Frequently asked questions
What does Fox & Wedge specialise in?
We sell furniture with a real story behind it, pieces from named makers and design houses, not generic vintage. Danish and Scandinavian cabinetmaking, the joinery-forward work of designers like Hans Wegner and Finn Juhl. Australian names like Parker, Fler and Featherston, who took that thinking and built it for local homes. American design, Eames, Nelson, Knoll, that scaled the same ideas without losing the craft. And design houses still running today, places like Møllers, still family-owned, still making Niels O. Møller's original pieces.
Every piece is also restored properly, joints reglued, finishes rebuilt by hand, nothing sprayed over and left to fail in a decade.
Why choose restored vintage over something new?
A Danish sideboard from 1971 has already outlived three or four of the things built to replace it, and it has not begun to tire. It was made by people who assumed it would be repaired rather than replaced, and over fifty years of careful use has given it a depth of surface no factory can imitate.
It also holds its value. New furniture loses most of its worth the moment it is delivered, whereas good mid-century design has done the opposite, because the makers are finite and nothing more is coming. Where a piece can be traced to a designer or a workshop, that provenance is what separates furniture from something worth keeping, and it is the first thing a collector asks about.
Then there is the obvious part. Nothing had to be felled, manufactured or shipped across an ocean for a piece that already exists, and when you are eventually done with it, somebody else will want it. That is a circular economy which has been running quietly since 1971 without anybody needing to name it.
More buyers are treating this as an investment now, not just a purchase, and walking away with something nobody else has.
What does restored actually mean here?
Not everything is done by hand. Machine tools do what they are better at, and precision work is made by hand.
Most pieces are rebuilt rather than tidied up. Joints are reglued instead of filled, veneer is patched with matching timber, mechanisms are serviced, finishes taken back and reapplied the way they came off. Where original upholstery or leather still has real character, we restore around it instead of replacing it.
Traditional Danish methods where the piece calls for them, modern ones where they do better. Upholstery goes to professional upholsterers for new commercial-grade designer fabrics, often treated for stain resistance. Where an original part no longer exists, a drawer handle, a foot, we turn a new one to match. Where it is something like a plastic fitting for a lamp last made in 1965, we 3D print it instead.
We do not spray polyurethane over timber, because that finish looks glossy for a year and then fails, and nothing can be repaired into it. The finishes we do use can be touched up later, by you at home or by us. The aim is a well-made piece from decades ago that works in a house today.
Can I reserve a piece before it is restored?
Yes, and it is the best way to buy from us. Pieces waiting in the workshop are listed on the Warehouse Stock page, and a 50% deposit secures the piece before the work begins.
That deposit is what lets you choose the fabric or leather and the finish, the one part of the process that's entirely yours to decide. For sideboards and tables, that usually means the finish. For chairs and upholstered pieces, it means picking the fabric or leather yourself before we get to it first.
Is buying vintage actually better for the environment?
Restoring what already exists is the most sustainable thing anyone can do with furniture. No new timber, no factory, no freight across an ocean. Where we do have a choice, we take the quieter one, using natural oils and waxes rather than synthetic lacquers, and low-VOC products wherever the piece allows.
Can you tell me the history of my piece?
Where we can attribute something, we will, and we will tell you how we know. Maker's marks, stamps, construction, hardware and timber all say something, and most of it is inside a drawer or underneath.
Where we cannot be certain, we say so, rather than guessing at a designer's name to lift the price. If you own something and want a second opinion, send us photos, and we will tell you what we think.
How should I care for my restored furniture?
Dust it, keep it out of direct sun and away from ducted heating, and re-oil timber every six to twelve months, the same as the Care Guide's own timber advice. None of it takes more than a few minutes, and the Care Guide properly covers timber, upholstery, leather, and metals.
Furniture care is worth doing properly, because condition is most of what a good mid-century piece is worth. Look after it, and it will hold its value, and on the right pieces, it can keep climbing.
What is your return policy?
All sales are final on vintage pieces because each one is unique and often restored to order. What we owe you in return is honesty. We tell you everything we know about the condition of a piece before you buy, including the marks we have chosen to leave, and every listing includes full measurements.
If a piece arrives damaged or is not as described, contact us within 48 hours with photos, and we will make it right.
Can I see something in person before I buy?
Yes, and we would rather you did. The studio in Torquay is appointment-only, which suits everybody. You get the space to yourself, nobody is hovering, and you can see what is half-finished as well as what is ready to go. We can walk you through our process and show you the tailored, dedicated approach behind every piece.
26/18 Castles Dr, Torquay VIC 3228. Twenty minutes from Geelong, just over an hour from Melbourne
Can I collect my order myself?
Yes, and collection is free. We will confirm a window with you once the piece is ready.
Bring a vehicle that suits what you are collecting, along with blankets or straps if you have them.
Do you deliver?
Australia wide, at flat rates by area rather than a calculator guessing at dimensions. Across the Surf Coast, Geelong and Melbourne we bring the piece inside and put it where you want it, then take the packaging away.
Interstate goes with trusted professional furniture carriers we have used for years, not a general freight network. Buying more than one piece? Tell us before you order, and we will quote it as one delivery, which always works out to be less than sending them separately. More information regarding rates can be found on the delivery page.
Can you find a specific piece for me?
Yes, and it is worth asking. Most of what we buy is already promised to someone before it reaches the website. Most of the studio's stock is pre-reserved, with only a limited amount actually making it onto the floor, and there is always more here than what you will find on the site.
If you are after a particular designer, a table that has to be exactly 180 centimetres, or a pair of chairs to match the ones you already own, tell us. We may already have it, and if not, we will keep an eye out. No obligation and no list you cannot get off. Just a message when the right thing turns up.
