Stone sculpture

In response to some of Barbara Appelbaum's comments in Cons DistList
Inst. 12:29, I think something needs to be said.

Sorry to be going back over old ground, but one purpose of this list
is to provide an opportunity for conservators who find themselves
being required to work on materials outside their normal area of
expertise to ask fellow conservators with greater experience in
those areas for advice.  This is simply what Ebenezer is doing.

Ms Appelbaum comments: "I hope by now the author of the query has
received privately some replies that suggest that he should not be
doing a job if, as evidenced by his questions, he knows so little
about the subject of outdoor sculpture..." Well, he's now received
such a reply publicly, and a very unhelpful one it is too.

In her next sentence, Ms Appelbaum admits: "I personally treat many
strange objects for which I make up treatments as I go along". Which
would be better--for Ebenezer to just make up a treatment as he goes
along, or to admit he doesn't know what the latest thinking is on
treating outdoor sculptures and seek the advice of his colleagues? I
know which I would say is the more responsible course of action.

What a shame that a post that does raise some interesting questions
about when and how far to conserve should also contain such
unhelpful and unnecessary critical comments.

Can we use the list from now on for positive advice please, to help
those who, whether they like it or not, find themselves having to
stray outside their areas of expertise?

I'm sorry that I am unable to offer advice to Ebenezer, as this is
outside my area of expertise too!

Adrian Tribe

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 12:30
                Distributed: Friday, September 25, 1998
                       Message Id: cdl-12-30-004
                                  ***