Gene McCall’s easygoing manner demonstrates why he is a sought-after master for the restoration of antique furniture, sculpture and objets d’art. He has devoted over 35 years mastering furniture making, gold leafing, carving, inlay, trompe-l’oeil, and all the other techniques of the restorer’s art, all of which require infinite patience and passion.

Since his apprenticeship with a master craftsman in Virginia over three decades ago, Gene has achieved a national reputation by restoring numerous pieces of furniture and sculpture which now reside in many museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of American Folk Art, The Ringling Museum, Winterthur, and many more. He’s a published author, consultant and lecturer, and has been filmed as an expert on the Antiques Road Show. Gene’s client list reads like Who’s Who, with names like Richard Gere, Ron Howard, Paul Newman, Robert Redford and many others. In fact, Gene’s own biography is listed in Who’s Who in America, as well as Who’s Who in the World.

While Gene’s main emphasis has been 18th and 19th century furniture, he has also restored 14th century French statues, a chain mail shirt (Mughal Court), ancient Egyptian tomb figures, the Grande Escritoire of King Louis Bonaparte (Napoleon’s brother), Berlin Wall sections, and the original New York Stock Exchange Trading Pit, just to name a few.

So you’d think Gene’s most exciting projects come from far corners of the world. Not so. Gene says he marvels at unusual projects he receives from private homes here in Florida. For example, he recently restored a magnificent Boulle-work secretary that was the life’s work of a devoted craftsman who spent five decades completing this single desk. Over the intervening years, this incredible desk, made of brass, pewter and copper, inlaid in a tortoise-shell background, remained in the family, but fell ever deeper into disrepair.

By the time Gene was asked to save it, hundreds of delicate inlays had fallen off or been destroyed. Many would consider it ready for the dumpster, but following Gene’s restoration, the transformation is breathtaking. “Saving a gem like that is one of my greatest rewards,” says Gene. “After all, once it’s gone, it’s lost forever.” 

Gene’s specialty is working with pieces that are extremely fragile or in poor condition. If a museum or collector is afraid an object may not be able to be saved, Gene is the person they call to do the job.

After many years in New York, Gene moved his firm to Sarasota County in 1991. In addition to his busy schedule and many works-in-progress, Gene will gladly consult with potential clients about their family heirlooms in need of restoration. He also produces videotapes and gives slideshows on antique restoration and furniture design.

Whether it’s a king’s desk devastated by a water main break, a broken ivory figurine, or an antique chest that’s been passed down in your family, Gene McCall gives it his best work. Impeccable service, unrivaled quality and attention to detail are his company’s hallmarks.
 

Above: A treasured Boulle secretary desk before and during the restoration. 

At Left:  Boulle secretary desk after the restoration.