UNIVERSITY OF MALTA
INSTITUTE FOR MASONRY & CONSTRUCTION RESEARCH
TEL: (+356) 2340 2866
FAX: (+356) 21 346225
Visit by Ms Sandra Davison
March 2004
In March 2004 the Institute for Masonry and Construction Research was
privileged to host as lecturer the glass conservation expert Ms Sandra
Davison, author of the definitive work “Conservation and Restoration of
Glass”1.
Ms Davison FIIC ACR trained in archaeological conservation at the Institute of
Archaeology (London University) and has worked as a practicing conservator
for over thirty years. Fourteen years were spent as a conservator at the British
Museum, and she has now been in private practice since 1984. Ms Davison
has worked for museums in the United Kingdom, France, the Czech Republic,
Malaysia and Saudi Arabia, and has taught glass restoration in the UK,
Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Serbia & Monte Negro, the USA and
Egypt.
During her visit to the University of Malta, Ms Davison gave lectures to the
postgraduate students of the Institute for Masonry and Construction Research
on the use, deterioration and conservation of ceramics and glass in ancient
and historic buildings. These lectures dealt with floors, windows, doors,
mirrors, lighting (lanterns, chandeliers), mosaics, fire glazed clay floor tiles,
glazed white earthenware tiles and tiled objects. The teaching sessions, which
were well illustrated by slides, were followed by discussions when particular
case studies (e.g. The Cosmati Pavement of Westminster Abbey and the
medieval floor in the Tower of London) were illustrated and discussed with the
postgraduate students.
Sandra Davison also gave a Public Lecture organised by the Institute for
Masonry and Construction Research in collaboration with Heritage Malta, and
given at the headquarters of Heritage Malta in Valletta, The lecture, “The
Conservation and Restoration of Vessel Glass” illustrated in detail how glass
objects, ranging from those recovered from archaeological excavations to
historic items such as candlesticks, chandeliers and even a light bulb (!) can
be restored. Sandra explained, to the audience, the steps involved in such
delicate work. A question and answer session at the end of the talk
highlighted the great interest generated by this specific restoration topic.
1
Davison S. 2003. Conservation and Restoration of Glass. Butterworth-Heinemann.