A reader wants to repair the pie-crust molding on this antique table. (Reader photo)

Q: I have a mahogany pie-crust table that has been in my family for generations. Unfortunately, some of the scalloped molding has come off, though I've saved a few odd pieces. I think this table may have value as an antique. It was manufactured by the now-defunct Imperial Furniture Co. in Grand Rapids, Mich., and has a serial number on the underside. However, I'd rather have it look good than worry about value. I'd like to have the molding renewed and the top refinished. Would it work to make a 3-D printing, using an original molding unit as a model? Or is there a local refinisher who might be able to take on the job?

Alexandria, Va.

A: The missing pieces of pie-crust molding probably could be replicated on a 3-D printer. Someone could scan an original section, fiddle with the coding and extrude the new piece, layer by layer, on a 3-D printer fitted with filament that contains wood fibers and plastic. “Wood 3D Printing Guide” on all3dp.com discusses materials and shows what finished objects can look like.

But wood filament is typically only 30 percent wood fiber; the rest is plastic. And it would probably take some finessing to get the ends of the new pieces to mate well with the original molding that’s still attached.

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On a piece of furniture that has been in the family for generations, wouldn’t it be better to replicate the missing parts in actual wood? Furniture-restoration shops can replicate missing pieces, or you might be able to track down a woodcarver who would do it for you.

Pie-crust tables get their name from the way the carved edges resemble the crimped edges of pie crusts. According to a history of these tables published in Traditional Home magazine in March 2008, that decorative flourish started in the early 1700s in England as the edging on a silver salver — a tray on which tea could be brought out and set down on a tea table. Chippendale and other furniture makers adapted that feature and added it to their tea tables beginning around 1745.

American-made pie-crust tables showed up beginning in the 1760s. On these early — and today, incredibly valuable — tables, the top was typically solid wood, carved out to form the flat surface, leaving a higher edge that was then hand-carved. The edge was integral — not separate pieces of molding. But furniture manufacturers later adapted the style to create pieces that look similar but have applied molding as the edging, as on your table.

Rafal Staszczak, owner of Alcedines Antique & Art Restoration Studio in Alexandria (703-672-2190; alcedines.com), said he would need to examine your table to be certain of all the details about how it was made. But, judging from the pictures you sent, he said restoring it would probably involve carving small pieces of molding to fill in for the missing pieces, fitting them to mate well with the remaining original molding, then refinishing the table so everything matches. Whether complete refinishing is necessary would depend on how many other repairs need to be made, the composition of the finish that’s there now and your goals for restoring the table.

Staszczak, a graduate of the University of Technology in Rzeszów, Poland, strives to be true to the traditions of Central European craftsmanship. He specializes in French polish, the traditional treatment for high-end furniture that’s built up with multiple layers of shellac rubbed on by hand with an oil-lubricated pad. This results in a high-gloss finish that accentuates the chatoyancy, or shimmering sheen, that’s found in some wood, including some mahogany, the wood often used to make pie-crust tables. Your table may or may not have this finish. If it does, Staszczak said, he could spot-treat the finish rather than strip and start over. But if the finish is lacquer or varnish, the old finish might need to go if you want a uniform, good-looking finish on the tabletop and base, especially if there’s other damage that needs to be repaired.

Alcedines charges a minimum fee of $750 and gives estimates after evaluating pieces in person. The shop doesn’t do small jobs, such as carving a few inches of molding, Staszczak said, noting that he has to take on jobs that support his shop and all its associated expenses. Denatured alcohol, the solvent used for shellac-based finishes, used to cost $7 a gallon. “Now, it’s $16,” he said, “and I cannot work for $15 an hour. For just replacing the piece, look for someone who does it as a hobby.”

If your budget is too tight for a professional restoration, you might be able to connect with a woodcarver through a carving club or a store that sells carving tools, such as the Woodcraft store in Springfield (703-912-6727; woodcraft.com/stores/washington-dc-area), which is offering a basic woodcarving class on March 16. The Northern Virginia Carvers, based in Herndon, meets via Zoom on Thursdays. The club’s website, northernvirginiacarvers.org, lists an email address to contact for details.

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