JAIC 1982, Volume 21, Number 2, Article 2 (pp. 35 to 42)

RESTORATION OF A LARGE CHINESE BRONZE URN

Aron A. Apisdorf

ABSTRACT—A six-foot bronze Chinese urn was received with extensive structural damage, mineral deposits and corrosion products on the surface and several parts torn off, some of them missing altogether. The surface was manually restored to bare metal, the weakened areas reinforced variously with fiberglass, acrylic resin and brass tubes, and the missing sections cast at four-fifths original size. Patina and acrylic protective coating were then applied to all parts and the urn reassembled and tested for weight bearing ability and stability. After several years, the urn was reinspected and shows no change in restored condition.

Article Sections:

1. HISTORY OF THE URN
2. CONDITION OF URN AS RECEIVED BY RESTORER
3. PRELIMINARY TREATMENT OF THE URN
4. TREATMENT OF LEVEL I (THE LOWEST PART OF THE URN)
5. TREATMENT OF LEVELS II–IV
6. FINAL STEPS
7. NEARLY THREE YEARS LATER
8. ETHICS

Entire Article