The Cape came home in Bubblewrap

It was great to come home after two weeks, I spent last weekend in Cape Town attending a workshop for conservation bodies. 

I was looking forward to see the progress on the property with Shawn limewashing the buildings. Monday the removal company delivered the consignment of Cape antique furniture from Pretoria. Danie and Stella drove through from Worcester to take delivery of the pieces.

Keith has decided that he is going to repatriate every piece of Cape furniture in Gauteng to Towerwater.

On Fridays I normally arrive at the house with its neatly manicured garden, unlock the double doors and switch on the side lamp next to the Chesterfield casting a warm glow on the leather. Then I switch on the lamp in the library and the light spills over the books on the shelves painting a scene of a room for reserved entertainment.
This Friday was different, when I switch on the first lamp I lit up a room full of bubblewrap or actually full of strange objects wrapped in bubble wrap. I was grateful for Danie and Stella who made sure I had room to move.

Saturday morning was spent unwrapping furniture, inspecting them according to instruction and moving them into their positions.

The jonkmanskas
 

The Pegtop table with the pegs visible
 

The two pieces of furniture that started it all was two Cape Regency armchairs made by B W van Dyk in Barry Street, Robertson and that is why they had to come home. Thanks to Philip and Ian, in Paris who helped to bring them home.

The B W van Dyk Chairs

The Maker's stamp on the chairs

More on the furniture of the house to follow.

Details of a lime-washed room

The Cape chair

Restoring a Cape Regency linen press

BW van Dyk - 19th Century furniture maker, Robertson

The BW van Dyk chairs that found us

The Cape came home in Bubblewrap

The anatomy of a BW van Dyk dining chair

The anatomy of a BW van Dyk dining carver