Rare Victorian Forum

hey, no, sorry i dont know of any i could recommend but depending on what kind of object/repair is required i highly recommend someone who is certified by the AIC. heres their web site......http://aic.stanford.edu/index.html. It may look like it would be alot more expensive to use one of these guys/gals but really its not. They are located all over the USA so it should not be hard to find one close, particularly in alexandria va. For instance, i am now located in Charlotte NC and i was interested in repair of a colonial paint decorated dower chest and found this guy through AIC.
http://www.antiquepreservation.com/Default.htm. Probably the biggest difference between a regular type furniture repair/refinish shop and a conservator? A laboratory, they can tell exactly what they are dealing with as opposed to just guessing. This is really important if a wooden object is painted. my 2 cents

I hate to be a shameless self promoter, but hey....I am.  I saw this was an old post but also wanted to rejuvenate it.  I do a lot of work for many clients in the D.C. metro area, for two reasons.  1.) Everyone knows the best restorer's are in Pa, and 2.) Easy to get to.
If anyone needs my driver to come by and pick up, just let us know.  Extra 10% off for mentioning this ad.
On a serious note, the computer and digital cameras are amazing tools, that you can now get several opinions before 'committing' to let your piece out of the house.  Through digital photos and an intellectual conservation, a good restorer 'should' be able to at least talk about what is doable, and create some sort of baseline price.  That being said, you will never get anyone to commit to a quote, unless they have the piece in hand. 
Let me know if we can be of service.
John, RVR