Maurizio Riboni case for musical instruments

Our Philosophy

To maintain our memory of the past by returning functionality and sometimes even beauty to an object where "only" fascination or fondness has survived. This is restoration. The alternative is to throw it out. On occasion it is a bother, occasionally advice, at times like jumping off a cliff, sometimes a whole style, a philosophy. We will receive anyone who has the desire and the will to invest money for the necessity, or if only for the gratification of seeing an object continue to live, perhaps in a slightly different way but representing a bridge between antique and modern.
The quantity of modern over antique will always depend upon the conservation of the latter; so as not be too invasive one must begin with a light conservative restoration, almost no more than maintenance. To sum up, one does not necessarily have to wait to possess an antique object in order to begin to see something of the antique.
You will therefore be accomplices in the final result in that you will decide the moment for intervention; you will give us the starting point for our work.
The restoration begins with you.
We will supply you with the competence, the technique and, if you wish, some suggestions as to style. The choice, however, is yours. In our experience we only wish to add that in restoring something is a way to make it even more a part of you.

Basic Technique

All aerobic organisms have the common need for oxygen. In order to destroy any and all types of such organisms there is no better way than to deprive them of their environmental condition necessary to continue their livelihood, that of causing damage to the case.

To absorb oxygen means to seal the case within a hermetically sealed container (not under vacuum) together with small packets containing extremely fine iron powder. These absorb oxygen from the air transforming the iron into a non-toxic iron oxide, such as rust.
A simple method, non-invasive and non-toxic, which is highly effective in all areas of the object under restoration.
Once verified the definitive elimination of all organisms which contributed to the weakening of the object we begin the structural rebuilding - followed by the aesthetic phase of the restoration.
To bring the object back to its original strength is not always easy, especially when one is confronted with antique hand executed stitching, old zippers, straps or buttons which no longer exist, leather which has been heavily damaged or weaknesses in the wooden body.

The same conservative philosophy is represented as much as possible on the interior. Nonetheless we have often found ourselves forced to substitute an old interior, compromised beyond hope (or already improperly substituted in the past) with new material, always taking care that it adequately conforms with the original antique parts of the case. These are extreme instances, but not for this should one consider them to be compromises in that the functional and aesthetic results, which we always hold high, are as sober and "elegant" possible. It is not rare to see a modern contribution adding to the uniqueness of the case.
We would like to underline that certain operations we carry out include the participation and opinion of the client. It is our habit to keep a photographic archive of all work carried out during the restoration in order to have a specific history and material to forward to the client; a work in progress where the judgement of the client is constantly comes into play.

Exemples of restoration