What kind of restoration is appropriate?

Most items of antique furniture are functional, so a certain degree of marking, staining, scratching and/or other damage is inevitable (and fine!) over time. Honest restorations done properly such as replacement veneer and/or banding, or handles, locks, and feet, are not only acceptable but desirable to most collectors as a sign of genuine age and character.

Shown below: A 17th Century Italian Olivewood Palazzo Credenza
List price: $265,000 USD. What's a credenza? An Italian sideboard. What's a sideboard? An English buffet. What's a buffet? An all you can eat chuck-wagon smorgasbord.