About the service
I offer specialized restoration services for antique cash registers, from ornate Victorian-era brass models to early twentieth-century nickel-plated counter machines. Every project begins with a full mechanical assessment: the crank drive, key bank, amount indicators, and drawer-release linkage are disassembled, catalogued, and inspected for worn gears, broken pawls, and seized springs.
Decades of dust and oxidation are removed from brass castings using conservation-grade methods that lift grime and verdigris without stripping the original patina or erasing the maker's engraving. Where scrollwork or emblem plates have been dented or cracked, I hand-form replacement brass to match the original casting lines rather than bolting on generic parts. Nickel plating that has flaked or yellowed is carefully re-finished section by section, keeping repairs invisible against the surrounding original surface.
Wooden drawer housings and marquee glass are reglued, releveled, and, when needed, re-silvered using period-appropriate techniques so lettering stays legible without a modern, mismatched sheen. Internal springs and linkages are re-tensioned and lubricated with archival lubricants suited to long-term mechanical storage, not modern greases that gum up over time.
Before delivery, every register is tested through dozens of full transaction cycles — key press, total ring, drawer pop, and reset — to confirm the mechanism runs smoothly and reliably, not just that it looks restored. My portfolio includes registers returned to working display condition for antique shops, museums, and private collectors. Typical turnaround runs two to three weeks depending on parts fabrication needs, with photo updates at each restoration stage so you can follow the process from disassembly to the final polished result.
Decades of dust and oxidation are removed from brass castings using conservation-grade methods that lift grime and verdigris without stripping the original patina or erasing the maker's engraving. Where scrollwork or emblem plates have been dented or cracked, I hand-form replacement brass to match the original casting lines rather than bolting on generic parts. Nickel plating that has flaked or yellowed is carefully re-finished section by section, keeping repairs invisible against the surrounding original surface.
Wooden drawer housings and marquee glass are reglued, releveled, and, when needed, re-silvered using period-appropriate techniques so lettering stays legible without a modern, mismatched sheen. Internal springs and linkages are re-tensioned and lubricated with archival lubricants suited to long-term mechanical storage, not modern greases that gum up over time.
Before delivery, every register is tested through dozens of full transaction cycles — key press, total ring, drawer pop, and reset — to confirm the mechanism runs smoothly and reliably, not just that it looks restored. My portfolio includes registers returned to working display condition for antique shops, museums, and private collectors. Typical turnaround runs two to three weeks depending on parts fabrication needs, with photo updates at each restoration stage so you can follow the process from disassembly to the final polished result.
