Restoration
Replacements – Invisible Repairs – Toning – Compo – Dry Stripping – Re-gilding – Stabilising – Stain Removal
Sculpture, carved furniture, lettering and gilding inevitably suffer weathering, damage and decay as they age. Restoration often requires research and detective work in order to replace pieces which may be missing, badly damaged, or recorded only in very early or blurred photographs. Our experience comes into play both in researching what ought to be present where sections are missing, and in reading the intentions of the original sculptor from the marks they’ve left behind. Often the direction of a missing leaf can be read by the form of the surrounding ornament and the catalogue of rougher marks where the carving has been undercut.
In the case of stone, over time pieces may have weathered so as to become unreadable. When a sculpture is very badly weathered, it can be replaced with a likeness designed from what material evidence supports the original. Carving or statuary which has lost parts due to wear or vandalism can be re-carved and repaired, toned to match the original, and have staining removed. Lettering, which often becomes illegible when subject to extreme weathering, can be recut to offer new life.
Wood, which is used more often in interiors, tends to suffer losses or breaks, splits in joins, or woodworm. Losses and breaks can be repaired, or replaced with fresh carving, splits can be filled or re-joined, and carving with extensive woodworm damage can be stabilised.
Gilding often suffers both losses to the original finish and clumsy attempts to repair the damage with gold paint or heavy-handed restoration. We offer cleaning of gold leaf, dry-stripping, toning and matching aged finishes, and repairs and restoration of carved or composition (compo) ornament.
The sign of good restoration is when the restorer’s hand in it becomes invisible. We strive to restore and repair in such a way that it is difficult or impossible to see our work, so as not to detract from the original. Wherever possible we use traditional and reversible methods, and materials which are both alike and contemporary to what we are restoring.