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Overall before treatment

Unknown maker, Scissors Trade Sign, ca. 1900. Gold leaf on wood, 11 x 36 in. Collection of Shelburne Museum, acquired from Hobart Erwin. 27.FT-115.

Overall before treatment

Unknown maker, Scissors Trade Sign, ca. 1900. Gold leaf on wood, 11 x 36 in. Collection of Shelburne Museum, acquired from Hobart Erwin. 27.FT-115.

Cross section sample (overlay with UV light exposure) from gilded surface on the finger hole of the shears. The stratigraphy shows at least three campaigns of re-gilding. Some of the previous gilding was done in silver.  

Here I am applying consolidant. A hot photo lamp was used to help soften excess gelatin from a previous treatment. 

Detail before consolidation 

Same detail after consolidation. Aesthetically the surface may appear unchanged, but blind cleavage and lifting gelatin flakes and leaf have been set down and adhered to the surface. 

Raking light detail before treatment shows lifting decoration particularly at edges of loss. 

Similar raking light detail after treatment. The edges of losses appear more flush with the surface and stable. 

Detail of pivot point before inpainting

Detail of pivot point after inpainting

Detail of loss exposing white underlayer

Detail of loss after inpainting. Aesthetic compensation did not include re-gilding. The loss was toned to match the overall patina or aged surface. 

Detail before inpainting

Detail of same area after inpainting. Here the loss was toned to match surrounding color at this level. 

Overall before treatment

Unknown maker, Scissors Trade Sign, ca. 1900. Gold leaf on wood, 11 x 36 in. Collection of Shelburne Museum, acquired from Hobart Erwin. 27.FT-115.

Overall after treatment

Unknown maker, Scissors Trade Sign, ca. 1900. Gold leaf on wood, 11 x 36 in. Collection of Shelburne Museum, acquired from Hobart Erwin. 27.FT-115.

Overall after treatment

Unknown maker, Scissors Trade Sign, ca. 1900. Gold leaf on wood, 11 x 36 in. Collection of Shelburne Museum, acquired from Hobart Erwin. 27.FT-115.

Detail of custom support blocks for storage and display to keep the object stable. 

Image of shears in storage box. An extra set of custom blocks are kept in the box so that the object can easily be transferred to a flat surface outside the box. 

The cover for the storage box has outlines for proper positioning of the support blocks. This can be set up in a desired viewing location and the shears can be safely transferred from the box. 

Thumbnails of final treatment report