1960s Women’s Go-Go Boots
Owner: Kouvola City Museum, Hanna Kaivonurmi
Custodian’s number: K1725:1
Object Prior to Treatment
Late 1960s fashion shows changing trends, styles and attitudes towards female attire. Social change and the ‘free love’ movement influenced fashion design and the invention of Go-go boots. André Courrèges and Mary Quant are credited in developing the boots. Nancy Sinatra popularised the boot, performing ‘These boots are made for walking’.
These Go-go boots were made in 1969 by the Mantereen shoe factory in Orivesi, Finland. The shoes were mass produced and cut from a pre-produced pattern then machine stitched together.
Object Treatment
Treatment involved stabilising the flaking polyurethane of the boot shaft. This was achieved using supports of acid free paper/tissue and adhering flaking plastic onto the elastic. The adhesive Lascaux Acrylic 303 HV was diluted in water and then dispersed under the loose plastic flakes through capillary action using a fine tipped brush. The adhesive was only used in very vulnerable areas, although it does not appear to have had much benefit to the object. Further treatment and consolidation of the shaft of the boots is suggested. Treatment was limited due to the Covid pandemic.
Solvent tests were undertaken to determine the best method of cleaning the plastic of the boots. Swabbing ethanol onto the polyurethane surface efficiently removed dirt however, over working would lead to damage. Acetone was able to remove paint stains, but similarly would breakdown the original surface. Solvent applications were carefully monitored to produce the best visual results without causing damage.
Object After Treatment
Front of the boots after treatment. 
Back of the boots after treatment. 
Outer view of both boots after treatment. 
Inner view of both boots after treatment. 
Packaging to support the boots when in storage. 
Packaging to support the boots when in storage. 
The boots in their supports. 
The boots displayed in their supports. 
The boots displayed in their supports.
Supports were made from conservation grade materials in order to protect the shoes when on display and in storage.
H & R Daniel Ceramic Lidded Bowl (Comport)
Owner: Reverend J. Cullimore
University of Lincoln number: 20/185
Part of a dessert service of two lidded bowls. Pattern number marking of 5170 D (this ceramic underwent treatment). The second part of the set has the pattern number 6170 1A.
Object Prior to Treatment
The ceramic was produced in the 19th century in the style of H & R Daniel; the company was active between 1822-46. Many of Daniel’s wares remain uncatalogued as they generally do not feature a maker’s mark. However, through research it was established that the shape is similar to their ‘Rococo Scroll’ design. The object is part of a set of 2, both bone china tureen dishes.
The ceramic had been historically repaired to fix accidental damage and damage that may have been caused by inherent manufacturing stresses. A brass bolt and adhesives (which have discoloured) were used to consolidate the pedestal. U-shaped aluminium alloy rivets were used to hold the lid together. There are small areas of ceramic loss present from impacts and damaging repairs (rivet holes). Inherent flaws from manufacture are present such as crazing of the glaze and the structure coming apart.
Treatment
X-ray of the bowl, bolt visible in the pedestal. 
Top down x-ray, bolt can be seen in the centre. 
X-ray of the riveted lid. 
Lid taken apart. 
Bottom side of the lid. 
Exploded diagram of the bowl and base. 
Exploded diagram of the bowl. 
Exploded diagram of the outside of the bowl. 
Object before fills were undertaken.
Firstly, XRF (X-ray fluorescence) was used to determine the elemental composition of different parts of the ceramic.
Treatment involved soaking the ceramic in Paramose solvent for a week – this broke down the adhesive cyanoacrylate (superglue). Following that, thermal shock treatment was required to take the ceramic apart. This involved carefully pouring boiling water onto the break edges then manipulating the pieces apart.
The object was re-adhered together using Araldite 2020 epoxy. The object was then colour matched to begin filling areas of loss and also determine the best methods and materials for in-painting.
After Treatment
X-rays of the two ceramics helped to establish their method of manufacture. Taking the ceramic apart was interesting – it gave insight into why the ceramic originally broke. There was an inherent fault in the manufacture; leftover clay would be used to lodge the pieces together, in the case of this ceramic, not enough clay had been used leading to stresses. The location of firing within the kiln likely also had an effect on the degeneration of this piece.
Triple Panel Mirror Gilt Frame
Owner: The Shuttleworth Trust
University of Lincoln number: 18/042
Object Prior to Investigative Treatment
Although the photo above appears visually appealing, in real life the paint covering the frame has discoloured and appears gaudy. Removal is necessary to return the frame to its original splendour.
The frame was mass-produced in Britain in the mid to late 19th century (circa 1848-1880) to imitate the French regency style. The designs used here were easily replicable, allowing for mass manufacture – there are many variants of this object still available for purchase today.
The frame features a Grecian frieze, musket balls and detail on the Corinthian capitals all made from gilders composition (compo). The mirror slip was made by ebonising wood through iron staining and soaking in ‘bark tea’. The mirror was bevelled by sanding down the sides using a roughening wheel and then polished using an emery wheel to grind out imperfections. The plate glass was back silvered through chemical reduction of silver nitrate to form the mirror.
The compo has cracked along the frieze, particularly on the figures, this is due to compo shrinking and embrittling with age. The gilding was overpainted with four paint layers (brown, primer, gold1, gold2) which obscure the original gilding. It was overpainted due to degradation of the original gilding layer. Imprecise overpainting of the most recent gold paint layer led to splattering onto the mirror slips. The mirrors have foxing and damage which is developing into de-silvering.
Object Treatment
Solvent tests were undertaken and it was found that a 50/50 poultice of xylene and acetone in xanthan gum was highly effective and can be reused. It caused paint layers to bubble and delaminate. However, these solvents would need to be used in large quantities which is expensive and is also bad for your health. Solvent based removal should be limited to the figures in the frieze.
Mechanical removal of the top layer of paint was possible through applying masking tape to the frame, pressing firmly and then peeling it off like a wax strip. Melinex (polyester film) was used to pick the edges and peel off any remaining top layer paint. Under 100x microscopy the second layer of overpainting was removed by lightly abrading the surface using the edge of a plastic pot sanded down; 1800 grade micro-mesh was used to smooth the plastic. Swabbing with white spirit removed any remaining priming layers, leaving the ‘wood effect’ brown paint and gilding intact. Finally, warm water was used to remove the discoloured toning layer covering the gilding. This method of removal was less costly, destructive, time consuming and better for health (reduced solvent use).
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