January 2013
Conservator Jonathan Clark cleaning and repairing an early German machine gun.
Since autumn last year, the Conservation and Design & Technical teams have been working closely with curator Kate Thaxton to select and prepare an incredible variety of objects for the imminent re-display of the regimental collection on the Castle Museum’s rotunda balcony.
Objects that have passed through the conservation lab have so far included delicate textiles such as silk maps and handkerchiefs, a Tibetan sword, a feathered sun-helmet, spice boxes, firearms and even a tin of chocolate. Such diversity requires many different conservation treatments, techniques and materials.
Textiles conservator Deborah Phipps stitching flat textiles to bespoke padded boards, which secure and support the object.
Above: Officers helmet (NWHRM : 1810) worn by Lt Col Hadow. The left image shows the plume of feathers before conservation treatment and the right images shows the feathers after treatment.
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