Gilded and silvered frames

Christine Powell <c.powell [at] vam__ac__uk>

>I am requesting information on the conservation of mirror plate
>glass, tin amalgam and others in gilded or silvered wood frames.
>...
>I have tried to obtain an unpublished report:
>
>   "The corrosive effect of wood on the tin amalgam backing of a late
>    18 century mirror" by Johnson Mosher S. Furniture Conservation
>    Programme, Smithsonian Institute.

While I am unfamiliar with the study you mention, you might look at

    Sandra Davison and Patricia R. Jackson
    "The restoration of decorative flat glass: 4 case histories"
    The Conservator, v. 9, 1985:3-9

and contact them for more information.  I believe Ms. Jackson was
recently at West Dean. Otherwise, the person I know who is most
expert in this field is Sidney Williston who runs Mario's
Restoration in Washington D.C.  You might want to contact him.

Niccolo Caldararo
Director and Chief Conservator
Conservation Art Service



                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 14:11
                  Distributed: Sunday, August 6, 2000
                       Message Id: cdl-14-11-006
                                  ***