BEFORE AND AFTERS 1

TWO PLASTER RELIEF PLAQUES

Below is what they both looked like prior to treatment although the one shown was the only one that had a breakage.  Both backs had had marbled paper stuck to them which had deteriorated and split so I removed with moistened with de-ionised water.

I found some marbled paper which was similar to what I had removed.  I stuck this on the rabbit skin glue.  The brown stains were removed using a weak solution of hydrogen peroxide.  I then airbrushed with a fine coating of Primal B60A from Conservation Resources.  Primal (Rhoplex) B60A is a water based acrylic emulsion for consilidation of the plaster.

BROKEN BASE OF TERRACOTTA SCULPTURE

The base was broken into four pieces.  It is made of earthenware, so not fired to a high temperature.  There was also a crack across the back right which was stable but needed consolidating which was done by brushing Paraloid B72 5% in acetone.  I stood the sculpture upside-down in a plastic dustbin using wedges of Plastazote to protect the surfaces on the sides was done to fit the base onto the main sculpture.  After an initial coat of 5% Paraloid in acetone to consolidate the friable break edges. After allowing time to dry overnight I used a 20% Paraloid mix as an adhesive using magic tape to hold together.  Fills were done using Fine Polyfilla with historic pigments to match the fired clay body.  Touching in was done by painting using Golden acrylics (airbrush and heavy body colours).

I also touched in colour to match along the crack at the back and loss of patina on the nose where it looked like water had been dropped.  In some places the patina wash was showing signs of delaminating so I sprayed both the base and the uper sculpture with Paraloid B48N in Xylene, which is a harder resin than B72.

MURANO HANDLED VASE

This little murano hand blown glass vase, 5" high, had two handles that had broken off and another handle with a chip loss.  I cleaned using acetone and swabs and used clear special epoxy as adhesive to re-attach the two handles.  For the chip I used partially cured clear epoxy that I 'blobbed' onto the area.  Unfortunately I don't have a final picture as the client came to pick it up before I had a chance!

WEDGWOOD TEA SERVICE

Broken spout re-created and rivets removed from handle and filled with special epoxy and historic pigments to match colour.  Rivets were also removed from the jug handle and the plate.  Getting this colour drove me mad!! I needed to get it opaque like the wedgwood blue.  I used a pencil encircled with acetate which the epoxy doesn't stick to to get the shape of the spout end. 

Here is a photo of the complete tea service which I had previously not seen as I had only been given the bits to restore.  It's really lovely isn't it?

BALLERINA WITH MISSING FINGER

This is a piece that was only four inches in height with a broken finger on the proper right hand.  I made a rod of tinted special epoxy tinted with historic pigments and adhered it to the hand.  The first one was successful but whilst trying to polish it pinged off and was lost, so I had to do it again.

RED BELL WITH METAL FIXING

This was a bell that was part of a larger collection.  It had broken when the client's nephew was dusting!  He was very anxious to get it put back together.

It was high fired stoneware so therefore I could soak and steam clean.  The body fill was done to match the body of the bell.  When cured I did the fills using pigmented special epoxy to match the colour of the red/rust coloured body.

After that had cured it was rubbed down with micromesh and finally polished with Greygate Plastic Polish with a soft cloth.

Ta Daa! finished bell with metal bud fixed on the top.  It can now join the other bells in the lady's collection.

VICTORIAN OIL LAMP

The glass bowl had been broken on this oil lamp and there was a hole where the oil was pouring out.  I was unable to undo the screw that held it in place so had to repair the glass break with the base still attached. Using special clear epoxy I blocked the hole using mouldable wax sheets and acetate. Acetate film is easily removable from the epoxy when it has cured.  I was then able to pour special clear epoxy into the lamp using a pipette from the top opening.

After the bowl was now able to hold oil, I matched the colour of the lacquer coating that had

been on the original lamp.  Prior to spraying the colour on I masked the lower part of the lamp to protect from overspray.

TERRACOTTA BLACKAMOOR WITH BROKEN NOSE

Blackamoor 1

Blackamoor 2

Blackamoor 3

This blackamoor was bought at auction knowingly with the damage and dust.  I detached the bust from the wooden base and replaced the lower section with a black marble base which gave better stability.  She was very dirty and after having done solvent tests on the painted surface.  Best results were achieved with de-ionised water and vulpex (10%) using cotton swabs.  I then consolidated the exposed terracotta on the ridge of the bra top and the nose break edges with Paraloid B72 5% in acetone using a brush.  Using pigmented special epoxy I built up the ridge of the dress and the nose colouring with powder pigments.

Finished bust

AUTOMATON BIRD IN CAGE

AUTOMATON BIRD IN CAGE

This arrived and was in a very poor state the feathers were grey and lifeless and the birdsong mechanics were not working very well, sounded like the bird was being strangled!!  The internal foam below the movements was disintegrating and the brass coating was patchy and covered with fingerprints where people had constantly picked it up to wind the music.  Again forgot to take photo of entire item on arrival, sorry must remember to do this.........  I took a non-conservation approach to this project  as it was not for a museum but a private client.  I had discussed their requirements prior to commencing the work, they wanted the feathers replaced and to get it working again.

View of feathers and birdie base without the cage top

After removal of base from movement to reveal the extent of the disintegrating foam

To get the music box working I constantly tested the mechanism, used some very fine clock oil to ease the workings, made some adjustments and replaced the foam on several levers using 1mm thin white Plastazote™.  The top part of the beak was static with the lower beak being moved by two internal levers.  One mechanism moved the head from side to side and the other pushed the beak open. The same mechanism moved the upwards and downwards movement of the wagging tail.

I removed all the disintegrating foam mechanically and replaced it with thin white Plastazote™ which was the original thickness as I needed to screw down the top workings again.  I removed the discoloured leaves from the brass bird perch and I removed the discoloured feathers from the bird.  The only adhesive to stick the new feathers onto its plastic body was a contact adhesive, I tested other methods to stick the feathers on, Paraloid, Copydex, Balsa Cement but no, I needed an adhesive that held the feather in place and in position. I was surprised to discover that the body of the bird was made of some form of plastic. After research I discovered that they stopped making these in the 1940's so I assume that this was one of the later models made by Bontems where they introduced more modern materials.  At possibly 70 years old, I was relieved that the plastic hadn't deteriorated.

Putting on the new feathers

The branches that were wound around the perch had been made using wire covered in satin-like thread. I painted the textile leaves using Golden colours to tone in with the faded green leaves that were present.   I then wound them around the perch as they had been prior to removal.  I decided to remove the patina from the base and the cage top as it was missing in places and unsightly.  I then airbrushed several coats onto the metal with amber tinted nitrocellulose lacquer.

The cage base with the patina removed.

THE FINISHED BIRD

The finished cage with full working chirping!!

I tried to download a film of my birdie but didn't manage it. I have found some videos on youtube though, one of the internal mechanism and another of an American chap who has done his own restoration.