Projects
Chinese ebonised and lacquered tripod table with porcelain plaque
Conservation and restoration of a Chinese ebonised and lacquered tripod table. The treatment involved cleaning, consolidation, replacement of missing parts and retouching the decorative surfaces. A long term care plan was provided to the client.
The table and porcelain plaque were conservation cleaned using a variety of wet and dry cleaning methods. Structural repairs were undertaken with a protein-based adhesive. The lifting lacquer was consolidated using a variety of adhesives and a heated spatula. The splits, following consolidation, were filled with colour-matched hard wax. The missing part was replaced with a conservation fill. The losses to the decorative surfaces were retouched and the table was re-waxed. The materials chosen were selected for reversibility and stability. The client was provided with comprehensive advice and a future maintenance plan for the long-term care of the table in a centrally-heated domestic setting.
