Object Handling

Posted on 22 March 2021 by natalielongworth

Working in conservation, we have a duty to look after objects that have been entrusted to us. Each time we handle objects, the risk that we could damage them increases. Often, damage can be caused by cumulative actions and can happen suddenly without any warning. It is vital that we minimize the risks by handling
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Evolution of British Pottery Marks

Posted on 19 March 2021 by tszcheung

Pottery marks are a dependable means by which the manufacturers, origins, production dates and so many details of the ceramics may be identified. Often, the marks include factory names or trademarks, the signatures of painters, potters or gilders and precise descriptive notes, generally set under the base of the piece. Although these pottery marks can
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Stakeholders – Who Are They?

Posted on 22 January 2021 by niamhgrady

In heritage conservation, each object has its own stakeholders who could be affected by the outcomes of any conservation treatment that is carried out on that particular object. At Cardiff University, we are encouraged to consult with an objects stakeholders in order to access the best possible outcomes. The result being that they can provide
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Conservation and Developing Living History Impressions

Posted on 16 January 2021 by eleanordurrant

February 2020 found me with my eyes glued to the medieval ‘Palermo garments’ in the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s online collection, admiring the photos of intricate stitching and wonderfully preserved silks. At this point I had been a medieval re-enactor for around six years, travelling around the UK to take part in living history displays for the
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Asian Lacquer – Sap Varieties and a Basic Guide to Purchasing Raw Lacquer

Posted on 16 January 2021 by jingyizhang

Asian lacquerware is a unique art form that involves coating objects with layers of natural resin to produce decorative and protective coatings. Asian lacquer is derived from the refined sap of several species of trees within the Anacardiaceae family, and different species are grown in different regions. It can be applied on almost any material
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Alumni Spotlight: William Tregaskes

Posted on 5 June 2020 by Caitlin Jenkins

This month’s addition to our Alumni Spotlight series is William Tregaskes, who was kind enough to answer some questions about his experiences since graduating from Cardiff. What course did you study at Cardiff University? Did you follow it up with any further education or training? I studied BA Archaeology and then MSc Care of Collections.
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Volunteering at National Museum Wales (Preventive conservation)

Posted on 27 May 2020 by Amanda Chua

Hello! Before I begin talking about my time volunteering, I should do a short introduction about myself. I’m a MSc Care of Collections student at Cardiff University. It’s a one year masters program where you learn about how to do preventive conservation. What is preventive conservation, you may ask? Don’t worry, I only really understood
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A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words (Glass Plate Negative Conservation)

Posted on 1 April 2020 by Henry Rincavage

I’ve always been fascinated with the process of developing negatives and film photography, so when I had to opportunity to pick the material type of my next object while studying Conservation at Cardiff University, I knew it had to be something photographic. To my delight, and possibly fright, I received a glass plate negative in
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Group Projects: Teamwork makes the dream work

Posted on 23 March 2020 by Caitlin Jenkins

Some objects that arrive at the university lab are too large or complex for a single person to work on, so their responsibility is given to a ‘project manager’, usually a final-year undergraduate or master’s student. The manager devises a treatment strategy to be carried out with the assistance of a small team. Many of
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Frequently Asked Questions in Taxidermy

Posted on 12 March 2020 by Ella Berry

I recently helped out at the National Museum of Wales’ (NMW) After Dark event held on the 19th of February. It was a really fun event, with a great turnout of 852 curious visitors coming to peruse the halls. The art conservators and the natural history conservators collaborated to show how natural history specimens could
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