AW Daily - Tips & Tactics - After the Auction: Caring for Items

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After the Auction: Caring for Items continued ...

Restorer
Restoration entails processes that return an object to its prime condition, such as cleaning, rebuilding, refinishing, filling, bonding, or reweaving various materials. The emphasis here is on reproducing the original condition intended by the maker. This sometimes means introducing new parts and materials. Restoration methods are generally geared toward restoring appearance and functionality without damaging the object in question.

An example: The natural resin-based shellacs and varnishes used by a knowledgeable furniture restorer are relatively easy to remove, whereas a synthetic polyurethane coating can't be taken off without destroying the finish beneath it. In fact, proper restoration work should always be reversible, as standards change with each generation of collectors. For example, from the 1950s to the 1970s, antiques with natural wood finishes were prized by collectors. Many fine and rare examples of colorful hand-painted American furniture were stripped down to the natural wood during those decades, their unique and valuable decorations lost forever.

Though restoration can be an art, an individual needs no license to practice it. Historically, no oversight board has regulated the industry, though there is one in the works, called the International Association of Antiques Restorers (IAAR). The group was formed by restorers working to establish standards and certification requirements for the profession, which they believe gets a "bad rap" due to poorly qualified restorers and the quick-fix repair companies mentioned above.

Conservator
Because it is costly and time-consuming, the painstaking work of the conservator is usually associated with fine art of museum quality. The objective is to halt and, where possible, reverse the process of decay or environmental damage. Conservators remove layers of grime and undo faulty repair and restoration. Just as an environmental conservationist can't bring back a felled forest but works to stop more trees from hitting the ground, a fine art conservator is mostly concerned with preventing further damage to a canvas or bronze.

Conservators usually work with the goal of long-term preservation in mind, whereas repair and restoration processes can be more shortsighted. Conservators are trained in one- to four-year college programs and are certified by the Association of International Conservators. Professionals possess a considerable knowledge of chemistry as well as the techniques and history of art.

Vast Variety
The variety of restoration methods and materials is vast. Every type of object has its own specific processes and materials. This is illustrated clearly on the chat boards of Antique Restorers.com, as in this posting about mending broken glass:

"You may tint the Hxtal with titanium when matching milk glass (perhaps to an opacity equivalent of 2% milk). With colored glass it is not necessary to tint the resin. Please be aware that Hxtal is irreversible when induced into a crack, and while it does have excellent long-term aging characteristics it will yellow in time, the length of which is determined by the display environment. Some restorers use Paraloid B-72 to secure a crack or even bond glass, but it does not have the strength or the refractive qualities of Hxtal. It does remain reversible indefinitely."

So whether you have a broken doll, an Old Master painting with a yellow haze of grime over the surface, a French commode with peeling parquetry, or the blurred autograph of Joe DiMaggio, rest assured: there's likely a repair service, restorer, or conservator to help you.

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