Removing graffiti from bronze

Donovan Michael Gray <dgray [at] ga__wa__gov> writes

>We have a cupola structure that appears to be bronze.  It might be
>brass but most likely bronze based on other installations in the
>building.  Some people have recently signed their names and dates on
>it with what appear to be Sharpie pens.  Everything I've
>investigated so far as a cleaning technique will likely remove the
>patina, which would suggest we have to clean the entire structure,
>rather than just where the graffiti is.

Removing sharpie-type graffiti from bronze should be a simple manner
of selecting an appropriate solvent.  I would suggest trying ethanol
or meths first.  This will not effect the bronze patina, unless the
graffiti has been left for some time. In this case you can get some
"shadowing" where the graffiti has provided some protection from the
elements and the patina has developed differently.

Vanessa Roth
Objects Conservator
Art Gallery of Western Australia


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 19:26
                Distributed: Saturday, November 19, 2005
                       Message Id: cdl-19-26-003
                                  ***