CONSERVATION,RESTORATION

Conservation work is guided by internationally accepted principles as defined by various heritage bodies such as ICOMOS, Historic England, the Institute of Conservation and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (S.P.A.B) In terms of heritage ironwork, these core principles can be summarised as:

Analyse, understand and assess the significance of the object
Record the object as found and at all stages of work
Care for and maintain the object to halt or control decay
Minimise interventions and make informed treatment choices
Retain original fabric and finishes wherever possible
Source specific expertise where needed

Before Conserving

After Conserving

Restoration generally focuses upon returning an object in question to its original working or asthetical state,
an assumed condition, or an earlier appearance. In order to do this. The objects condition and appearances, historic alterations and or changes caused by the passage of time is often disregarded.
In other words, restoring an object to its original state often erases the physical historic markers of an object's use by significantly altering physical evidence and original materials.

Before Restoration

After Restoration