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Textile Conservation Studio

Annual Report March 2011 - February 2012

Contact; Ksynia Marko - National Specialist Textile Conservation Adviser Nathalie Reynolds - Business Support Co-ordinator Textile Conservation Studio, Malthouse Barn, The Street, Oulton NR11 6AF Tel: 44 (0)1263 735 878 Ksynia.marko@nationaltrust.org.uk

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NT Associations were popular visitors

to the studio this year. Groups included the Wensum Decorative and Fine Arts Society, the Wensum Antiques Society, ACE Cultural Tours Group, the Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Association and the Three Counties NT Association. Philippa gave a talk at the Bedford NT Association meeting at Kempston in November.

Also in November Oxburgh Hall hosted a ‘Meet the Experts’ Day and Rachel was able to fit the bill as the voice of textiles.

Several of our regional colleagues made their first visit to this remote corner of the Blickling Estate, and in July Richard Powell, new Regional Director for East of England, became a trainee for a day, being fully kitted up and armed with a vacuum cleaner Claire put him to work on the James II bed.

King James would be proud

The headboard of James II’s bed, only one element of a long and complex project and a subject fit for any TV make over programme, now looks incredibly smart. John Hartley, furniture conservator, and Claire and Debbie have transformed it from a rather dull and stained affair to a glowing gem, worthy of the skill of its original makers and destined to make quite an impact at Knole. Whilst it still shows its age, its dignity has been restored; its gilding now clean and bright, loose and missing parts replaced and secured, the russet and cream trimmings no longer dusty and limp and the colour of the faded embroidery enhanced using an overlay of fine dyed net. All eight bed curtains have now been completed, the numerous fragments making up the ultimate1500 piece puzzle of the century! These also have taken on a new lease of life. The project is ongoing and other elements will be treated in future phases of work.

Detail of the headboard with gilded decoration, silk velvet and trimmings

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‘I felt I must write to thank you and your colleagues for a super visit...You really gave us a most professional introduction to the work of the Centre – and all with such a warm and welcoming manner. As you could see it was difficult to drag them away – even the blokes! I do not envy you working on the Knole bed curtains – what a job! – but fascinating to hear what is to be done with glue and hot tables and the like. And it was wonderful to see one of the Gideons being worked on.’

David Bostwick, ACE Cultural Tours May 2011

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Gideon and Scipio live on to fight another day

The end of the financial year saw the completion of the 9th Gideon tapestry from Hardwick Hall. The 16th century Gideon tapestries have featured in the last ten years of reports, but the challenge now is to find funds for the remainder of the set. This was a great achievement for the team and, in particular, for Elaine who took over the project management half way through and brought the job in on time and on budget. Elaine had been our HLF tapestry intern and she has shown clearly the effectiveness of the guidance she has received from the senior team over the past three years. One of the tricky technical aspects of the work was infilling missing parts and making sense of the design, not easy when the weave has become distorted over time. One of the astonishing revelations for visitors is seeing the unfaded colours of the reverse of the tapestry before support linen and linings cover them once more.

The two faces of Gideon – the front and reverse

Another achievement for Hardwick was the securing of funds for conserving the

last of a set of eight pieces of tapestry depicting the life of Scipio. The tapestry has been wet cleaned and work will continue into 2012/13. Elaine has been proactive in researching materials for tapestry conservation. Following the demise of one of our main suppliers of fine dyed tapestry wools Elaine canvassed information from the wider profession and has managed to source a new supplier, a small company offering custom dyeing of yarns to suit our individual projects.

Reconstruction and lining the 6 metre square Gideon tapestry took the team 246 hours

Battle with the Birds and Beasts

The Yellow Bedroom at Lyme Park was temporarily deprived of three fabulous pieces of 17th c Oudenarde tapestry depicting scenes from Aesop’s Fables. The Ostrich,

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Horse and Leopard, Lion and Cockerel arrived in the studio for first aid treatment. Unlike the Gideon and Scipio tapestries these were not destined for a bath, but simply to be vacuumed and weak areas supported by stitches worked through to the existing linings. This ‘stitch in time’ was designed to stabilise their condition until full ownership by the NT allows a more thorough treatment. The accumulation of years of ingrained soiling had made them stiff and tough to sew. The resultant bleeding fingers saw a reduced first aid box and relief all round once the work was finished! They are now safely re hung and the battle over for the moment!

Onwards and upwards

The opulent, late 17th c crimson silk canopy at Hardwick was due for its cyclical clean. Increased visitor numbers had produced an increase in dust from low to high level. The very top of the tester appeared as if it had been deliberately sprayed with the stuff. It

takes two people up to three days to do the cleaning, and this may now have to be done more regularly.

Property staff are monitoring dust levels and, for Trust staff, collecting bags of dust is all in a days work. We recommend trying it at home. It could be a talking point over dinner!

Accessing all parts of the canopy The top of the tester – left half cleaned

Purple damask and grey silk shag

This delicious rare example of a 17th century man’s silk robe with silk shag pile lining, woven to resemble fur, with gold trimmed buttons and sleeves, is just one of the treasures of the costume collection at Claydon. Imagine wearing this garment around the house! It was displayed with a matching cap and shoes during the 2011 season after careful conservation and mounting. Previous repairs had to be removed to allow for better support and colour matching to small areas of damage. An imitation of a doublet in black silk formed part of the adapted mannequin, with lace from the Blickling Gift collection utilised to add to its visual impact.

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A work of Patience and Perseverance

A generous grant from the Wolfson Foundation meant that the first of six unique 16th century appliqué and embroidered hangings depicting Noblewomen, could be conserved. The large 4 x 3 metre hanging depicting Penelope, wife of Ulysses flanked by personifications of Patience and Perseverance, was removed from its glazed frame at Hardwick in July. Penelope had not had a breath of fresh air since 1909. Evelyn, Dowager Duchess of Devonshire recorded that, ‘They were hanging loose and much decayed, so I reluctantly put them under glass to save them from complete destruction.’

The team, including a specialist furniture conservator and two textile conservators as well as regional and property staff, packed Penelope for transport to the Studio. Work began and November saw the installation of a rig and camera to record the conservation treatment using time lapse photography. Images are taken every half hour. In addition Mike Hemsley, the photographer who will be monitoring the time lapse record and compiling the final film, spent time recording Philippa and Rachel attaching the support, dyeing fabric and stitching. This ‘real time’ filming will be used to show the detail of the work which we plan to post on our web site.

A time lapse image showing ‘Penelope’ laid out ready for treatment on the specially designed and

commissioned double layered table. The camera is mounted on a rig above the work surface.

Getting to know collections

Carrying out surveys is a brilliant way to get to know properties and collections, and whilst often challenging, is always enjoyable.

Phase three of the survey of the Snowshill costume collection was carried out over two weeks in September. As for the other phases priorities were identified and ball park figures given for treatment to help with planning. No further surveys will be undertaken until the back log of selected items has been conserved. This year Rosamund dealt with a much worn green velvet jacket from Yugoslavia which had a shattered lining and cuff detail, with tarnished gold braid and spangle decoration.

‘We would like to thank all the staff at the studio who made our visit so memorable. We look forward to visiting Knole, Erddig and Hardwick in due course to see the completion of the projects. They were amazed at the extent of the coal dust that had penetrated the pelmets from Erddig but again the restoration was fantastic…. As I mentioned at our visit we will certainly be making a contribution to the Studio and will be in touch with you again….’

Charles Milner, Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Association, May 2011

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Rosamund and Jane spent five days at Knole undertaking phase 2 of the survey of upholstered furniture and textiles, examining 130 items. An interesting link with Ham House had already been identified in so far as a damask pattern found there was also observed at Knole and resulted in weave analysis being commissioned. The survey has helped to identify what aspects of the work might be undertaken on site, in the proposed new studio at Knole, and what objects require more specialist equipment. Project meetings have taken place and Ksynia as been advising the Knole project team, sharing her experience in terms of equipment, running costs and financial management processes, an example of working within the Trust’s Consultancy framework.

Often a survey is required of one aspect of a room, such as the silk wall coverings of the Cabinet Room at Felbrigg. Our interns, Eleanor Bristow and Aimee Grice-Venour, helped Ksynia in this exercise and were also tasked with putting together the documentation and thinking about costs.

Eleanor working on a textile from Snowshill

Aimee and Eleanor completed the first year of their internship undertaking a wide variety of textile projects, from Erddig’s blackened Caffoy fabric, dramatically transformed into pelmet swags and day bed cushion, to a 19thc darning sampler, to working on site and participating in surveys. They have worked under supervision but with encouragement to make their own decisions. They have encountered problems they have never come across before and have had to find solutions. Eleanor spent a week at Killerton helping staff mount costume for the new seasons display and Aimee will spend a week at Calke finding out about life in a property. They are required to write quarterly reports on their work and review their progress.

Aimee finishing treatment of the Erddig Learning about adhesive treatments with Rosamund day bed cushion

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Two way traffic

Both professional colleagues and students visited the studio this year. Alice de Keiser from the Bowes Museum spent a week honing up her tapestry skills, to enable her to complete a survey of the Museums tapestry collection. Ksynia has been advising the Hopetoun House Trust on current approaches to the cleaning and conservation of tapestry and Alison Docherty, free-lance conservator leading the volunteer team at Hopetoun, came to compare notes. Lynn McClean, our first intern (1993/94) and now Head of Paper and Textile Conservation, National Museums Scotland came to catch up and share experiences. We welcomed Helen Taylor, Assistant House Steward at Polesden Lacey and our offer of work placement this year went to Alice Brown from Lincoln University who spent 5 weeks over the summer encountering a variety of textiles.

Jennifer Jones, a Woven Textiles graduate from Winchester School of Art, and the

2011 student winner of the New Design Britain Awards, spent a month at the studio in June as part of her prize. Her award was given on the basis of her designs for a selection of hand woven cloths produced for the Interiors market. Each sample being a tribute to the heritage of the textile industry in one of each of the four parts of Britain that make up the British Isles, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Our retail department purchased her design based on the Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland. Despina Evangelides, Buying Manager, came to the studio in June to meet Jennifer, see the work of the studio and enlighten us as to the inner workings of Trust retail. Best sellers turn out to be the cornetto, packs of biscuits, and recycled woven blankets. Jennifer went away with ideas on producing a double weave cloth woven with colours found in the Gideon tapestries; paler colours on one side (the faded tapestry) corresponding with brighter colours on the other (the unfaded reverse of a tapestry). This led to an idea for producing a range of ‘Collectors Items’ which could be highlighted as special limited editions.

Following on from last year, when a joint project was set up between the studio and Doddington Hall in Lincolnshire involving MA conservation students from Lincoln University, a second phase of the project took place in preparation for the 2011 open season. Elaine led the group when they mounted one of the cleaned pieces of tapestry, alongside a dirty piece, to illustrate to visitors the power of conservation in enabling a re engagement with the visual image. The project also allowed Elaine to test her own learning as well as develop her supervision skills.

Students working at Doddington Hall

‘I was very lucky with the wide variety of objects being worked on in the studio so I was able to see lots of different treatment techniques. Staff were very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. As a personal experience I would find it hard to say where improvements could be made.’

Alice Brown, Lincoln student on a 5 week work placement Summer 2011

‘Dear Ksynia, Many thanks to you and your team for being so generous with your time…. It is very important to me to be able to have contact with other conservators and to be able to compare methods and use of materials. I know Hopetoun will benefit greatly by having this contact with you and I look forward to seeing you up here in the New Year….’ Alison Docherty, November 2011

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We have a good working relationship with the staff and volunteer team at Blickling. The news letters are always informative. Rosamund supervised Sue Goodman, a volunteer at Blickling, when she came to the studio to mount an important textile fragment which is frequently shown to visitors during behind the Scenes Tours and Rachel supervised the sewing team, enabling them to reline and reinstate the 1930’s curtains in the Upper Ante Room.

Training opportunities for staff

Throughout the year staff attended training courses, either as delegates or as trainers, both offering opportunities for personal development.

At the annual Housekeeping Study Days, held at Blickling this year, Ksynia taught the textile session whilst Rachel, Philippa and Claire were on their hands and knees getting up close and personal with carpets. Tamping bats and vacuum gauges are the valued tools of the trade, allowing for measured deep cleaning and new suppliers are now being sourced.

Ksynia teaching at HKSD February 2012

Ksynia organised a valuable study day on taking patterns from historic dress for all the studio staff. Janet Wood, freelance specialist, held everyone’s attention and deep concentration over two days meant that the studio has never been so quiet! Items from the gift collection were used, the complexity of some providing real challenges for the team. Information will contribute to the Trust’s Costume Working Group.

Janet Wood teaching pattern taking

The upholstery course held at Burghley, the Dress and Textile Specialists conference in York, the ‘Portraits and Dress’ seminar held at Norwich Castle Museum, the Icon Textile Group conference in London, attendance at the Regional Spring Conference and the Management Course Level 1 at Anglesey Abbey gave further opportunity for learning and networking. Rosamund continued to represent us on the ICON Textile Group committee and organised a successful day at Henry Poole, Savile Row tailors (founded 1806) for members.

The Director of the Royal Oak Foundation,

Sean Sawyer, his partner Michael Susi and Lisa Smith, Fundraising Manager for East of England, visited the studio in May. Royal Oak made a generous donation to the studio which has helped to fund the time lapse photography project.

In terms of external commissions these

amounted to just over 3% of turnover, the same as 2010. Our annual target is 25%, but the continuing recession appears to be influencing spend, not

unsurprisingly when museums have experienced cuts of up to 40%. Changes in the Trust’s internal organisation also led to some uncertainty as to which projects would be funded. However Rachel continued her supervision of a dedicated team of NADFAS

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volunteers at Holkham, Philippa and Jane secured work from both Westminster Abbey and Lound Church in Suffolk and other estimates are pending. Small objects such as samplers were treated and offered the interns experience of mounting, as well as posing questions related to economics such as, ’How much conservation would be considered too much, but at what point does minimal treatment not provide enough support for the longer term?’

During 2011 the studio business transferred to the East of England Consultancy. Keith Turner, Head of Consultancy (Conservation), worked with Ksynia to ensure studio staff were incorporated into the team. A consultancy document was circulated so that properties were made aware of the services offered by the studio. (See attached appendix) Staff structure evolved to allow Claire, Philippa, Rachel and Rosamund to take over the line management of junior staff and interns, leaving Ksynia more time for working within the Consultancy. Ksynia Marko Textile Conservation Adviser and Studio Manager Carol Watts Business Support Co-ordinator Eleanor Codman Studio Assistant Philippa Sanders Senior Textile Conservator Rachel Langley Senior Textile Conservator Rosamund Weatherall Senior Textile Conservator Claire Golbourn Senior Textile Conservator Nadine Wilson Assistant Textile Conservator Jane Smith Assistant Textile Conservator Elaine Owers (nee Tolley) Assistant Textile/Tapestry Conservator Aimee Grice-Venour Levy Textile Conservation Intern Eleanor Bristow Textile Conservation Intern The team have again been supported by free-lance conservators Lindsay Blackmore, Anne van den Berg, Melanie Leach and Debbie Phipps.

‘I just wish to say how very pleased I am with the conservation work done to my darning sampler, it really looks so much better than I expected. Please thank those who worked on it for their time and patience - I am delighted with it. The report of the work done will be a good record to keep for the next generation.’

Mrs G. Farrow, following the treatment of her sampler. September 2011

What next?

We have a full work programme for the coming financial year, but we will be working to increase external commissions. In September we will take part once again in Heritage Open Day, with group tours being arranged. We will be monitoring responses to our entry in the NT Groups Guide and, following advice and new agreements with the web team, we will have our web site up and running by late summer. We will be participating in more ‘Meet the Expert’ days and will be doing all we can to help properties with their engagement projects. We will be encouraging properties to update textile surveys to better understand collections needs. Treatment of the ‘Penelope’ hanging will be completed and work towards fundraising for the other Great Hangings and the three remaining Gideon tapestries from Hardwick will begin afresh. We will be working with the Knole Major Project team on the proposed new studio and storage facility. We will continue to ensure staff development and support work placements for students, doing our bit for succession planning.

We will report on all this next year.