ConNext-2021

8 Treatment Proposal for a Photo ‐ degraded Cabinet Surface Finish: Removal and Re ‐ Coating Strategies KEYWORDS: furniture, transparent coatings, photo-degradation, conservation ethics, aesthetic reintegration. The object presented is a privately owned late Biedermeier secretary cabinet. It features a characteristic crotch mahogany figure, which is banded horizontally on the front drawer surfaces, creating a symmetrical swirling dark pattern. Technical examinations revealed that the existing coating system comprises a historical furniture finishing technique – Ölschllif, coloured with Dragon’s Blood and followed by shellac polish – a testimony for the intended reddish, reflective appearance of the finish. Upon years of daylight irradiation, while positioned next to a window, directly exposed surfaces suffered serious photo-degradation. The apparent bleaching of the exterior veneered surfaces, alongside fading of their red coloured finish, result in a misleading interpretation of the intended appearance. Moreover, the unevenly distributed photo- degraded areas disturb the visual appreciation of the object’s gestalt, especially when juxtaposed with the well preserved interior secretary compartment. A previous, essentially conservational, attempt to regenerate the existing coating could not resolve this discrepancy in appearance. A reconstruction of the original finish based on established findings and traditional methods is regarded controversial in ethical terms, as it requires complete removal of original media alongside signs of use and most importantly – risks in falsification. The search for alternative solutions in which the existing coating will be either kept, reduced or locally replaced was examined via testing. The ultimate preference for the latter is based on an improved appearance, coinciding with the aim of aesthetic reintegration. It includes selective removal of the topcoat from degraded areas and the formulation of a new matching coating sequence. The chosen removal strategy avoids the use of abrasives by utilising a sequenced application of two different ethanol gels (Carbopol®; Klucel®). A hindered application was controlled by using both poultices (Evolon®) and absorbing envelopes (lens tissue; blotting paper). The preliminary re-coating strategy which is proposed relies on an oil impregnation (linseed, boiled), followed by shellac glazes (stick-lac / shellac; Orsaol® solvent dyes) and matting methods. Evaluation of test fields for their potential to integrate with well-preserved surfaces constitute a ‘work in process’, and the extent to which re-coating should be implemented is open to discussion. alma.ben_yossef[at ]smail.th ‐ koeln.de