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Conservation Journal

January 1997 Issue 22

Highlights in this issue

Weighing up silver objects: evaluating past and future conservation methods

Simon Metcalf, Metalwork Conservator, Metalwork Conservation

Over the past three years Metalwork Conservation has surveyed and conserved more than 1500 silver based objects in preparation for the re-opening of the Victoria & Albert Museum's Silver Gallery.  

Reflections on Silver

Sophia Strang Steel, Metalwork Conservation Student, RCA/V&A Conservation Course

The OED definition of a student reads: 'Person studying in order to qualify himself for some occupation or devoting himself to some branch of learning...' In my first year of study I came to readily associate such a definition with the treatment of objects, but it was the treatment of objects for the Silver Gallery which helped me to begin to define conservation as a 'subject/branch of learning/occupation'.

Investigations into the Use of Laponite as a Poulticing Material in Ceramics Conservation

Lai-Mei Lee, Philip Rogers, Department of Materials, Imperial College, London Victoria Oakley, Head of Ceramics and Glass Conservation Juanita Navarro, Ceramics Conservator, Ceramics and Glass Conservation

Laponites  (Laporte Absorbents) are a range of synthetic silicates manufactured from pure chemicals.  Fundamentally they are closely related to the natural clay mineral hectorite.  

The Archive of Heal & Son Limited

Helen Lindsay, Contract Book Conservator, Conservation Department

In 1994 the second and final part of the archive of Heal & Son Limited arrived at the Archive of Art and Design at Blythe House. It joined an earlier batch of material which had been donated to the V& A in 1978.  

January 1997 Issue 22

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