Issue 36 2023 - Journal - Page 43
our knowledge will not adversely affect an object in the
future, and importantly, all treatment should aim to be
reversible where possible and appropriate. Some of the
pieces we happen to work on have clearly had a number
of repairs using the most creative products: from abrasive
and chemically aggressive detergents to some kind of
bonding polymers that unfortunately compromised the
piece in a way or another. If appropriate we may have to
undo what was done badly before even starting to work
on a new repair or re-finish a piece: there is in fact a great
part of conservation work before any new work can be
carried out.
conditioned report indeed highlighted a number of issues
to be addressed including some necessary re-gilding. This
is a specialised area that I used to cover but since most of
my clients require different services today, I no longer keep
some of the supplies and materials anymore. I remembered being only a week earlier at a BAFRA conference
and discussing with another accredited member about a
similar project he worked on. So I contacted him and
introduced him to the client: it was nice to end up
working together and ‘sit next to each other’, so to say.
Referrals in our industry happen quite often, especially if
one is already fully scheduled on a job, but in this instance
it was quite serendipitous to see how perfect our timing
really was!
Q: What kind of materials do you generally work with?
A: For sympathetic preservation of the piece, we find
ourselves using many natural products (most are still
animal based as they are traditional supplies, but
nowadays many precious materials we were trained to
handle are now regulated, such as ivory or tortoiseshell.
Q: Certainly a lucky coincidence and I am sure your
colleague was very grateful!
A: Oh yes, and indeed he was very grateful, but it’s not
only that: we ended up with a fantastic collaboration and
a project that brought a beautiful piece back to its former
glory. This also became the subject of one of our CPDs
and an occasion for a small seminar during another
BAFRA event in summer: so we had the chance to share
it with other members. Hopefully it has prompted other
colleagues to do the same.
To tell the truth, on average a BAFRA member is already
well-versed in working with many materials, if we consider
for example upholstery fabrics, leather, metalwork for
hardware and large surfaces, gold leaf, lacquers, glass and
ceramic, and of course wood in all its variations.
We also have specialised members – who only focus on
one category of products or specific typology or period.
More frequently we will find ourselves working on multiple materials and can often collaborate with other professionals on specific sections.
Q: It seems there is a solid network within the
association: it must be quite nice for clients to know
that they can rely on different specialisms all under the
same umbrella of BAFRA…
A: Absolutely! This is one of the driving forces that led
to the foundation of BAFRA: having a centralised point
of contact that can help source highly skilled and qualified
professionals, and to protect both antique trade and general public from the proliferation of amateur restorers with
little or no qualifications/experience and a poor integrity
in their approach.
As mentioned previously, it is also fundamental for our
line of work to have fully functioning and well stocked
workshops, so often there are practical reasons why we
don’t necessarily work with all materials… Missing the
best tools to work on certain materials is already a reason
to outsource one part of the project to another specialist.
Our clients entrust us with their pieces and we make sure
our intervention is carried out in the best possible way.
Q: Certainly the conservation aspect is important to
BAFRA. What measures do you take to preserve the
original materials and construction while restoring an
antique piece?”
A: It is - all accredited members will also make sure that
a piece is correctly contextualised and when needed
researched to reconstruct its origin, function of use, and
events it might have suffered. This also tells us to what
extent a piece can and should be repaired and when it’s
best to keep it untouched: it’s a balance between the
practical approach and the respect we owe to cultural heritage. Naturally the remit is with the individual or public
institution who commissioned the work but we offer our
expertise to advise on best practice.
Q: This is what every client would want to hear and it
is certainly evidence of what BAFRA stands for and
the kind of thought-leadership we wish it will continue
to hold in the future. While we thank you all for this
chat, is there anything else you see in its future?
A: In order to preserve and safeguard the heritage of the
nation that rests in both public and private hands, we
need to encourage and support young people trying to get
into the profession and we have working groups that are
looking into making that happen.
By all means we would like to invite anyone who has an
interest (practical or academic) to check out our website
and follow us on social media: there are some interesting
opportunities to see more of us and to view some hidden
treasures of our cultural heritage. Thank you for inviting
us today. See you soon.
As per what measures we take… Well, BAFRA has nearly
single-handedly promoted the creation of a code of ethics
in this sector for over 40 years now. For instance, we must
always choose methods and materials that to the best of
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