<h2 id="brief-object-description">Brief object description</h2>

 Object number: DUROM 1967.40.a (vase) / DUROM 1967.40.b (lid)
 Owner: <a href="https://www.dur.ac.uk/oriental.museum/">University of Durham, Oriental Museum</a> Probable date: 19th-20th c. Photo credits: Angelica Isa and Jeff Veitch
 Image reproduction permission: University of Durham, Oriental Museum 

Normally, it is possible to recognise and date chinese porcelains based on their colours, forms, motifs, styles and even maker's marks at the base.

 <img src="/RatVase-MakersMark.jpg" alt="Maker&#x27;s Mark"> Hard to read maker's mark similar to the character 隆, possible reference to Emperor Qianlong, giving an absolute minimal creation date of 1735.

However, this vase proved to be a challenge. The motifs, colours and shape could be identified independently through the history of chinese porcelain, but not in a manner consistent enough to be able to accurately date it to before the 20th century. The maker's mark was so unclear that it could be considered a garbled "fictitious" mark with no true meaning.
After a long period of research, it was concluded that based on the wuality of the glaze, the lack of consistency between colours and shapes, and the general style, this was probably a late piece, after the fall of the imperial ceramic factories of Ming and Qing, created as a souvenir of olden times and very possibly made for export for the chinese ex-pat populations in South East Asia between the mid 19th century and the 1930s. 
<h2 id="state-before-conservation">State before conservation</h2>

 <img src="/RatVase-FullBefore-Jeff.jpg" alt="Vase before conservation"> Photo of the vase body before conservation. Photo credit: Jeff Veitch


 <img src="/RatVase-LabelledDiagram.jpg" alt="Labeled diagram"> Techincal drawing for the main body.

This vase was an excellent research project where it was possible to see not only the damage caused by physical forces, but also the negative aesthetic qualities of old restorations on a glazed porcelain.

 <img src="/RatVase-Before-JeffVeitch.jpg" alt="Vase lid before conservation"> Lid of the vase. Rat holding grain. Notice the dull overpaints from old restorations and the loss in original glazing. Photo credit: Jeff Veitch

The interesting motif of the rat in Chinese iconography is different than that in the European. While the west may associate rats with sickness and pestilence (2020 ring any bells?), the rat is one of the 12 symbols of earth, associated with industry and properity thanks to the animal's great capacity to find and store large quantities of food.
Chinese mythology for the rat include stories of it creating the universe from a bite that separated the earth from the heavens and then stealing a bit of sunlight to provide us with light and energy, and giving people seeds to begin agriculture.
<blockquote>
 [The fêng-huang, a phoenix-like bird, is usually shown with] “the head of a pheasant and the beak of a swallow, a long flexible neck, plumage of many gorgeous colours, a flowing tail pointed backward as it flies.” (Hobson, 1976:293).
</blockquote>
The idea of the fêng-huang is not of a single bird, but of a pair:
<blockquote>
 
 "fêng representing the male and
 huang representing the female; and as often as not the two are portrayed together." (Sowerby, 1940:21)
 
</blockquote>

 <img src="/RatVase-Phoenixes.jpg" alt="Male and female phoenixes"> The orange colours and (male and female) phoenixes on the vase, apart from several plants (potential chrysanthemum, hibiscus, peony, mallow or irises) are references to the autumn, harvest, wealth and fertility.


 <img src="/Ratvase-Patterns.jpg" alt="Landscape patterns"> Triangular “mountain patterns” show an arrangement of representations which would suggest mountains with rivers running in between their valleys. These upside down, zig-zag patterns “are typical of ancient space representations, in which distance is indicated by representing what is furthest away upside down” (Bulling, 1952:60). Moreover, the solid-looking, green is appropriate for solid mountains representing the earth while the swirly lines indicating motion (Bulling, 1952:70) in the purple-blue glaze may easily represent water.

<h2 id="conservation-process">Conservation process</h2>
The removal of the old infills and paint repairs on the lid was considered as a possible ethical issue since it meant taking away a chapter of the object’s history. However, not only were they unsightly, but due to the pulling action of the plaster and paint that had been used and the damage they had already caused to all the surrounding areas of original glaze, it was necessary to remove them for the purpose of protecting the original material from further detachment.

 Additionally, the social meaning of the vessel theme in its Chinese context (described in previous sections) which
 emphasized prosperity, abundance, joviality, etc. made it clear that the aesthetic quality of the object should be improved – or else it would project an image contradictory to its original intention.


 <img src="/RatVase-GlueOnRat.jpg" alt="Animal glue on rat feet bases"> Embrittled animal glue holding together some of the rats on the feet of the vase and responsible for holding the weight of the object endangered its stability as it had dried and weakened over time.


 <img src="/RatVase-Steaming.jpg" alt="Steaming"> To remove the old animal glue, the whole vase had to be steamed in a careful bath of hot water.


 <img src="/RatVase-RatDuring.jpg" alt="Mechanical removal of old paint"> Old paint had to be mechanically removed with a scalpel under a microscope.


 <img src="/RatVase-PaintingTests.jpg" alt="Paint and glaze tests"> Different paints and glazes were tested separetely.


 <img src="/RatVase-LidAfterInfills.jpg" alt="Lid after new plaster infills"> White plaster-based fills in preparation for re-painting old areas of missing glaze.

<h2 id="after-conservation">After conservation</h2>

 <img src="/RatVase-After-JeffVeitch.jpg" alt="Vase lid after restoration"> Lid after restoration. Photo credit: Jeff Veitch.


 <img src="/RatVase-After-JeffVeitch2.jpg" alt="Vase base after restoration"> Vase base after restoration. Photo credit: Jeff Veitch

<h2 id="bibliography">Bibliography</h2>

 Bulling, A. 1952. The meaning of China's most ancient art: An interpretation of pottery patterns from Kansu (Ma ch’ang and Pan-shan) and their development in the Shag, Chou and Han periods. Leiden:
 E.J. Brill.

Hobson, R. 1976. Chinese pottery and porcelain An account of the potter’s art in China from primitive times to the present day. New York: Dover Publications.
Hobson, R. and Jenyns, S. 1954. Chinese Art: one hundred plates in colour reproducing pottery &#x26; porcelain of all periods, jades, paintings, lacquer, bronzes and furniture. 2nd ed. London: Ernest Benn Limited.
Sowerby, A. and Gibson, H. 1940. Nature in Chinese art. New York: The John Day Company.
<h2 id="acknowledgments">Acknowledgments</h2>
This conservation process was carried out in 2013 with the generous guidance of Chris Caple (Durham University), Jennifer Jones (Durham University), Clare Hucklesby (Durham University), Richard Allen (Durham University), Jeff Veitch (Durham University), Helen Armstrong (Durham Oriental Museum), Ming Wilson (Victoria and Albert Museum) and Yu Ping Luk (British Museum).

Conservation process for a porcelain vase

Glazed porcelain

A Rat Vase

<h2 id="brief-object-description">Brief object description</h2>
Object number: 12.11.51/7.30 Owner: <a href="http://www.horniman.ac.uk/">Horniman Museum and Gardens</a> Probable date: Obtained in the 1870s in Ladakh, India Photo credit: Angelica Isa Image reproduction permission: Horniman Museum and Gardens 
This is a painted figure of Maitreya, the future Buddha. It's made up of a textile base and covered in unbaked clay. The image was painted and gilded in some areas. The Maitreya Budda is recognised by his "western" sitting posistion (on a throne) instead of cross-legged on the floor, and by the position of his hands in the Dharmacakramudrâ as he teaches the Dharma. 
<h2 id="state-before-conservation">State before conservation</h2>

 <img src="/Tibetan-BT_04.jpg" alt="The sculpture before conservation">
 Photo of the sculpture before conservation.


 <img src="/Tibetan-BeforeHeadDetail.jpg" alt="Lost ornaments">
 Some figure ornaments had been completely lost.


 <img src="/Tibetan-BrokenPlantBefore.jpg" alt="Broken ornaments">
 Other ornaments were broken and hanging dangerously loose.


 <img src="/Tibetan-BaseBefore.jpg" alt="Misshapen base">
 The base was somewhat misshapen, creating cracks in its back wall. Note the curvature at the bottom.

At some point, this sculpture would have been filled with special prayers and sealed at the base, constituting a sacred, ritualised image. However, at some point in the past, it was open to obtain the prayers, and the figure lost its ritual use.
In spite of this "desecration", as it is a representation of the Buddha, believers consider it a part of the Buddha's body, which must be treated with the appropriate respect. I was lucky enough to be able to talk with Lama Zangmo in London and ask for her thoughts and opinions on object treatment before any conservation and restoration took place. 
<h2 id="conservation-process">Conservation process</h2>
Conservation was divided into three steps:
<ol>
 <li>
 
 Superficial cleaning
 
 <img src="/Tibetan-CleaningTests.jpg" alt="Dry cleaning tests">
 Cleaning is a destructive process which cannot be undone. Tests must always be carried out before starting a cleaning intervention.
 
 </li>
 <li>
 
 Structural reinforcement
 
 <img src="/Tibetan-StraighteningBase.jpg" alt="Reinforcement of base">
 The base was straightened and reinforced with conservation appropriate materials.
 
 </li>
 <li>
 
 Restoration of missing ornaments
 
 <img src="/Tibetan-TestingReconstructions.jpg" alt="Reconstruction of ornaments">
 After careful review of other images of Maitreya, simplified ornaments were carved out of plaster.
 <img src="/Tibetan-Reconstructions.jpg" alt="Simplified ornaments">
 Ornaments were coloured accordingly.
 
 </li>
</ol>
<h2 id="after-conservation">After conservation</h2>

 <img src="/Tibetan-BackHeadAFter.jpg" alt="Back of Maitreya&#x27;s head after conservation">
 Back of Maitreya's head after conservation. The added ornaments are superficially attached for easy removal and coloured according to exhibition lighting (as opposed to laboratory white light).


 <img src="/Tibetan-BottomAfter.jpg" alt="Straightened base">
 Straightened, strengthened base after conservation. Curvature is gone.


 <img src="/Tibetan-DarkLighting.jpg" alt="Figure under exhibition lighting">
 Figure under low-level lighting. This figure was intended for a temporary exhibition, so the reduced lighting allowed for more minimal interventions.


 <img src="/Tibetan-FrontAfter.jpg" alt="Figure under white light">
 Sculpture under white lighting.

<h2 id="acknowledgments">Acknowledgments</h2>

 This conservation process was carried out in 2013-2014 with the generous guidance of the staff at the Horniman Museum and Gardens, in London. I would also like to thank Lama Zangmo (Kagyu Samye Dzong London), Mr. Phuntsog Wangyal (Tibetan Foundation) and Mr. Tom Crowley (The
 Horniman Museum) for their invaluable guidance during this project.

Conservation process of a Tibetan sculpture

Painted Maitreya

A Tibetan Sculpture

<h2 id="brief-object-description">Brief object description</h2>
Object number: nn11190 Owner: <a href="http://www.horniman.ac.uk/">Horniman Museum and Gardens</a> Probable date: 19th c. Photo credit: Angelica Isa Image reproduction permission: Horniman Museum and Gardens 
This (probably German) willow basket was not registered in the museum collections. It was found in pieces inside a bag in a box. As can sometimes happen, it's very likely that this basket fell off a shelf and got crushed by the moving shelving units.
I chose this project as a restoration project in order to increase the value of the object and prevent continued deterioration. 
<h2 id="state-before-conservation">State before conservation</h2>

 <img src="/Basket-BrokenInBox.jpg" alt="Basket as it was found">
 Photo of broken basket as it was found in storage.


 The basket was broken in various small pieces which had to be reviewed individually to try to fit them together.
 
 <img src="/Basket-HowPiecesGoTogetherDiagram.jpg" alt="Labeled drawing of the basket before conservation">
 Technical drawing reconstruction of the basket before conservation. 

<h2 id="investigations">Investigations</h2>
Since it would be necessary to reconstruct parts of the basket in order to return some structural stability to the item once the small pieces were put together, it was important to carry out investigations not only on the basket's possible background, dating, original use and meaning, but also on the construction techniques and materials used to build it.

 <img src="/Basket-BaseConstructionDrawing.jpg" alt="Technical diagram of basket base construction">
 Technical drawing of basket base construction.


 <img src="/Basket-FrontDrawing.jpg" alt="Technical drawing of basket weaving design before conservation">
 Technical drawing of basket weaving design.
 
<h2 id="conservation-process">Conservation process</h2>
<blockquote>
 
 "[Maintenance] is essential to the 'lifetime' of the work of art and alone has permitted the survival of so many objects that have thus come down to us. That action, precisely because it is an act of intentional maintenance and conservation, 'must' occur if we do not want the passage of time to reduce the already worn object to an arbitrary reality worse than any forgery."
 (Baldini, 1996:355)
 
</blockquote>

 <img src="/Basket-AfterPuttingInBits1.jpg" alt="Adhesion of main basket pieces">
 Several adhesives were reviewed for strength, flexibility and tack. Original pieces were put together.


 <img src="/Basket-LaminatedTissue.jpg" alt="Creating new stakes and strands">
 Creating new stakes and strands from Japanese tissue paper and conservation-appropriate acrylic paints.


 <img src="/Basket-AfterPuttingInStakes4.jpg" alt="Basket after putting in stakes">
 Basket after putting in new stakes.


 <img src="/Basket-AfterPuttingInStrands4.jpg" alt="Basket after weaving in new strands">
 Weaving in new strands. The extra length in strands was later trimmed and tucked.

<h2 id="after-conservation-process">After conservation process</h2>

 <img src="/Basket-AfterConservation-Side1.jpg" alt="Basket side after conservation">
 Basket side after conservation. Note that the new, added strands are purposefully easily distinguished from the original material.


 <img src="/Basket-AfterConservation-Top.jpg" alt="Basket after conservation from the top">
 Top view of the basket after conservation.


 <img src="/Basket-BasketOnMount.jpg" alt="New basket mount">
 A special base was created to protect the frail frame from physical damage by allowing it to "float" and avoid forcing it to hold its own weight at the base.

<h2 id="bibliography">Bibliography</h2>
BALDINI, U. (1978) “Theory of restoration and methodological unity” In: PRICE, N. TALLEY, M. and MELUCCO-VACCARO, A. (1996). Historical and philosophical issues in the conservation of cultural heritage. 1st ed. Los Angeles: The Getty Conservation Institute, pp.355-357
<h2 id="acknowledgments">Acknowledgments</h2>
This conservation process was carried out in 2013-2014 with the generous guidance of the staff at the Horniman Museum and Gardens, in London. I would also like to thank Verena Kotonski (British Museum) and Joanna Holt-Farndale for their invaluable guidance during this project.

Conservation process of a willow basket

A reconstruction project

A Willow Basket

<h2 id="brief-object-description">Brief object description</h2>
Object number: 2004.1204 Owner: <a href="http://www.horniman.ac.uk/">Horniman Museum and Gardens</a> Probable date: First half of 19th c. Photo credit: Angelica Isa Image reproduction permission: Horniman Museum and Gardens The bell lyra is commonly used in marching bands and therefore played upright by attaching it to the waist of the player by sitting on a spike held by a strap. However, this particular instrument is extremely heavy and playing in this traditional way would be very difficult. It is more likely that this particular bell lyra would have been placed on a fixed stand in a sitting band. Based on the Hornbostel-Sachs instrument classification, the bell lyra comes under the main term ‘idiophone’ – which means that sound is primarily produced by the vibrating body of the instrument itself rather than a string, membrane or column of air. The instrument emits sound by the player striking the instrument with immediate mechanical devices, in this case non-sonorous objects such as beaters. More specifically, it is a metallophone, since it consists of tuned metal chime bars. 
<h2 id="state-before-conservation">State before conservation</h2>

 <img src="/Lyra-Before.jpg" alt="Bell Lyra before conservation">
 Photo of bell lyra before conservation


 The main body of the lyra displayed a small amount of superficial dust and small spots of corrosion. One of the metal bases for the iron chime bars was slightly loose.
 
 <img src="/Lyra-LabeledDrawingFront.jpg" alt="Labeled drawing of the Bell Lyra before conservation">
 Labeled drawing of the Bell Lyra before conservation

The chime bars were slightly rusted and most of the original cat gut string holding them was no longer there. Three of the bars were completely detached. One of the flower ornaments had been lost at a unknown point in time.

 <img src="/Lyra-BeforeBrokenGut.jpg" alt="Loose, rusted chime bars and missing cat gut string">
 Loose, rusted chime bars and missing cat gut string
 
<h2 id="conservation-process">Conservation process</h2>
After an X-ray examination of the object to understand its construction, some X-ray fluorescence analysis to confirm the metal alloys used in it, and a quick Biuret test to identify proteins in the gut used for the strings, it was decided that a general clean, structural stabilisation and missing flower ornament reconstruction would be the appropriate treatment.

 <img src="/Lyra-CleaningTests.jpg" alt="Chime bar cleaning tests: Scalpel vs. abrasive bar">
 Cleaning tests. Scalpel vs. abrasive bar.


 <img src="/Lyra-CastingRoundFlowerOrnament.jpg" alt="Casting tests for the missing flower ornaments">
 Casting tests for the missing flower ornaments using silicon moulds and different supports.


 <img src="/Lyra-FlowerOrnamentCast.jpg" alt="Checking cast flower on object">
 Checking cast flower on object.


 <img src="/Lyra-NylonStrings.jpg" alt="Using nylon string to support chimes">
 Using nylon string to support chimes
 
<h2 id="after-conservation-process">After conservation process</h2>

 <img src="/Lyra-After.jpg" alt="The bell lyra after conservation">
 The bell lyra after conservation.The replica flower ornament (on the right in the photo) was made to be removable and can be easily pulled out.


 <img src="/Lyra-Storage.jpg" alt="The bell lyra in its box">
 The bell lyra in its padded box after conservation.

Since the object would be going back into storage, a special bedding was created within its box in order to protect it.
The chime bars were tied down with cotton tape to limit their movement. The edges touching the main frame of the lyre were covered with acid free tissue paper to avoid abrasions.
<h2 id="acknowledgments">Acknowledgments</h2>
This conservation process was carried out in 2013-2014 with the generous guidance of the staff at the Horniman Museum and Gardens, in London. In particular, I would like to thank Dr. Margaret Birley, Keeper of Musical Instruments, Mimi Waitzman, Deputy Keeper of Musical Instruments and Dr. Louise Bacon, Head of the Conservation Department.

Conservation process on a bell lyra musical instrument

A glockenspiel

Bell Lyra

<h2 id="brief-object-description">Brief object description</h2>

 Object number: N/A
 Owner: <a href="http://www.beamish.org.uk/">Beamish the Living Museum of the North</a> Probable date: 1890s-1980s, UK Photo credits: Angelica Isa and Jeff Veitch
 Image reproduction permission: Beamish the Living Museum of the North 

Unfortunately, the exact origin of this sign cannot be defined as it was not registered in the Beamish collections when it was generously given to me to practice on as a student project.
However, it may be assumed that this sign would have been used in the northeast of the United Kingdom as it would be unusual for it to have travelled far before it was acquired by the museum.
According to Alford, the Capstan brand was very popular in the north east of England and in Scotland (Alford, 1973:359), so it would be reasonable to find advertising for it in those areas.
The Wills Company began with Henry Overton Wills, partner in the tobacco firm of Wills, Watkins &#x26; Co. in Mary-le-Port Street and Redcliff Street in Bristol in 1786. The name of the company changed to W.D. &#x26; H.O. Wills in 1815 when Henry’s sons, William Day and Henry Overton Jr. took over.

 <img src="/Woodbine-Henry_Overton_Wills_I.jpg" alt="Henry Overton Wills I"> Henry Overton Wills I. Source: Wikipedia.

The Wills Company launched the Woodbines brand in 1888 and sold it at a price of five for a penny. The Capstan brand was trademarked on August 3rd 1888 (Ipo.gov.uk, 2013).
In 1901, Wills amalgamated with other British tobacco manufacturers to form the Imperial Tobacco Company, and the Wills tobacco brands continued until 1988 when all but Woodbine and Capstan were withdrawn from the market.
This information allows us to estimate a potential period of use for this object of almost 100 years.

 <img src="/Woodbine-DatingDiagram.jpg" alt="Narrowing down dates"> Narrowing down dates for the sign showing that the most likely years are 1900-1960 with outside panels at least from 1963.
 
<h2 id="state-before-conservation">State before conservation</h2>

 <img src="/Woodbine-EnamelBefore-JeffVeitch.jpg" alt="Enamel sign before conservation"> Enamel sign before conservation. Photo credit: Jeff Veitch.


 <img src="/Woodbine-ExplodedDiagram.jpg" alt="Exploded diagram"> Exploded diagram of the sign construction. Central enamelled sign surrounded by steel ring and two added aluminium panels.

The state of the enamelled sign waas excellent. There was very little corrosion on the ring and steel mount. Part of the black paint had pelled off, showing a layer of white paint below.
The enamel on the main panel was almost perfect, with very few scratches and minimal damage on some of the white lettering.
The external aluminium panels were in good condition with only a significant layer of superficial dirt.
<h2 id="conservation-process">Conservation process</h2>

 <img src="/Woodbine-DuringCleaningFront.jpg" alt="Cleaning process front"> Front. Right side cleaned.


 <img src="/Woodbine-DuringCleaningBack.jpg" alt="Cleaning process back"> Back. Right side cleaned.

Since the aluminium panels were mostly just dirty, a superficial swab cleaning was enough. The edges of the panels showed sprays of black paint from the mounting and were not removed as they constituted part of the object's life history.

 <img src="/Woodbine-SandingTests.jpg" alt="Sanding tests before applying a rust converter"> Sanding tests on an old piece of iron before testing a rust converter.

In order to protect the exposed parts of the steel frame from continued corrosion, tests were run on a separate piece of iron, sanding down the surface and trying out various rust converters.
<h2 id="after-conservation">After conservation</h2>
The sign was returned dismantled and packed in protective padding.

 <img src="/Woodbine-EnamelAfter.jpg" alt="Enamel sign after conservation"> Enamel sign after conservation. Photo credit: Jeff Veitch.


 <img src="/Woodbine-PanelAfter.jpg" alt="Woodbine aluminium panel after conservation"> Woodbine aluminium panel after conservation. Photo credit: Jeff Veitch.


 <img src="/Woodbine-CapstanAfter.jpg" alt="Capstan aluminium panel after conservation"> Capstan aluminium panel after conservation. Photo credit: Jeff Veitch

<h2 id="bibliography">Bibliography</h2>
Alford, B.W.E. 1973. W. D. &#x26; H. O. Wills and the development of the U.K. tobacco industry 1786-1965. Chatham: Methuen &#x26; Co. Ltd.
Baglee, C. and Morley, A. 1988. Street jewellery. New Cavendish.
Ipo.gov.uk. n.d.. Intellectual Property Office - Welcome to the Intellectual Property Office. Available at: <a href="http://www.ipo.gov.uk/">http://www.ipo.gov.uk/</a> [Access: 1 Jul 2013]
King, A., <a href="mailto:andy.king@bristol.gov.uk">andy.king@bristol.gov.uk</a> 2013. Conservation Enquiry: Wills's Woodbines and Capstan. Email message to Isa-Adaniya, A. (<a href="mailto:a.b.isa-adaniya@durham.ac.uk">a.b.isa-adaniya@durham.ac.uk</a>). Sent 25 Jul 2013.
<h2 id="acknowledgments">Acknowledgments</h2>
This conservation process was carried out in 2013 with the generous guidance of Chris Caple (Durham University), Jennifer Jones (Durham University), Clare Hucklesby (Durham University), Richard Allen (Durham University), Jeff Veitch (Durham University), Dan Hudachek (Beamish Museum), Andrew Morley (Author of ‘Street Jewellery’), Andrew King (Bristol Museums Galleries &#x26; Archives), Ann Bradley (Bristol Record Office), and Imperial Tobacco Ltd.

Conservation process on an enamelled sign

Advertising art

Enamelled Sign

<h2 id="brief-object-description">Brief object description</h2>
Object number: X.4808 Owner: <a href="https://www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk/">The Bowes Museum</a> Photo credit: Angelica Isa Image reproduction permission: The Bowes Museum This snuff box was made of a copper alloy metal, paper, animal glue and polished stone. It had been awaiting conservation since 2006 and had suffered a fall in 2017. 
<h2 id="state-before-conservation">State before conservation</h2>

 <img src="/SnuffBox-Before.jpg" alt="Snuff box before conservation"> Photo of snuff box before conservation. The bottom left corner of the lid was smashed into various small pieces when the snuff box was accidentally dropped in 2017.


 <img src="/SnuffBox-DamagedCorner.jpg" alt="Damaged corner before conservation"> The bottom right corner of the base was also cracked with various pieces missing.

Thanks to the broken corner, it was possible to observe the construction of the lid. It showed a card base to which two layers of stone had been attached with animal glue where the top layer of stone was slightly translucent while the bottom was opaque. It was also possible to see that animal glue had originally been used in the construction of the object. Animal glue can be easily identified by its caramel colour. 
<h2 id="conservation-process">Conservation process</h2>

 <img src="/SnuffBox-Melinex1.jpg" alt="A small piece of Melinex polyester film was inserted to protect the original paper"> A small piece of Melinex polyester film was inserted to protect the original paper base.


 <img src="/SnuffBox-Melinex2.jpg" alt="The Melinex was made to fit perfectly in the shape of the substrate."> The Melinex was made to fit perfectly in the shape of the substrate. This allowed the stone layer to be attached to the metal edges but not the original paper, protecting the original material and making this intervention removable in the future should it become necessary.


 <img src="/SnuffBox-FirstStoneLayer.jpg" alt="First stone layer adhered"> First stone layer adhered.

Since the second layer of stone was intended to be slightly translucent, different tests with different coloured backgrounds were tested: beige card, brass-colours, white tissue paper. This process was very important as the reconstructed corner should not clash a lot with the colouring of the rest of the box.

 <img src="/SnuffBox-TestingBeigeCard.jpg" alt="Testing a beige card background"> Testing a beige card background.


 <img src="/SnuffBox-TestingBrassColour.jpg" alt="Testing a brassy background"> Testing a brassy background.


 <img src="/SnuffBox-TestingTissuePaper.jpg" alt="Testing a white tissue paper background"> Testing a white tissue paper background.

In the end, 6 layers of white, acid-free tissue paper were found to be appropriate to even out the level of the surface of the lid and also achieve the correct colour beneath the transluscent layer.

 <img src="/SnuffBox-AdheringTopStoneLayer.jpg" alt="Adhering the top stone layer with tissue paper layer"> Adhering the top stone layer with tissue paper layer. 

It was also necessary to protect the broken areas of stone on the base and front of the lid. Leaving exposed breakages can encourage the deposition of dust and allows for further crumbling or breakages to occur at such weak spots which can then start extending across the rest of the object.

 <img src="/SnuffBox-Milliput.jpg" alt="Filled in breakage points"> Filled in breakage points.

A special epoxy filler used in ceramics conservation was used to create infills for the missing broken areas. These infills were then filed down to obtain a smooth surface and painted with pigments in an ethyl-methacrylate polymer resin.
<h2 id="after-conservation-process">After conservation process</h2>

 <img src="/SnuffBox-AfterMilliputCorner.jpg" alt="Filled-in broken corner after conservation">
 Filled-in broken corner after conservation.


 <img src="/SnuffBox-AfterMilliputEdge.jpg" alt="Filled-in broken edge after conservation">
 Filled-in broken edge after conservation. Can you find where it is?


 <img src="/SnuffBox-After.jpg" alt="Snuff box after conservation">
 Snuff box after conservation.

<h2 id="acknowledgments">Acknowledgments</h2>
This conservation process was carried out in 2018 with the generous support of the conservation staff at the Bowes Museum.

Conservation process of a stone snuff box

A small reconstruction

Snuff box

<h2 id="brief-object-description">Brief object description</h2>

 Object number: 1986.27
 Owner: <a href="https://www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk/">The Bowes Museum</a> Current location: Room 40, Case 1, Shelf 2 at The Bowes Museum
 Probable date: Victorian Photo credits: Angelica Isa
 Image reproduction permission: The Bowes Museum 

Three-masted sailing ship made of clear, amber and turquoise blue and white glass Climbing the rigging are four sailors in dark blue glass with white heads and orange/red topped hats. The ship is standing against a lighthouse of clear glass with blue windows and a green door with an amber and light blue glass balustrade around the top. The top of the lighthouse has a white glass bulbous projection with red glass windows. The lighthouse had fallen down.
In front of the ship, there are two smaller, single-masted ships. All three ships are set over what seems to be a cotton wool sea mixed with streamers of clear cellophane. Comparative items in other collections suggest this is an original setup.
The whole is enclosed within an oval glass dome raised on a rectangular glass base supported by four bracket feet also made of glass and painted over just like the base, one of which has become completely detached.
Oral tradition says it was made in Sunderland about 1900. Similar examples found in other collections and online auctions indicate similar 1850s-1890s dates. These glass friggers would have been created as novelty pieces by Victorian glass blowers to use up the materials left over at the end of the day. They also could have been apprentice pieces. 
<h2 id="state-before-conservation">State before conservation</h2>

 <img src="/FriggerShip-WholeObject_BT-24.09.18_03.jpg" alt="Frigger before conservation"> Frigger before conservation. The outside dome had been taped and the lighthouse inside had fallen over.


 <img src="/FriggerShip-Lighthouse_BT-25.09.18_07.jpg" alt="Animal glue repairs"> All broken parts had been repaired with animal glue, which yellows and browns when it dries and embrittles over time.


 <img src="/FriggerShip-Base_Detail_BT-21.09.18_10.jpg" alt="Base legs"> The base panel has 4 legs of what seem to be various square-cut layers of the same panel glass. One of them has become completely detached and displays evidence of hardened, darkened adhesive, and use of cardboard to make it level with the other legs.


 <img src="/FriggerShip-ShipA_UV.jpg" alt="Animal glue shining fluorescent under UV light"> Examination of the object with a UV torch displayed generous applications of animal glue shining fluorescently all over the object.

<h2 id="conservation-process">Conservation process</h2>
After conversations with Howard Coutts, ceramics curator, and consultation with Jon Old, Head of conservation, it was decided to clean the animal glue off the glass wherever possible to replace it with more stable, transparent and stronger adhesives.

 <img src="/FriggerShip-Dome_DT-03.10.18_01.jpg" alt="Tape removed and dome re-attached"> The old tape was cleaned off and the dome re-attached with a modern epoxy adhesive common in glass conservation.


 <img src="/FriggerShip-Base_DT-31.10.18_01.jpg" alt="Base foot levelled"> The base was cleaned and the smaller leg levelled and re-attached using a modern resin cast.


 <img src="/FriggerShip-Lighthouse_DT-26.09.18_05.jpg" alt="Lighthouse base disassembled and re-attached"> Lighthouse base disassembled and re-attached. It had apparently shattered into a LOT of tiny pieces.


 <img src="/FriggerShip-Lighthouse_DT-02.10.18_01.jpeg" alt="Painstaking reconstruction of lighthouse base"> Extremely painstaking reconstruction of lighthouse base. This process alone took several weeks and endangered the possibility of finishing within the available time for the project.


 <img src="/FriggerShip-Lighthouse_AT-31.10.18_06.jpg" alt="Lighthouse base after reconstruction"> Still, success. Big phew.

<h2 id="after-conservation">After conservation</h2>
This is the only intense glass object I have worked on so far and officially one of the most nervewracking work I have ever encountered.
However, as much animal glue as possible was replaced. The lighthouse was able to stand once more and the dome no longer obscures the object within. The beautiful clarity of the glass has been restored without endangering its physical stability.

 <img src="/FriggerShip-WholeObject_AT-02.11.18_06.jpg" alt="Frigger after restoration"> Frigger ship after restoration.

<h2 id="acknowledgments">Acknowledgments</h2>
This conservation process was carried out in 2018 with the generous guidance of Jon Old, Howard Coutts and Julia Robinson (all from the Bowes Museum).

Conservation process of a Victorian glass frigger

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