Preservation & restoration

I learned the craft of gilded leatherwork from my father, H.A.B. van Soest. He was one of the pioneers in preservation and restoration of gilded leather. Besides making new gilded leather, I also preserve and restore existing gilded leather. My primary goal is to preserve gilded leather and, only if it is really necessary, to restore the gilded leather. Gilded leather from the 17th or 18th century may be shown as it already existed. For the restoration of gilded leather, it is therefore important that the new leather pieces, where the damage is repaired, remain in the background, and the original, aging gilded leather is reinforced.