THE MAGAZINE OF THE INSTITUTE OF CONSERVATION • OCTOBER 2017 • ISSUE 72 Conservation under the spotlight Also in this issue Poulticing bones • Icon’s 2017-2021 Strategy launches New Network launch • A stimulating craft fellowship CXD ALUMINIUMALUMINIUM CONSERVATIONCONSERNSERRVVATION CABINETSCABINETS NEWNEW CXD Aluminium Connservatioon Cabinets™ Say goodbye to steel Mounting interest at the National Army Museum in Chelsea P h Specialist mount makers Museum Our success was achieved by the Sales contact: o t handling the conteents o Workshop, a brand of Conservation commitment of an experienced, Caroline Checkley-Scott g r a by Design, have just completed a multi-disciplined project team, )GEVSPMRI$EVQSYVW]WXIQWGSYO p h y A1 4 DRAAWERWER A1 6 DRARAAWERWER A1 8 DRAAWERWER A1 10 DRAAWERWER : Better fformajoror conser installationvation than of mountedsteel objects working closely with the museum’s T: +44 (0)7557 389022 O l i Anodised,for, inerthe tNational aluminium Army wo n’Museumt curatorial staff, to create compelling v ;[[[EVQSYVW]WXIQWGSQ i a rreacteact within West your London,collection that has allowed stories and engaging experiences H &PSK[[[EVQSYVW]WXIQW e two-thirds of the collection to be EGVSWWXLI½ZIKEPPIV]XLIQIW m i QYWIYQ[SVOWLSTGSQ n HMWTPE]IHJSVXLI½VWXXMQIEGVSWW of Soldier, Army, Battle, Insight g A0 4 DRAAWERWER A0 6 DRAAWERWER A0 8 DRAAWERWER A0 10 DRAAWERWER w Armour-Systems-Museum- a ½ZIRI[TIVQERIRXKEPPIVMIW ERH7SGMIX] y wwww.cxdaccabinets.co.cxdaccab.cxdaccabinets.co.uk Workshop Our challenge was to carry out the Mount makers Toby McNicol (head design, manufacture and installation of mount-making), Adam Smith, Zoe of 1700 artefact displays in the midst Harper, John Dowling, Nathan Jones FFromromomof humidity an on-going controlcontrinternalol refurbishment to beautiful Technical support Marcus Gittins, ERH½XSYXMRSVHIVXSEGLMIZIE Ed Morriss, Matt Edwards, Ben Coles, handmadeQMHQEVGLSTIRMRKF],15YIIR papers, choose the partnerVincent Gascoigne whowho constantly)PM^EFIXL raises the standarstandard.d.Conservator Ann-Marie Miller FITTED DUST BRUSHES OPTIONAL LOCKS HANDCRAFTED Project manager Brian McManus CONSERVATION BY DESIGN Coppyrightyrigght of draawwer content The Estate of Edward Bawden and kind thanks A Larson-JuhlLarson--JJuhl CompanyCompany to Thehe Higgins,, Bedfforord and the TTrusteesrusteesrustees of the CCecil Higgins Art Galleryy.. ICACCICACC 2 inside OCTOBER 2017 Issue 72 2 NEWS From the Editor The next five-year strategy, a The policy for Icon’s direction over the next Network launch, news from five years has just been finalised by our Board the Groups, grants and awards, film conservation of Trustees, informed more than ever before show-cased by those with a stake in the organisation, not least its members. The increased focus on 14 looking outwards is a welcome development 6 PEOPLE and surely an indication that after more than a decade of existence our internal structures are much more securely 16 bedded down. Not that there is any complacency on that CONSERVATION UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT front: plenty of projects are underway to refine and improve Restoring The Sunbathers to how Icon works. You can read more about all these London’s South Bank developments in Alison Richmond’s CEO column and her report on the Strategy 2017 –2021. 20 We also have an intriguing juxtaposition of articles. On the REFLECTIONS ON A 16 FELLOWSHIP one hand, our cover item is about high-profile work to rescue An inspiring year with a a post-war sculpture with funds raised from crowd-sourcing. In William Morris Craft contrast, resourcefulness takes the place of resources in our In Fellowship Practice piece, no doubt reflecting the reality for many of our members working out of the spotlight in private practice and 22 REVIEWS small organisations. The enthusiasm of emerging conservators AIC conference, Gothic celebrating a Fellowship and a successful Conference poster Revival, Nanorestart, the provides further positive evidence of the current health of our Winchester Bibles, profession. 22 consolidation, composition, gilding and much more besides Lynette Gill 33 IN PRACTICE Cleaning bones with low budget thixotropic gels and Icon News Cover photo Editor The Sunbathers sculpture, originally the emerging conservator Lynette Gill created for the Festival of Britain in displays a poster at SEAHA [email protected] 1951, conserved and reinstalled on Conference 2017 Institute of Conservation London’s Southbank in 2017. Unit 3.G.2 © Historic England The Leathermarket, Production designer Weston Street Malcolm Gillespie London SE1 3ER [email protected] Disclaimer: Whilst every effort is made to ensure T +44(0)20 3142 6799 accuracy, the editors and Icon Board Printers of Trustees can accept no [email protected] Calderstone Design & Print Limited responsibility for the content [email protected] www.calderstone.com expressed in Icon News; it is solely www.icon.org.uk that of individual contributors Design Chief Executive Rufus Leonard Deadlines for adverts and editorial Alison Richmond [email protected] [email protected] For the December 2017 issue Wednesday 4 October Advertising Icon is registered as a Charity in Conservation Register England and Wales (Number [email protected] Display and Recruitment For the February 2018 issue 1108380) and in Scotland (Number www.conservationregister.com Fiona Brandt Thursday 30 November 2018 SC039336) and is a Company 020 3142 6789 [email protected] Limited by Guarantee, (Number ISSN 1749-8988 05201058) ICON NEWS • OCTOBER 2017 • 1 professional update From the Chief Executive Members are busy too! Members are incredibly active running and participating in events and conferences that bring in significant amounts of TAKING STOCK income. Moreover, Icon’s capacity to deliver its objectives is Alison Richmond ACR FIIC greatly enhanced by volunteers from the membership and lay casts an eye over the trustees who give their time to Icon. In 2016 –17, it is estimated organisation that Icon had four hundred and seventy five active volunteers. The dog days of summer are The breaks down roughly into three areas: governance with a good time to draw breath sixteen volunteers, Groups and Networks with one hundred and take stock. From my and thirty three and professional development with two perspective, everywhere I hundred and twenty six. These volunteers gave an estimated look, there seems to be a lot 6,000 hours of their time. This is the equivalent of three full- going on at Icon. Not only time posts or approximately £260,000 calculated at the day that, but for me it is hugely rate for professionals recommended by the Heritage Lottery rewarding to see everyone Fund (£350/day). This is a huge contribution not only to Icon pulling together: members, but also to the heritage economy as a whole; it needs to be Trustees, contractors, and more widely recognised and will be included in our advocacy staff. We really are so much messages about the conservation profession. more than the sum of our parts! New initiatives The Trustees, members and staff are also very busy with Strategy for the future research and development of new initiatives. We appear to As I write, the Icon Trustees are putting the finishing touches have more working groups underway or starting up than ever to Icon’s Strategy. This will set the direction of Icon for the before (or certainly that I can remember). next five years or so and getting the Strategy right has been The Conservation Register working group, chaired by quite a long process. Included in the timetable was the Rebecca Hellen, has been busy consulting the membership process of soliciting as much feedback as possible, from and external stakeholders on the direction of travel for members, from the chairs of Icon’s special interest Groups, developing the next iteration of our professional Register. The and from key external stakeholders. Once formally approved Board has just agreed at its last meeting on progressing to by the Board, the Strategy will be promoted widely and the next phase of research and development which will members and stakeholders will be invited to engage with its involve feasibility and full costings of each element of the delivery. An article introducing the Strategy appears in this proposal. This is very good news as we are very committed to issue of Icon News. improving the service that we give both to the public and to members through the Register. The funding challenge Another group, chaired by Caroline Peach, has fleshed out a The Strategy proposes a key challenge for Icon: the need to proposal to increase the support for conservation and for Icon generate more surplus income so that we can deliver its by means of a new ‘Friends’ category. This idea emerged objectives, and the Trustees have been thoroughly engaged from the strategic planning activity last year and ties in with with this. I think this is beginning a new phase of our our strategy to broaden our membership base and develop development. In the past we have had a good deal of success new income streams. in attracting large grants to deliver major projects. In recent years, the external funding landscape has dramatically altered There are three additional pieces of work coming on line with more and more charities going after the same funding shortly. One is to develop ethical guidance for members. This pots. In future, our success will depend not only on is very welcome as right now Icon does not have its own code fundraising but also on developing current and new income of ethics. Icon ceased using the ECCO Code of Ethics* when streams. the Code of Conduct was developed in 2014 and our website points to a range of codes of ethics for members to refer to. Trustees and senior staff have already been active in moving The group will include key thinkers on the subject who will forward on this agenda. First, we received fundraising training bring a much-needed fresh approach to Icon’s guidance.