Hi there. About a year ago I posted this as a restoration project. After some discussion with Jenny, our Museum administrator, it turns out that it wasn’t restoration she was after but conservation. There is apparently a difference.
Restoration. Returning the item to as close as possible new condition.
Conservation. Arresting the decay/ decline of an object and securing its condition so that it doesn’t deteriorate any further.
So here are some before and after conservation shots.
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Here Ive basically glued back in the right hand side, hide glue this is about a century old, and cleaned/cut back the French Polish finish with Methylated Spirits (Denatured Alcohol). The top veneer was also glued down to prevent further deterioration. The lid top will not notice on display as the lid will be open to display the microscope.
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Here I’ve glued back in anything that was adrift and cleaned out the interior. I used a low power vacuum trick to get the white fluff off, without tearing out the lining.
As this was a conservation project I did not replace missing slipfeathers in the exterior mitre joints. Its now in a museum and is not likely to have the rougher handling it had in earlier life.
Jenny is happy with it and thats what counts. That and not charging for the work. I’m a volunteer at the museum and after all they do exhibit my boxes.
Any questions, please ask.
Be seeing you.