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 …
We recently carried out a last minute tricky job for The Mucha Foundation supporting a badly damaged original poster prior to framing for exhibition. These posters seem to be characterised by poor quality paper, touchy gold ink and fugitive colours, combined with gorgeous art nouveau Alphonse Mucha designs too, of …
Over the summer we worked to conserve two extraordinarily rare and ephemeral textiles known as Illuminations or Transparencies. Privately owned, they were conserved for the exhibition ‘Georgian Illuminations’, currently showing at the Sir John Soane’s Museum until 7th January 2024. Dating from the early 19th C these hand painted cloths …
We’re currently working on three gorgeous 1580’s Brussels hunting tapestries for a private client. Our latest new team member, Rhianne Deaves, has been working with Hazel to clean and minimally repair broken slits and then folding the edges in to neaten them and reduce their size as the client remit …
We’re looking forward to what promises to be a feast for the eyes, Brighton Museum’s exhibition Lee Miller: Dressed. We’ve spent the summer conserving and mounting the costumes and are now building up to the final days. In 2021 we worked with Farleys House & Gallery to help them condition check …
Double Weave – Bourne and Allen’s Modernist Textiles opened at Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft last Friday evening (15th September) and we were thrilled and proud to do much of the conservation and mounting for this fabulous exhibition! Hilary Bourne and Barbara Allen were an extraordinary powerhouse of …
Continue reading “‘Double Weave’: a celebration of Hilary Bourne & Barbara Allen”
Introducing our most recent placement student from the Curating Collections & Heritage MA at Brighton Humanities – lovely Lilia Federico. Lilia read anthropology and Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies at College of Wooster, Ohio prior to her current MA and comes with a keen interest in historical dress research. Lilia …
Continue reading “From the ZTC collection: early Victorian bodice & jacket”