Cultural History
She was made between the 1920s and 1930s, she has been in my family for 4 generations so is deeply sentimental. My great grandma used her in flower arrangements and encourages our family to attend church every Sunday.
Condition Before Treatment
She had evidence of corrosion caused by historic water damage. The wooden base had split with small fragments missing. There was a light layer of dirt on the surface of the object with cobwebs in some places. There were cracks in her arms and tambourine.
Treatment
1.Dismantle
The base and metal were seperated by removing a screw
2. cleaning
Cotton wool swabs with water and white spirit. A paint brush and a museum vacuum cleaner was used to remove the dirt from the surface. De-corroder was used to remove the rust from the screw.
3. Consolidation of cracks
Pigmented epoxy was applied to the cracks to consolidate them and provide structural support.
Ongoing Treatment…
3. Filling the wooden base.
There are two options, the use of a wood filler or an insert of wood to fill the joint. The fill will be shaped using abrasive papers and will be toned to match the original wood and its patina.
Reflection By The Conservator
Treating this object has taught me the importance of time management and improved problem-solving skills to isolate materials and treat them separately so they don’t cause rapid deterioration.
This object was treated by Josephine, click on her profile to learn more about her.