We just received this beautiful testimonial from a client who sent in a very treasured family piece. We can never say thank you enough for your patronage for your kind words. It is clients such as Vickie and Marty McLean that we continue to strive for perfect restorations and happy customers.
"When I
held the pieces of our damaged netsuki in my hands, I knew I'd never
forget that moment. Like most of the pieces you restore, this one has
such emotional and intrinsic value that money could never replace. I
knew you'd do your best but also expected to see some of the flaws from
the breakage and the repair work.
I was wrong.
When my
husband and I hesitantly opened the box and unpacked the treasure, we
held our breath. And then we looked--and looked--for the fissures and
fillings. We can find none. The netsuki LOOKS like it did before it fell
to the floor.
Thank you, thank you. To whomever restored our piece, you worked magic and we are utterly grateful to you."
~Vickie and Marty MacLean
Monday, October 8, 2012
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
WE ARE NOW DOING ART SALES
Dear new and loyal customers, if you are interested in selling your treasured Fine Art and Collectibles, please do not hesitate to contact Pick Up the Pieces! We now are featuring art for sale on our website where we connect the buyer and seller! What a great way to give your artwork new and exciting exposure than with an art company that has been around since 1956! We will be submitting new pieces bi-monthly in our email newsletter!
Contact PUP today for more information @ 949-645-9955 and ask for our art consultant.
We already have clients and customers contacting us today to place their items on our website! Join us and our fabulous team at PUP by selling through us today!
Warmly,
PUP Staff
Don't forget, if you have new art restoration needs, we are here for all those services. We restore fine art, china, crystal, glass, jade, wood, porcelain, and much more! No one beats our prices and museum quality fine art restoration work!
Contact PUP today for more information @ 949-645-9955 and ask for our art consultant.
We already have clients and customers contacting us today to place their items on our website! Join us and our fabulous team at PUP by selling through us today!
Warmly,
PUP Staff
Don't forget, if you have new art restoration needs, we are here for all those services. We restore fine art, china, crystal, glass, jade, wood, porcelain, and much more! No one beats our prices and museum quality fine art restoration work!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Chuck Jone's gift to Pick Up the Pieces
This year Pick Up the Pieces is celebrating 50 years of restoring fine art and collectibles for people all over the world. Over the past 50 years we have had the pleasure of working on a number of interesting pieces for thousands of wonderful people including such stars as Frank Sinantra, Anthony Quinn and even Chuck Jones (the creator and animator of the Warner Brothers cartoon character Bugs Bunny)!
To thank us for our work, Chuck Jones was kind enough to draw us our very own Bugs Bunny cartoon:
Thank you Chuck! From the stars to our neighbors, Pick Up the Pieces is happy to work on all your chipped, scratched and even shattered art and collectibles!!
To thank us for our work, Chuck Jones was kind enough to draw us our very own Bugs Bunny cartoon:
Friday, May 11, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Our April Testimonial
Watch our new testimonial from a HAPPY and Loyal Customer! Don't forget to set an appointment for any Jewelry service you may need or just to let us know you will be coming in! We appreciate your patronage! And are always here to service you! Thank you to our fabulous customers!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Frequently Asked Questions About Ceramic Restorations
Why Should I restore?
The term restoration generally refers to the art of improving an object's appearance, but restorers also stabalize and strengthen objects, removing accumulations of dirt or repairs that may injure the object, thus preserving it for future generations.
How Long Will This Take?
One must be prepared to wait for quality work. Remember that restoration is a fine craft, and that treatments take time. Air pressure, temperature, and humidity all have subtle effects on the curing of the new sensitive materials used in ceramic restoration. An air bubble, or puckery surface may delay the completion of a repair.
The term restoration generally refers to the art of improving an object's appearance, but restorers also stabalize and strengthen objects, removing accumulations of dirt or repairs that may injure the object, thus preserving it for future generations.
How Long Will This Take?
One must be prepared to wait for quality work. Remember that restoration is a fine craft, and that treatments take time. Air pressure, temperature, and humidity all have subtle effects on the curing of the new sensitive materials used in ceramic restoration. An air bubble, or puckery surface may delay the completion of a repair.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Your Broken Treasure Can Be Restored to its Original Beauty
Has one of your treasured possessions such as a porcelain figurine, a crystal vase or an oil painting ever been damaged? These items are often thrown away because most of us are not aware that the piece can be restored to its original beauty.
If one of your treasures is damaged, there is no reason to fret, because the nation's largest art and collectible restoration company is located right here in Santa Ana. Pick Up the Pieces can restore damaged porcelain, crystal, painting, photographs and just about every other type of art or collectible.
Pick Up The Pieces repairs the most severely damaged pieces, even when large parts are missing. Almost all repairs are invisible, and prices are very reasonable. Work is guaranteed and pick up delivery can be arranged for large items.
Pick Up the Pieces has been in business since 1956. It serves the general public, retailers, the insurance industry and the moving industry. It holds membership in the American Institute of Conservators and the Claims PRevention and Procedures Council.
For Free Estimates call (949) 645-9955 or visit our website at www.pickupthepieces.com
If one of your treasures is damaged, there is no reason to fret, because the nation's largest art and collectible restoration company is located right here in Santa Ana. Pick Up the Pieces can restore damaged porcelain, crystal, painting, photographs and just about every other type of art or collectible.
Pick Up The Pieces repairs the most severely damaged pieces, even when large parts are missing. Almost all repairs are invisible, and prices are very reasonable. Work is guaranteed and pick up delivery can be arranged for large items.
Pick Up the Pieces has been in business since 1956. It serves the general public, retailers, the insurance industry and the moving industry. It holds membership in the American Institute of Conservators and the Claims PRevention and Procedures Council.
For Free Estimates call (949) 645-9955 or visit our website at www.pickupthepieces.com
Friday, March 9, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Pick Up The Pieces is offering 10% off to all jewelry and watch repair customers. Offer is good until March 31, 2012. Fast (while you wait) convenient and professional jewelry and watch repair. Stone missing? Ring too tight? Watch needs a battery or a new crystal?
Services Provided:
Jewelry Repair
Ring Sizing
Necklace & Bracelet Repair
Precious & Semi-Precious Stone Replacement
Jewelry Cleaning & Polishing
Custom Jewelry Designs
Watch Repair
Watch Battery Replacement
Contact us today 949 645-9955 or just stop in. We are open Monday-Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturday from 10:00am -2:00pm. We are located at: 2740 S. Harbor Blvd Suite G, Santa Ana, CA 92704.
Services Provided:
Jewelry Repair
Ring Sizing
Necklace & Bracelet Repair
Precious & Semi-Precious Stone Replacement
Jewelry Cleaning & Polishing
Custom Jewelry Designs
Watch Repair
Watch Battery Replacement
Contact us today 949 645-9955 or just stop in. We are open Monday-Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturday from 10:00am -2:00pm. We are located at: 2740 S. Harbor Blvd Suite G, Santa Ana, CA 92704.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Come Pick Up Your Restored Piece
When you come to pick up your restored pieces, to museum quality, it will be packaged safely for its transportation home! We take delicate care of your pieces from start to finish, and restore anything! From Any Material or Finish! You name it, we can restore it! Bring in your fine porcelain, china, crystal, jade, wood, glass, etc... art or antique collectible, and leave completely satisfied!
From you PUP STAFF!
A Very Happy Client!
Watch how happy one of our loyal client's is after receiving her restored Crystal Candelabra! It was restored to museum quality! She has been with us for the last 20 years, and trusts Pick Up the Pieces for the most difficult jobs and restorations!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Our New Commerical
This month in February, we filmed our artists and put together this lovely video for your happy viewing. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 949-645-9955. We are located at 2740 S. Harbor Blvd., Santa Ana, Ca.
A new testimonial from a loyal customer!
Kimberly Duncan, a loyal and returning customer, brought to us her ebony bull for restoration. Upon it's delivery from Africa, the bull's horn was broken in transit. Mrs. Duncan, rushed the piece over to PUP for a quick and beautiful restoration. Thank you, Mrs. Duncan for you trust in us to do it right!
Picking Up the Pieces
An Article in Antiques
Written by Jennifer J. Bush
A childish bout of roughhousing decades ago left a legacy and a bit of unfinished business for Ray LaTreill of Irvine.
When they were young boys, LaTreill and his twin brother tipped over their mother's precious porcelain vase while wrestling in their upstate New York home. During the scuffle, the boys broke off a piece of the rim.
"It was my mom's favorite heirloom," LaTreill said.
The boy's mother, Thelma LaTreill, had received the hand-painted vase as a wedding gift from her mother around 1910. Shortly after the wedding her mother died, which contributed even more to the sentimental value of the piece, he explained.
"We knew she was hurt, but she never really showed it," LaTreill said. His mother simply turned the side with the flaw to the wall to hide it. And the missing piece of the rim was eventually lost.
Ray inherited the hand-painted Royal Doulton porcelain when his mother died. His research indicates that it was made between 1890-1900. Signed by the artist, it is considered an original work of art. A recent appraisal valued the piece at $7,000-$9,000.
"I'll never sell it," he said. "It's very sentimental."
LaTreill, who vowed to make it right one day, finally put a happy ending to the story of the vase. The vase was recently repaired at PICK UP THE PIECES, a company that specializes in the restoration of fine art collectibles.
Foster Art Restoration
PUP is the nation's largest art restoration company. John D. Foster-- an inventor, chemist, and artist-- started the business under the name Foster Art Restoration over 50 years ago. Foster innovated and patented a porcelain-like substance that seals cracks and bonds invisibly. And when poured into a mold, it can be used to create missing parts on a porcelain figure. Borrowing ideas from the aerospace industry, he developed a transparent adhesive for glass and crystal. In all, Foster developed about 25 strategic applications that can be used to repair almost any fine art medium.
"Growing up, my dad was always mixing things; he was like a mad scientist," said his son, John C. Foster.
The company receives broken treasures from all over the world, some just shards arriving in Ziploc bags. At any given time, the shop has about 3,500 items in the works. About 20 percent of the total items they receive are defined as antique (more than 100 years old). Another 30 percent are sentimental pieces.
"These are items that may not be worth much on the market, but are irreplaceable to the owners," John C. said. For one couple, it was a plate, the only item retrieved after their home burned down. To another woman, a salt shaker was all she had from a childhood home. And for a little boy, it was a simple clay pot he created as a gift for his mother that he dropped on the way home from schol.
"People are elated when we tell them we can fix things," said Angela Foster, the wife of John D. "We have housekeepers that come here in tears and they go out smiling."
The majority of the items restored are high-end art pieces including sculptures, crystal, ivory, china, ceramics, porcelain, silver, bronze. They also repair and clean original oil paintings, photographs, and graphics of all types. Moving and insurance companies are their largest customers.
The family owned business has repaired extremely rare and valuable pieces for collectors, museums, and galleries including original Ming vases and Dresden and Meissen porcelain. The oldest item restored was a 4,700 year-old Egyptian amphora that was retrieved from a shipwreck in the Mediterranean.
"The irony is that it existed on the ocean floor for 4,700 years and when they brought it up, they dropped it," John C. said. It was more than 200 pieces, some of which had reduced to powder. The artisans had to not only fit the pieces together, but simulate the encrustation that had occurred over time, he explained.
Their company's field services division can restore just about any hard surface, such as porcelain tubs, ceramic tile and marble. The Melrose Abbey mural in Anaheim was among their many projects.
The cost of restoration varies according to the extent of repair needed. Each piece is evaluated individually. On the average, it cost about $125 to repair a Lladro with several broken parts. Usually it takes 30-60 days to complete most restorations.
"We're often asked whether restoration decreases the value of an item," John C. said. "While the value of a collectible such as a Lladro can go down about 20 percent after being damaged and then restored-- for rare, one of a kind pieces, restoration tends to increase its value.
"If you think about it, the Mona Lisa has been restored 60 times," John C. said. "And its value has not changed."
Written by Jennifer J. Bush
A childish bout of roughhousing decades ago left a legacy and a bit of unfinished business for Ray LaTreill of Irvine.
When they were young boys, LaTreill and his twin brother tipped over their mother's precious porcelain vase while wrestling in their upstate New York home. During the scuffle, the boys broke off a piece of the rim.
"It was my mom's favorite heirloom," LaTreill said.
The boy's mother, Thelma LaTreill, had received the hand-painted vase as a wedding gift from her mother around 1910. Shortly after the wedding her mother died, which contributed even more to the sentimental value of the piece, he explained.
"We knew she was hurt, but she never really showed it," LaTreill said. His mother simply turned the side with the flaw to the wall to hide it. And the missing piece of the rim was eventually lost.
Ray inherited the hand-painted Royal Doulton porcelain when his mother died. His research indicates that it was made between 1890-1900. Signed by the artist, it is considered an original work of art. A recent appraisal valued the piece at $7,000-$9,000.
"I'll never sell it," he said. "It's very sentimental."
LaTreill, who vowed to make it right one day, finally put a happy ending to the story of the vase. The vase was recently repaired at PICK UP THE PIECES, a company that specializes in the restoration of fine art collectibles.
Foster Art Restoration
PUP is the nation's largest art restoration company. John D. Foster-- an inventor, chemist, and artist-- started the business under the name Foster Art Restoration over 50 years ago. Foster innovated and patented a porcelain-like substance that seals cracks and bonds invisibly. And when poured into a mold, it can be used to create missing parts on a porcelain figure. Borrowing ideas from the aerospace industry, he developed a transparent adhesive for glass and crystal. In all, Foster developed about 25 strategic applications that can be used to repair almost any fine art medium.
"Growing up, my dad was always mixing things; he was like a mad scientist," said his son, John C. Foster.
The company receives broken treasures from all over the world, some just shards arriving in Ziploc bags. At any given time, the shop has about 3,500 items in the works. About 20 percent of the total items they receive are defined as antique (more than 100 years old). Another 30 percent are sentimental pieces.
"These are items that may not be worth much on the market, but are irreplaceable to the owners," John C. said. For one couple, it was a plate, the only item retrieved after their home burned down. To another woman, a salt shaker was all she had from a childhood home. And for a little boy, it was a simple clay pot he created as a gift for his mother that he dropped on the way home from schol.
"People are elated when we tell them we can fix things," said Angela Foster, the wife of John D. "We have housekeepers that come here in tears and they go out smiling."
The majority of the items restored are high-end art pieces including sculptures, crystal, ivory, china, ceramics, porcelain, silver, bronze. They also repair and clean original oil paintings, photographs, and graphics of all types. Moving and insurance companies are their largest customers.
The family owned business has repaired extremely rare and valuable pieces for collectors, museums, and galleries including original Ming vases and Dresden and Meissen porcelain. The oldest item restored was a 4,700 year-old Egyptian amphora that was retrieved from a shipwreck in the Mediterranean.
"The irony is that it existed on the ocean floor for 4,700 years and when they brought it up, they dropped it," John C. said. It was more than 200 pieces, some of which had reduced to powder. The artisans had to not only fit the pieces together, but simulate the encrustation that had occurred over time, he explained.
Their company's field services division can restore just about any hard surface, such as porcelain tubs, ceramic tile and marble. The Melrose Abbey mural in Anaheim was among their many projects.
The cost of restoration varies according to the extent of repair needed. Each piece is evaluated individually. On the average, it cost about $125 to repair a Lladro with several broken parts. Usually it takes 30-60 days to complete most restorations.
"We're often asked whether restoration decreases the value of an item," John C. said. "While the value of a collectible such as a Lladro can go down about 20 percent after being damaged and then restored-- for rare, one of a kind pieces, restoration tends to increase its value.
"If you think about it, the Mona Lisa has been restored 60 times," John C. said. "And its value has not changed."
Article Featured in Orange County Home 2006
Some might Consider an oil painting with a cracked or torn canvas, smoke damage or excessive dirt beyond repair.
But with the solutions and specialized techniques developed by John D. Foster of Newport Beach, fine art can be restored to its original luster.
Foster- an inventor, chemist, and artist- carved his niche in the art world by combining his love for art with chemistry. He started a business under the name Foster Art Restoration 50 years ago. The company, now known as Pick Up the Pieces, has become the largest art restoration company in the nation.
"This is an emergency room for treasured items; you never know what's going to come through the door," said Chris Carter, PUP manager.
While the company has been recognized for its repair of sculptures and other objects crafted from porcelain, crystal, china, and marble, it can also perform the same magic on damaged oil paintings.
Four professors of art on staff advise art collectors, museum curators, retailers, and insurance companies on the beset treatment plan for paintings in need of cleaning or repair.
Damage can come from everyday disasters, such as house fires, or unexpected accidents in transit. When a forklift punctures art shipped in a container, "WE get the task of bringing it back to life," Carter said.
Each painting is evaluated individually upon arrival. The condition of pigment is first tested for its integrity. Then the painting is cleaned in stages using solutions created by Foster.
The passage of time alone can be damaging to fine art.
"After a period of time, crazing can occur where the pigment starts to crack and it eventually starts to fall," Carter said. Such situations require the skill of artisans on staff, who actually repaint missing sections.
In severe cases, when large segments are gone, a piece of a new canvas can be inserted and repainted. A fragile painting might first require relining the entire back with canvas.
"People place an enormous amount of trust and fait in us," Carter said.
The company recently finished restoring a collection of works by California artist Edgar Payne worth $750,000.
"We get such a variety of objects from different cultures all over the world," said Angela Foster, wife of the founder. She oversees the company along with her son, John C. Foster.
"So much original art is going to be extinct," she said. Perpetuating art for future generations is the overall goal of the family-owned business, she said.
In addition to paintings, the company restores photographs and historical documents such as Civil War certificates in which the ink has disappeared over time.
"We're able to arrest the aging process and re-create missing areas," Carter explained.
A Customer recently brought in a letter which had turned completely gray after nearly a century. It took a microscope to see the indentations of the letter, which divulged that it had been written by Theodore Roosevelt in 1911. The letter; along with a badly decomposed newspaper clipping dating from the same period, were meticulously restored and placed in an archival frame for the customer.
The reception area of the shop can become emotional at times. "A lot of people burst into tears when they get their things back," Carter said.
Written by Jennifer Bush
jbush@ocresgister.com
First Aid for Art -- PUP is the largest restoration company in the nation!
Some might Consider an oil painting with a cracked or torn canvas, smoke damage or excessive dirt beyond repair.
But with the solutions and specialized techniques developed by John D. Foster of Newport Beach, fine art can be restored to its original luster.
Foster- an inventor, chemist, and artist- carved his niche in the art world by combining his love for art with chemistry. He started a business under the name Foster Art Restoration 50 years ago. The company, now known as Pick Up the Pieces, has become the largest art restoration company in the nation.
"This is an emergency room for treasured items; you never know what's going to come through the door," said Chris Carter, PUP manager.
While the company has been recognized for its repair of sculptures and other objects crafted from porcelain, crystal, china, and marble, it can also perform the same magic on damaged oil paintings.
Four professors of art on staff advise art collectors, museum curators, retailers, and insurance companies on the beset treatment plan for paintings in need of cleaning or repair.
Damage can come from everyday disasters, such as house fires, or unexpected accidents in transit. When a forklift punctures art shipped in a container, "WE get the task of bringing it back to life," Carter said.
Each painting is evaluated individually upon arrival. The condition of pigment is first tested for its integrity. Then the painting is cleaned in stages using solutions created by Foster.
The passage of time alone can be damaging to fine art.
"After a period of time, crazing can occur where the pigment starts to crack and it eventually starts to fall," Carter said. Such situations require the skill of artisans on staff, who actually repaint missing sections.
In severe cases, when large segments are gone, a piece of a new canvas can be inserted and repainted. A fragile painting might first require relining the entire back with canvas.
"People place an enormous amount of trust and fait in us," Carter said.
The company recently finished restoring a collection of works by California artist Edgar Payne worth $750,000.
"We get such a variety of objects from different cultures all over the world," said Angela Foster, wife of the founder. She oversees the company along with her son, John C. Foster.
"So much original art is going to be extinct," she said. Perpetuating art for future generations is the overall goal of the family-owned business, she said.
In addition to paintings, the company restores photographs and historical documents such as Civil War certificates in which the ink has disappeared over time.
"We're able to arrest the aging process and re-create missing areas," Carter explained.
A Customer recently brought in a letter which had turned completely gray after nearly a century. It took a microscope to see the indentations of the letter, which divulged that it had been written by Theodore Roosevelt in 1911. The letter; along with a badly decomposed newspaper clipping dating from the same period, were meticulously restored and placed in an archival frame for the customer.
The reception area of the shop can become emotional at times. "A lot of people burst into tears when they get their things back," Carter said.
Written by Jennifer Bush
jbush@ocresgister.com
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