patrick Sparks]

Made very quickly I think, obvious plane marks, some tear outs, not scraped. Also some big knots, so not carefully selected.

[John TenEyck]

It was a utilitarian piece. The quality of the wood and lack of care taken during construction seems appropriate.

John

[Jonathan Jung]

I agree with John, it looks cool as it is, carrying more of a story and history. Unless there's someone wanting to buy it restored, I'd leave it. To get it back together, you can clamp cauls on to help straighten the ends so the dovetails are easier to reassemble.