In early 2025, a remarkable twentieth-century military standard arrived at our Brighton studio under urgent circumstances. The standard had hung for many years in the barracks office of the Commandant of the Royal School of Military Engineering, serving as both a ceremonial object and a visible connection to the long …
Continue reading “Rescuing the Standard of the Deputy Constable of Dover Castle”
June marks a farewell to a piece that has been in and out of our studio for almost three years, an ancient Egyptian tunic from West Berkshire Museum. Conservator Tabby shares her account of this special project. The Tunic The tunic arrived in September 2023. Everyone in the studio gathered …
Beginning a New Role at Zenzie Tinker Conservation by Molly Asbury In July 2025 I was fortunate enough to be offered a maternity cover role at ZTC following completion of an MPhil in Textile Conservation at the University of Glasgow. Having previously volunteered at the studio, once before starting my …
A tale of devotion and conservation At the heart of the Cowper and Newton Museum lies a remarkable textile—one stitched with care and wrapped up in poetic history. The Cowper Counterpane, a late 18th-century appliqué quilt, was made for the poet William Cowper by Mrs King, a devoted admirer of …
Continue reading “Cowper’s Quilt – The Story of a Counterpane”
Art as a Love Letter – ‘All this for E.S.W from W.N.’ by Molly Asbury In Summer 2025 a poignant piece of history arrived at the ZTC studio for conservation ahead of an upcoming exhibition at Pallant House Gallery. The dress, dating to c.1918, was painted by Sir William Nicholson, …
An internship at Zenzie Tinker Conservation by MPhil Textile Conservation student Jessica Hay From May to August 2024, I had the opportunity to intern at the Zenzie Tinker Conservation studio as part of my student placement on the MPhil Textile Conservation course at the University of Glasgow. Being able to …
My work placement at Zenzie Tinker Conservation by MA student Glenda Harris As part of my MA in Curating Collections and Heritage, I undertook the Professional Placements in Collections module, keen to gain hands-on experience to complement my academic studies. I was thrilled to secure a placement at Zenzie Tinker …
Tadek Beutlich’s Dream Revealed (1962) is a striking, unconventional modern tapestry—an experimental fusion of free and structured weaving. However, when it arrived at the studio in October 2024 for conservation ahead of a major exhibition at Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft, it was in a dire state. Years of …
This fabulous foxy pair of embroidered slippers were recently donated to the ZTC study collection. They are possibly 19th century and are very well worn and a little moth eaten. Their fox faces are full of character and the sides of slippers are even embellished with beautiful fox tails. The …
We have recently completed a very exciting combined paper and textile conservation project: important dye recipe books dating from 1716-1744, part of the Crutchley Archive held by Southwark Council Archive. The set of 15 books has such significance as a dye record that it was put on the UK Memory …