Perhaps the most boring title-line ever, but it was hard to work 'explosions' into a description of conservation. Maybe a 'before' and 'after' scenario?
At any rate, here is the 'before':
It is a good time to explain the difference between conservation and restoration. To abbreviate and keep things simple, conservation tries to keep things from falling apart more, to halt decay or just slow it down. Restoration on the other hand, is to regain lost ground, to reverse the decay and bring things back to original condition AND functionality.
So, why conserve and not restore this piece?
Well, the function, as it is, is purely decorative. This vase was a gift from my grandparents, an old, family piece, originally purchased in China sometime in the 1890's by a great (x3?) grandfather who was there as a metallurgical engineer to open mines. Sorta makes me feel boring, like I need to go out a wrestle a python or something. With that background on provenance, I was able to find out a bit more about the piece. It is a Chinese version of an older Japanese style (China was making this during a brief period when China had opened its ports and Japan had dialed back production) and while it is lovely and somewhat unusual in its large size, it isn't super valuable. That massive chip was an accident, over 100 years ago.
oops...
Ultimately, it would just be nice to have the chip filled in and it never has to function as anything other than an object for viewing. I am a big believer that fixes should be minimal and reversible, being optimistic that someday a better fix may be possible and so you never what to do anything that commits you to irrevocable actions. A restoration of this piece would mean getting filler put in that is as durable and tough as ceramic. Yeah, so, that isn't reversible and it is overkill for something that just needs to sit there. And the break is partially hidden by a lid, no less. So, conservation it is!!!
I am going to do a patch of plaster and PVA, paint it, seal it, and apply metal leafing to finish.
This is for the initial patch, prior to any coloring or sealing:
1. Plaster of Paris
2. PVA
3. Distilled water...
...you could do tap, but I am a purist *ba-dum-ching* with restoration
4. Mixing containers
5. Sponge
6. Stirring utensil
7. Paper towels (always plan on mess)
8. Tarp (did I mention the mess?)
9. Mat-board or something to plaster-up for color matching samples later
This is not going to be an afternoon project. Give yourself hour-long chunks of time to be available, from application to clean up on a plaster layer, and know that this might take you a few days.
Give your break surface a quick sponge down with the water, just to get rid of any surface filth. While that is drying, mix up the plaster.
Though you could mix up the Plaster of Paris with just water alone, the addition of PVA makes the filler more sticky, less permeable to humidity and surface moisture (you don't want the plaster and color to smear later), and it is still totally reversible and removable. The amounts of PVA, Plaster of Paris, and water will vary according to how concentrated your PVA is and humidity.
I eyeballed about 2x the amount of plaster I would need to fill in the break, added a healthful blorp of PVA, then added in water until it was a bit too runny (explanation coming). Then, I added back in small amounts of Plaster of Paris, ultimately edging towards very sticky... but still able to stand and not run... frosting. Try to mix all the little clumps out, but you can cover those up later. Not the end of the world, though, not ideal.
Now, consider your break. Bid it, 'farewell.'
No regrets. Always reversible.
You will not be able to patch a big break all in one go. Besides the fact that a big clump of plaster will settle, slip, and possible fall, it will also contract as it dries. You will almost certainly get cracks in large amounts of wet plaster from one application after it dries. No biggie. Just patch it with the next application.
This is the first coat:
It took about an hour to dry enough so that I could take a damp sponge to clean up the edges as they overlap with the ceramic vase at the break-line. Remember, you want to fill the hole, not mushroom over it. If the plaster TOTALLY dries before you try to clean it up with a sponge, it is much more work. Hence, give yourself that hour window for application and clean up.
Keep building up those layers, keeping clean and shaping as you go, and try to get the fill just a touch below the glazing on the ceramic. Since you are going to paint and seal this up, the seam will be less noticeable if you give room for the build up of the top coat.
When I get ready for the final, plaster coat and smoothing, I'll do something a bit different (stay tuned). And then we will take care of the plaster coating on that mat board. So... have fun and I hope you have a big tarp or are more graceful than I am.
oops...
Ultimately, it would just be nice to have the chip filled in and it never has to function as anything other than an object for viewing. I am a big believer that fixes should be minimal and reversible, being optimistic that someday a better fix may be possible and so you never what to do anything that commits you to irrevocable actions. A restoration of this piece would mean getting filler put in that is as durable and tough as ceramic. Yeah, so, that isn't reversible and it is overkill for something that just needs to sit there. And the break is partially hidden by a lid, no less. So, conservation it is!!!
I am going to do a patch of plaster and PVA, paint it, seal it, and apply metal leafing to finish.
This is for the initial patch, prior to any coloring or sealing:
1. Plaster of Paris
2. PVA
3. Distilled water...
...you could do tap, but I am a purist *ba-dum-ching* with restoration
4. Mixing containers
5. Sponge
6. Stirring utensil
7. Paper towels (always plan on mess)
8. Tarp (did I mention the mess?)
9. Mat-board or something to plaster-up for color matching samples later
This is not going to be an afternoon project. Give yourself hour-long chunks of time to be available, from application to clean up on a plaster layer, and know that this might take you a few days.
Give your break surface a quick sponge down with the water, just to get rid of any surface filth. While that is drying, mix up the plaster.
Though you could mix up the Plaster of Paris with just water alone, the addition of PVA makes the filler more sticky, less permeable to humidity and surface moisture (you don't want the plaster and color to smear later), and it is still totally reversible and removable. The amounts of PVA, Plaster of Paris, and water will vary according to how concentrated your PVA is and humidity.
I eyeballed about 2x the amount of plaster I would need to fill in the break, added a healthful blorp of PVA, then added in water until it was a bit too runny (explanation coming). Then, I added back in small amounts of Plaster of Paris, ultimately edging towards very sticky... but still able to stand and not run... frosting. Try to mix all the little clumps out, but you can cover those up later. Not the end of the world, though, not ideal.
Now, consider your break. Bid it, 'farewell.'
No regrets. Always reversible.
You will not be able to patch a big break all in one go. Besides the fact that a big clump of plaster will settle, slip, and possible fall, it will also contract as it dries. You will almost certainly get cracks in large amounts of wet plaster from one application after it dries. No biggie. Just patch it with the next application.
This is the first coat:
It took about an hour to dry enough so that I could take a damp sponge to clean up the edges as they overlap with the ceramic vase at the break-line. Remember, you want to fill the hole, not mushroom over it. If the plaster TOTALLY dries before you try to clean it up with a sponge, it is much more work. Hence, give yourself that hour window for application and clean up.
Keep building up those layers, keeping clean and shaping as you go, and try to get the fill just a touch below the glazing on the ceramic. Since you are going to paint and seal this up, the seam will be less noticeable if you give room for the build up of the top coat.
When I get ready for the final, plaster coat and smoothing, I'll do something a bit different (stay tuned). And then we will take care of the plaster coating on that mat board. So... have fun and I hope you have a big tarp or are more graceful than I am.
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