Conservation aims to preserve and stabilise objects from further deterioration. Certain types of ceramics, such as low fired wares and archaeological vessels are more appropriately treated with a conservation ethic  in mind and successful results can be achieved on hard paste porcelains and china without the need to restore all signs of damage.

Conservation may enhance the appearance of an object by cleaning, removing unsightly previous repairs and filling chipped or missing areas with an appropriate conservation grade material, but the repair may still be visible on close inspection, as you might experience in a museum environment.

​Han Dynasty Dancer circa. 206BC - 220AD

  • Foot detached. Break edges chipped and fritted.
  • Foot re-bonded with conservation grade acrylic co-polymer adhesive and chips filled with acrylic putty.
  • Filled areas re-bonded with acrylic paints and matt restoration glaze.

​Ekinos pot circa. 750-500BC

  • Large missing area of rim.
  • Break edges consolidated with Paraloid B7 (5% solution).
  • Area filled with plaster of paris tinted with dry ground pigments.
  • Plaster fill shaped and abraded.

Greek Kylix

  • Kylix broken into several shards.
  • Edges consolidated and pieces re-bonded with acrylic adhesive.
  • Chipped areas filled with tinted acrylic putty and re-touched where necessary with acrylic paint.

C17th Kangxi candlesticks

  • Both candlesticks previously repaired. Adhesive discoloured and unstable.
  • Old adhesive removed and candlesticks cleaned with steam cleaner and swabs of acetone.
  • Broken areas re-bonded with conservation grade epoxy resin (Fynebond).
  • Small areas of loss filled with epoxy resin bulked with fumed silica and tinted with dry ground pigments to match glaze colour.

Greek Askos circa. 250-150BC

  • Handle broken into 3 pieces.
  • Pieces re-bonded with Paraloid B72 conservation adhesive.