CONSERVATOR’S STATEMENT:
Conservation of furniture is “undercover” work.
Often during excavation we find things that are
not anticipated. We will conserve any item that is
cleanable and/or re-useable, unless it is our
opinion that it will accelerate deterioration or
deteriorate itself in the next half-century,
resulting in an early re-upholstery and
unnecessary conservation of the piece. If we
believe that the latter is true, we will contact the
curator, Hoyt Fields, with updates on the various
items that may need restoration or replacement rather than conservation.
TRANSPORTATION NOTES:
The sofa will be delivered to our workroom, where all but the tapestry conservation will
be performed. The tapestry will be transported to our tapestry conservationist for his
portion of the treatment, then back to us for reupholstery.
PLOTTING DOCUMENTATION NOTES:
It is our habit to set up a plotting map, similar to an architectural floor plan &
elevations, or a map to an archeological dig. On these blank maps we can place various
plotting notes as needed, whether to plot tack patterns, decorative nail patterns,
webbing patterns, or items we find down in the sofa! As we discuss the treatment, we
will speak of plotting, and it is this that we are referring to.
STITCHING NOTES:
Stitching is an important part of upholstered history. It goes without saying that we will
be noting the types of stitches used, and attempting to recreate them in the reupholstery
process, unless it is detrimental to the fabrics. If the latter is so, then this will be noted
in our Conservation Documentation. This sofa will be labor-intensive, as the entire sofa
will be hand-stitched, unless otherwise noted.
“TACKING”:
As it pertains to tapestries, it is better for the life of an older tapestry to be stapled rather
than tacked. We suggest this be done in this instance, as the tapestry is very old and
very valuable.
TACK AND NAIL HOLES:
We have a method for reusing existing holes that is 90% accurate, and in any case restabilizes the frame wood to some degree. It is described in the text, and so it will go
without saying that in the rebuilding of the form we will be using the existing holes.
ASSESSING & CLEANING NOTES:
A simple assessment is done as we excavate each piece, where we determine if it is viable
and what type of cleaning it may need. Cleaning consists of vacuuming and/or wet
cleaning or a dry treatment (not to be confused with ordinary dry-cleaning) as is
necessary. As we take items off they are generally vacuumed through a screen prior to
placing them in temporary storage until cleaning and reupholstering, with the exception
of the passementary, which is simply pinned in place on boards, and the tapestry pieces,
which in this case will be prepared for shipment to our textile conservator. To save
repetition we will note this entire process as “A & C.”
STORAGE:
We will send all non-conservable materials excavated from the piece (including dust
membranes, muslin, tickings, etc.), or any found objects (love notes or gold watches), in
an archival conservation storage box to be returned to the Hearst Castle® with the
piece. They will be assessed, cleaned, identified, plotted if applicable, and readied for
temporary storage until such time as the museum staff can work with them.
DOCUMENTATION:
All pertinent steps will be photographed, and a written description of all findings and
the steps of conservation will be presented after the piece is delivered in a document
called a Conservation Document. Typically two glossy presentation copies are delivered,
along with two presentation report copies and a cd.