Continuing the Story of Gideon….

Not only do we conserve historic textiles, but part of our job is also to help with their re-installation.

Last week a team of four conservators from the studio ventured to Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire to help with the re-hang of two Gideon Tapestries conserved by both the studio and a private conservator.

The Gideon Tapestries, created over 400 years ago are housed in the magnificent surroundings of Hardwick Hall’s Long Gallery. The collection of 13 tapestries, show the story of Gideon and his triumph over the Midianites.

The process of hanging was no easy task, requiring the combined skills and man power of Hardwick House staff, a team of stone masons, ourselves and two 5 metre tall scaffolding towers.

Both tapestries were successfully hung in the one day in front of crowds of interested visitors, staff, volunteers and reporters from the local media.

The reinstallation marks the completion of conservation on 10 of the 13 tapestries. The National Trust has launched a campaign to fundraise to conserve the three remaining Tapestries. http://ow.ly/kSwk6

Check out local media coverage from the Derbyshire Times and Yorkshire Post below http://ow.ly/l9ZDc  , http://ow.ly/l9Z8V

Hardwick screens – a meeting of conservators

On the projects page there is information about one of the projects we have recently had in the studio the Hardwick screen panel featuring embroidered motifs from the 1580′s.

This screen panel is one double sided leaf from a four part screen. The embroideries date to the 1580’s and date from the same period as the Penelope hanging. Although mounting in the screens and the black velvet are early 20^th century alteration. http://nttextileconservationstudio.wordpress.com/projects/

Once the textile conservation had been completed we needed the help of a furniture conservator to help adjust the frames to better contain the finished embroideries.

In September 2012 a furniture conservator, from Tankerdale, visited the studio to aid the re-installation of the textile panels into a glazed wooden frame.  The two textile panels had been conserved earlier in the year, and the final stage was to re-install it into its frame.

The frame is one of four that forms a double sided folding screen.  The personifications panels is the front, and the motifs the reverse.  On my last visit to Hardwick Hall the screen was removed and analysed to determine any alterations needed.

When the textile panels were mounted in the current frame, the glass was too close and touched the textile.  This can cause two problems, firstly the textile can be compressed, and secondly it can create a microclimate within the frame.  A microclimate is a small area or space with its own atmospheric properties (temperature and relative humidity).   Microclimates are perfect environments for moulds and pests to breed, as they are normally warmer, damper, darker and undisturbed.  Mould had been detected in some of the screens, so it was vital, if possible, to alter the frame to allow for more space, and therefore more air circulation, preventing a similar microclimate forming again.

To strengthen the edges of the textile panels, a 22mm wide cotton tape was applied around the perimeter of both panels.  This extra strength was needed, as the panels were stretched into the frame, and stapled into place using stainless steel staples.

Robin working on the frame

Ellie and Robin reinserting the textiles

The glazed screen only allowed for access from the reverse.  When it reached the studio, it was dismantled and cleaned, inside and out.  Fillets (narrow pieces of oak) were placed into the screen, to rest between the glass and the textile panel, this was done to increase the space between them.  Then the personification panel was placed face down into the frame, stretched and stapled into place.  The motif panel was then placed, face up and the same method repeated.  Due to the tension created, a board was not need to support the textiles.  The reverse of the glazed screen was then reconstructed, sealing the object.

Finished front of screen

Finish reverse of screen

I am very pleased with this project, as all objectives were fulfilled.  This was the first of two sets of screens, and therefore set the precedent for future conservation work.

Ellie B

Projects update

I have just updated our projects page to include some composite after shots of projects such as the Great Hanging at Hardwick Hall, the Cinnamon chairs at Dunham Massey and the Personifcations screens at Hardwick Hall.

Check them out at http://nttextileconservationstudio.wordpress.com/projects/

Conservation of cinnamon coloured chairs

We have recently had a delivery of three more chairs from Dunham Massey. In 2012 we had the first three of the set to conserve. Here is a post about the work we undertook.

Within the three months of May, June and July 2012 the conservation treatment of three fully upholstered Queen Anne chairs from Dunham Massey was undertaken.

Before conservation

After conservation

The main objective to the treatment of these chairs was to clean, stabilise and support the fragile, brittle and damaged silk velvet covers and decorative trims.

After unpacking and undertaking an initial assessment of condition and damage, the chairs were given a vacuum to remove the dust and dirt from upon the surfaces.

 

In areas of the silk velvet where losses had occurred, a purpose dyed silk fabric treated with a conservation adhesive which could be heat activated, was inserted behind the damage to provide long term support, stability and an aesthetic infill to the silk

Before conservation

During patch insertion

After patch insertion

Dyed net was then stitch secured over the surfaces of the chair to provide protection and help preserve the fragmenting fabric

The net also allows any damage or fading to the silk velvet to be ‘knocked back’ visually to provide an aesthetically pleasing result.

The key to the success of the treatment was to match the dyed colour of the silk support fabric and nylon net to the tone of the original silk velvet.

It was also important to use a conservation adhesive which would provide the most desirable properties. In this case a fine flexible clear film of acrylic adhesive was used.

In addition to the adhesive patch support, stitching was undertaken to provide support to weak areas of the decorative gimp trim which was the reattached to the chair. Loose tassels around the seat rail were reattached to the decorative gimp.

Reattaching tassels

Tassel reattached

Patience and perseverance pays off

Finished at last! And the three girls Penelope, Perseverans and Paciens look revitalised and ready for at least another 100 years in the public eye.

Since the last blog posting Penelope herself has been treated. Her fragmenting painted hands have been given an adhesive crepeline overlay and the few remaining loose silk fragments on her face stuck down. Her dress has been cleaned, tidied and netted and loose appliqué elements restitched into place.

Most striking has been the transformation of her portal after the removal of the previous unsightly patch. Missing areas in the portal have now been replaced with infills of dyed silk crepeline treated with a solvent activated adhesive. The whole of the portal has then been covered with a layer of dyed nylon net.

After treating the front, the conservators carefully turned the hanging over using a large padded roller and reattached the washed and conserved original lining.

Now the right way up again, Penelope is receiving her final photo call and the conservation report is being written. A meeting on site with conservators, the House and Collections Manager and house staff at Hardwick is planned for April, so Penelope has to wait a little longer for a final decision on her display but she will soon be packed and on her way home.

Beautiful details

It’s been a busy start to the year in the Textile Conservation Studio. Our team of conservators have been out and about to properties all over the country, both NT and private, checking over the condition of textile items. From tapestries to beds and carpets to screens, each item needs a close check on the condition and options, if needed, for conservation.

It is often when taking a close look at these items that you see beautiful details that you would not normally see when walking around a house. For example on a recent trip to Anglesey Abbey in Cambridgeshire, we had an ideal opportunity to take a look at a 17th century embroidery whilst some work was going on that required scaffolding.

The beautiful piece is probably passed by on the stairs by many visitors, but if you stop to take a closer look then you might see the little frog on the pond or the cherub pulling back the night sky to make way for the chariot of the sun.

Cragside in Northumberland was another destination at the end of February for a couple of our conservators to take a closer look at the chenille carpets which have been in the rooms since the 1870s. These rare examples of 19th century English carpet making are in need of some conservation and needed some careful working out of how the best way to work on them would be.

So next time you are wandering around a National Trust property look out for the beautiful details that most people would walk past.

Saying goodbye

Do you remember what you received in the post in 2004? Well we do.

Nine years ago we received delivery of the first parts of the James II bed for conservation.

A few weeks ago we sent back the curtains, headboard and cantonniers via our specialist couriers. The project still has another couple of years till it reaches completion, but we have decided that some parts can go back – leaving us some space in our stores.

Staff stood by waving the pieces off remembering the challenges they have faced in this project and the miraculous transformation that has happened to the parts of the bed that we have treated.

Detail of foot curtain before conservation

Detail of foot curtain after conservation

We are still working on the upper inner valances and have further work in the future to the inner tester.But for now its good bye to these pieces and we hope that you like it back home in Kent.