Katharine Barker - Textiles Restoration
The First of The Pair of Two guidons, Queen's Bays, mid 19th century.
Conservator : Katharine Barker BA(Hons) BSc AMA ACR
Date: 15 December 2004
The grid pattern stitching, attaching the old net covering to both faces of the guidon, was cut through and the net removed. It was found to be a scarlet shade, somewhat brighter than the underlying silk.
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| Front View Before Restoration |
The stitching around the edge of the guidon was then cut, allowing the two faces to be opened out. Unusually, both faces and pole sleeve were found to be one continuous length of silk. Earlier repairs were found to have been worked through a continuous length of linen fabric.
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| Rear View Before Restoration |
Darned repairs to the silk were cut through and removed, but extensive stitching worked through the motifs was left intact. The linen was cut away, up to the edges of the motifs. The inner pole sleeve, made of a coarse hessian type fabric, was taken out and bright red repair fabrics were removed from the same area.
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Before Old Net Covering |
Pole Sleeve Fabric |
A length of strong plain weave silk and pieces of fine nylon net were dyed to match the darker pink shades in the guidon. Ciba-Geigy "Lanaset" dyestuffs were used. The opened out guidon was positioned face upwards on the dyed silk. At this stage, the fringing was removed to allow the guidon edges to be opened out.
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Peeling Back The Old Net Covering |
The Old Linen Support |
The fine net was then laid over the guidon and pinned in place. Stitching was worked, using "Ultrafyne" polyester threads, around each motif, along splits and through damaged areas and as vertical, zig-zag lines of support stitching. The edges were then turned under, the inner pole sleeve positioned and the guidon re-folded, inner faces together. The edges were pinned and then stitched with Gutermann's polyester A302 threads. The fringing was re-applied. The same thread was used.
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Removing The Old Linen Support |
Removing the Inner Pole Sleeve |
A mounting board was cut from Medium Density Fibreboard, isolated with "Melinex" film, cushioned with polyester wadding and finally covered with natural linen from Holland, which had bee prepared for use by soaking in baths of hot water to remove any dressings.
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Positioned On The Support Silk |
Re-Folding and Re-Stitching The Edges |
The guidon was positioned on the prepared board and stitched in place with Gutermann's polyester A302 thread. The fringing was straightened and secured with Gutermann's polyester "Skala " thread.
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The First Guidon After Conservation |
The Second of The Pair of Two guidons.
Conservation of the second guidon of the pair was carried out in the same way as the first, however, it was found to lack any linen support fabric and is made up of three components, front, back and pole sleeve.
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Before Restoration |
Before Restoration |
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After Restoration |
AUGUST 2005
1ST KING'S DRAGOON GUARDS OFFICERS COCKED HAT DATED 1830
The feather plume was removed from the hat. Surface dust was removed using a soft brush and broken feathers were repaired using strips of ''Melinex'' film as splints and adhering them with HMG adhesive.
Black felt patches were peeled off the hat. These were the wrong colour and lacked the necessary rigidity.
New support and infill patches were made up from laminating sheets of non-woven polyester fabric ''Vilene'' using Mowolith DM427 adhesive. They were then coloured to blend in with the hat using Windsor and Newton acrylic paints. The patches were applied using DM427 adhesive. The gold lace panel on one side was secured, where it had come loose, using Ciba-Geigy ''A302'' polyester threads. The feather plume was replaced.
1. Before Conservation 2. The damaged top edge of the hat.
1. A new patch is cut from ''Vilene'' 2. After Conservation with feather plume replaced
STANDARD 2nd TROOP QUEEN'S BAYS 'LUCKNOW'
The Standard was removed from the old frame and mounting board. On examination, the cream silk was found to be very weak and to have been stitched, extensively, onto a linen backing. Since this stitching was carried out the damage has progressed further, producing unsecured areas of flaking silk. Because the was both inadequate and unsightly, it was unpicked form both faces of the standard.
A piece of fine nylon was dyed to a cream shade to match the standard. Ciba-Geigy ‘’Lanset’’’ dyestuffs were used. This net was then used to cover both sides of the Standard turning in the edges, working edge and support stitching and round the main motifs. Polyester threads by Gutermann’s were used.
A mounting board was made up from density fibreboard (MDF). Isolated with ‘’Melinex’’ (impermeable polyester film) and padded with cotton domet and then covered with natural linen Holland. The Standard was positioned on the board and stitched into place using Gutermann’s polyester ‘’Skala’’’ and A302 threads.
The Standard was removed from the old frame and mounting board. On examination, the cream silk was found to be very weak and to have been stitched, extensively, onto a linen backing. Since this stitching was carried out the damage has progressed further, producing unsecured areas of flaking silk. Because the was both inadequate and unsightly, it was unpicked form both faces of the standard.
A piece of fine nylon was dyed to a cream shade to match the standard. Ciba-Geigy ‘’Lanset’’’ dyestuffs were used. This net was then used to cover both sides of the Standard turning in the edges, working edge and support stitching and round the main motifs. Polyester threads by Gutermann’s were used.
A mounting board was made up from density fibreboard (MDF). Isolated with ‘’Melinex’’ (impermeable polyester film) and padded with cotton domet and then covered with natural linen Holland. The Standard was positioned on the board and stitched into place using Gutermann’s polyester ‘’Skala’’’ and A302 threads.
1. Before conservation 2. Details of old stitching
1. Details of old stitching 2. After conservation
QUEEN'S BAYS HORSE BLANKET C 1900
The blanket was surfaced cleaned using vacuum suctiion and brushes ''Leather Groom' was used to treat the the leather panels and and straps. Acetone on cotton wool swabs was used to lift dirt off the metal decorations and to remove glue deposits around the crown. Loose metal threads and gold lace edgings were secured by stitching with Gutermann's polyester 'Skala' threads. Wool fabric, dyed to a blue-black shade using Ciba-Geigy 'Lanaset' dyestuffs was used to fill and support accessible areas of damage and holes in the main fabric. One of the crown motifs was held on with self adhesive pieces of hook and loop fasteners and pins. These were removed and the crown re-adhered with Mowolith DMC427PVA adhesive. It was not possible to stitch through the crown to hold it.
After conservation.
DECEMBER 2005.
AFGHAN FLAG TAKEN IN 1919
The ties holding the banner to the pole were undone and the banner released.
Adhesive tape and a nail, holding a break in the pole, were removed. Adhesive residue was largely lifted off with acetone on cotton wool swabs. The break in the pole was repaired using a PVA wood adhesive.
The banner was surface cleaned using soft brushes and cotton wool swabs moistened with deionised water. Pieces of fine silk, dyed to green and pink shades using Ciba-Geigy "Lanaset" dyestuffs were placed behind sections of the banner. These areas were then couched with fine polyester threads pulled from "Stabiltex" fabric and the edges of the silk patches secured on the reverse by stitching with Gutermann's polyester "Skala" thread.
A mounting board was made up from two sheets of non-buffered acid free card and covered with cotton domet. A strip of shaped polyester wadding, with a recess cut into it, was then positioned on and stitched to the board, to hold the pole. The board was then covered with black cotton fabric. All fabrics were soaked in baths of hot water before use.
The banner and pole were positioned on the board. The banner was stitched into place using "Skala" thread. The pole was held with two rings of black elastic tape, stitched to and through the board. The ties, for attaching the banner to the pole
After conservation
FOUR TRUMPET BANNERS c 1900-1911.
Queen's Bays c1909
The Banner was suctioned clean and then loose fringing secured by stitching with Gutermann's A302 polyester thread.
KDG BANNER 1907.
Franz Josef Trumpet banner 1907. The banner was surfaced cleaned using low power vacuum suction. Loose threads, across back and front and around the edges were secured by stitching with Gutermann's polyester 'Skala' thread.
KDG TRUMPET BANNER 1915.
The banner was surface cleaned using low power vacuum suction. Adesive residues, from old labels, wer softened with acetone and much removed with fine tweezers. Full removal was not possible as further work began to damage the silk.
DELHI DURBAR TRUMPET BANNER 1911.
Trumpet banner used during the Delhi Durbar 1911. After surface using low vacuum suction, loose threads were secured using Gutermann's polyester 'Skala' threads
KING'S DRAGOON GUARDS MOUNTED DRUM BANNER C 1919
The banner was surface cleaned using low power vacuum suction and soft brushes, followed by swabs moistened with deionised water and with acetone. Loose sections of fabric and motifs were stitched into place using Ultrafyne and Gutermann’s polyester threads.
A mounting board was made up from Medium Density Fibreboard and covered with “Melinex” to isolate it from the textile. It was then covered with a cushioning layer of cotton domet and finally with natural linen Holland. All fabrics were soaked in baths of hot water before use, to remove any dressings.
Due to the thickness and the weight of the banner, it was decided that stitching into position would be difficult and prone to pulling and possible failure. Therefore, hook and loop fastener was applied to the board by stapling and to the banner by stitching respectively. The two were then pressed and the banner left to hang freely.
After conservation
