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Frequently Asked Questions about Ceramics Restoration |
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Why Should I Restore?
The term restoration generally refers to the art of improving an object's appearance, but restorers also stabilize and strengthen objects, removing accumulations of dirt or repairs that may injure the object, thus preserving it for future generations.
An ethical restorer will take every precaution to ensure that the materials used in the repair of an object, will not damage its actual substance, and that no sanding or grinding in the studio will abrade its surface. Many times an old restoration on an object is removed to find that the previous repair-person, quite often an amateur, has scratched the surface or rubbed off the gilding. Occasionally, the adhesives used are impossible to remove from a porous surface, thus ruining the chances of ever re-restoring properly.
How can I Find a Good Restorer?
The best way to ensure that your restorer will be a person who keeps the object's future in mind and preserves as much of the original as possible, is to ask for a reference from a local museum or antiques dealer. Restorers don't often have enormous advertising budgets, or luxury-rental studios. A good word-of-mouth reputation is their best billboard.
Museums, especially their conservation departments, usually have a list of restorers of various specialties - ceramics, painting, works on paper, textiles, and others. Some china or jewellery stores, or silver plating studios will quite often save you the leg work of visiting the restorer yourself. Bear in mind that talking to a restorer directly about your specific repair will help the negotiation of what kind of repair is expected by you, and at what price.
What Can I Expect?
When you call a restorer for the first time, don't give an elaborate description of the object or it's damage over the phone. If you have obtained the name of a person in the correct specialty, they will have dealt with thousands of similar objects over the years, but in fact would not be able to judge the exact technical nature of the damage, if described by an amateur. The restorer must see and feel the object, and in some cases they must even listen to it, before they start telling you about its condition.
Quite often the restorer can reveal a history of repair that was unknown to the owner (or the dealer that sold it to them), or point out invisible cracking which could cause the object much further damage if not treated.
At this point several options for treatment could be proposed by the restorer - cleaning, bleaching, consolidation, reinforcement, gluing and filling, or casting of parts. Then the new parts or fills can be completed with a 'visible' or museum-style repair, or a totally 'invisible' finish. The restorer should be able to estimate prices on all the possibilities.
To save time presenting all the options and estimates, the restorer may try to second-guess the type of restoration the client wants. Future use of the object may also narrow the options. If you have any concerns or preconceived notions about the result of the repair, you must talk to the restorer about your ideas, to make sure you are getting what you want.
Is My Object Worth Restoring?
You may want to know if your object is valuable enough to restore. Don't expect a restorer to hazard more than a guess on current market value. True, they are 'in the business' of antiques or collectibles, but even if they sell objects themselves, prices can vary wildly depending on the location or status of the vendor. An object selling for one price in an antique market stall, could sell for a lot more at an informed, established dealer.
The only true appraisal is an appraisal is one done by an expert in the category of the object type. It is a paid for service, resulting in documentation that can be used for insurance or resale purposes. Ask for the names of professional appraisers at an auction house, museum, or antiques dealer.
Unless you lock your treasures away in padded boxes, chipping and breaking will always occur. Quite often these pieces are impossible to replace. Either they are no longer produced, or they are not made to the same high standards. Besides, a sentimental object can never be replaced.
Listen to the estimates given by the restorer. The important thing is whether the object is worth it to you to get it repaired. A restorer will have a good idea about how the object will look after the work is finished. An ethical one will forewarn you if the object is quite frankly beyond repair.
How Much Will this Cost?
Quite often a person may wish to know the price of a restoration before they slog their way through the sleet and snow to a restorer's studio. Once again, a restorer cannot estimate a repair over the phone.
Work that you may believe to be simple, may either have several options for treatment, or may require complicated optical effects to hide the repair. Communication with the restorer, even if it is by phone or mail once the restorer has the object in hand, is most important.
A full condition report, needed for catalogued collections, some insurance claims or law suits, is a paid for service that results in proper documentation and photography, and usually is not required for private repairs. Expect a written repair order from the restorer, which will estimate the repair, but will not have the taxes added, until the repair is completed and the invoice issued.
Estimates are usually firm, but if as the repair is started, additional damage or undetected previous restoration is detected, especially when paint removal is involved, the restorer will always contact the owner to discuss any changes.
If an object has sentimental value, it can be very satisfying to display it, looking its best; but often the price of restoration could exceed your personal value of it. Establish whether estimates are free at your restorer's studio, and remember that they will not be embarrassed in the least if you do not proceed with the work.
How Long Will This Take?
One must be prepared to wait for quality work. Remember that restoration is a fine craft, and that treatments scheduled for a certain day, may not please a fastidious restorer with their results. Air pressure, temperature, and humidity, all have subtle effects on the curing of the new sensitive materials used in ceramic restoration. An air bubble, or puckery surface may delay the completion of a repair.
What is an Invisible Restoration?
To achieve an invisible restoration on ceramics, the damage is hidden behind a small amount of perfectly matched and well blended-in paint. Current restorers are using plastics called acryloids for this purpose, and with the use of an airbrush can usually completely counterfeit a surface, some translucent effects being the exception.
Many layers of acryloid (usually clear) need to be airbrushed on, dried sanded, and burnished, to reduce the minute 'step' between the object and it's fill. Only then is a thin layer of opaque paint applied, to provide the background.
Finally, the time consuming task of matching all the surface-decoration colours, and applying them individually occurs. The use of acryloids only makes this harder, as every layer 'melts' the previous layer, resulting in 'brush drag'. The quick drying properties of the medium also make the paint harden on the brush to the restorer who hesitates.
The restorer must be able to paint in several different traditional or historical china-painting styles, and mimic mechanically printed transfer effects, blurred decorations, and original 'mistakes'.
What Should I Take to the Restorer?
A ceramics restorer will usually work on any objects of a hard substance, if the treatment involved is similar to how they would treat ceramics. This would include objects of porcelain, stoneware, china, pottery, raku, plaster, stone, ivory, bone, wood, some metals including spelter, papier-maché, enamel, leather or glass.
A studio is usually equipped to handle objects of a certain size. Occasionally, a ceramics restorer might take in a small delicate table to fill a tiny chip, yet will not undertake furniture restoration in general. Some handle small frame repairs, but usually that is a specialty, involving casting, gilding, and carpentry in a much different equipped studio.
Dinnerware is not a good thing to take to the restorer. A partial coat of plastic on its surface could be cut through, or eaten off. Anything requiring frequent washing could lift the edges of the acryloid making it look like curling dried transparent tape. Postwar chinaware also usually breaks with a spring, which makes it impossible to match the edges again.
Warn the restorer of the future use of the object. A different adhesive may be chosen if high temperatures or humidity are to be withstood.
Do restore display pieces! Restorers work magic everyday with damaged figurines, lamps, vases, trinkets, tiles, doll's heads, trays, and glass objects.
Remember that with glass objects, one cannot hide something behind something that you can see through! Glass objects can be glued, and filled, but you will see the repair. Arrangements can be made with some restorers to take chipped glassware to a grinder for polishing.
How Should I Move an Object?
Except from rare cases in which an object will spontaneously break while sitting in one spot (usually due to an intrinsic flaw, and variations in temperature or humidity), an object will usually become damaged when it is moved.
To take extra care when moving a treasured object, one needs to have a certain sense of awareness. First think about the importance of this object. Then apply a lot of common sense.
Think about your stance when you move an object. Are you on both feet with your weight distributed evenly ? Is the cat about to rush by your ankles suddenly? Can you safely move your weight around a few feet to either side? Avoid stepping backwards, without being totally aware of what is around you. Use only well washed and dried hands when picking up an object, and use both of them!
Never pick up an object by its handle or knob - or a figurine by its head or arm. Remove lids (covers) before packing - if there is no work on it, leave it at home! Its inclusion is almost never going to help the restorer, unless special decoration has to be copied, or a tight fit achieved.
If something is so large or cumbersome, that another's help must be enlisted, make sure in advance that each person knows where and when to lift, raise or lower. If taking a large piece to a restorer, ask them about the amount of studio space available at the time.
How Should I Get it to the Restorer?
Professional crating and moving of art objects can be arranged at any time for a price; but if transporting it yourself, remember the following: Sometimes an object is much safer if it is in full view, and not wrapped in a flimsy bag. Some objects are more stable upside down, resting on their rims instead of their bases. See if the top rim is thick enough and wide enough to prevent roll.
Detached fragments are safely transported wrapped separately in paper towel sections. This is also better than plastic wrap or paper, as the restorer can recycle it as industrial wipes.
If you wish to courier or mail an object, but have no access to packing materials, consider a well-taped cardboard box, or better yet, a box packed within a box, all lined with air-popped popcorn.
Remember to check the restorer's hours of business. Undelivered objects can remain in courier's trucks for several days.
How Should I Insure my Object?
Contact your insurance agent, to check whether your object is covered in transit, or in the care of a restorer, appraiser, or photographer. If shipping by courier, check out the extra insurance option. This is always the responsibility of the owner. Nor can the service industries always arrange for adequate coverage of the vast fluctuations in objects they handle. A restorer protects client's properties in a fastidious way, but cannot always be covered for fire, flood, or vandalism in a break-in. Also, most couriers, postal services, or taxi-cab deliveries will not insure transport of fragile objects.
Is There Any Way I Can Prevent Further Damage?
Consider buying or having made, a base, mount, or supportive stand to enhance or stabilize your object when on display. Names for people to do this custom work can be found at museums, large interior decorators, architects, or restorers. A variety of premade bases and stands can be bought at department stores, Chinese art stores, and chinapainter's supplies.
Hangers for plates and chargers should be made custom to fit the object, and most restorers can do this for you. Pre-made 'spring' versions can be obtained at department stores, hardwares, and collectibles stores.
Where Can I Take a Course in Ceramic Restoration?
Short courses are often offered at local museums which can impress the public with the complexity of the work involved in treating historical objects. Hands-on work will be extremely limited, as objects can be altered easily in treatment, and 'ruined' for posterity.
The actual study of conservation or restoration quite often takes on the
form of a master's degree, or other university course. In Southern Ontario,
diploma courses are offered at Queen's University in
Traditionally, one might have apprenticed in the studio of a master restorer. Occasionally, a commercial studio will hire help, and you might wish to talk directly to a local restorer with a private practice. Pay is quite often minimal, but the work and atmosphere quite interesting. Remember that commercial restoration is a 'small business' with all the woes that go with the title. It is also an expert craft with skills involved that could take years of hands-on work with proper supervision to develop fully.
CoOl is a conservation site with links to conservators who may be able to help with information in different localities.
Westdean College offers a two year diploma
course in ceramic restoration.The college is situated in south east
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