We are really passionate about beautiful display presentation. A well designed display solution is critical to your object’s long term conservation as well as both its historic interpretation and your aesthetic appreciation.
Our cabinet making workshop was set up in 2009 for the custom production of frames, display mounts and display cases. Supporting our conservation projects in highly practical ways our mounting team have designed and produced a range of simple and more complex solutions for our projects and our clients.
We are delighted to showcase a selection of our mounting and display solutions below – if you have time please do click through to our Conservation Stories for more detailed project information where you see the links.
Crimean War Quilt, Tunbridge Wells Museum.
Mounted on light weight, folding padded board due to the access issues in the museum. Find out more about the project.
Assembling light weight structure 
Hinged mount for access 
Stitching quilt onto board
Chesapeake Flag, National Maritime Museum
Mounted on a light weight Alupanel padded board. Visual infills corresponding to areas of loss in the flag were dyed and stitched in position on the display board
Visual infills stitched to board 
Stitching object onto board 
Full view
North American coverlet, private collection
Large coverlet mounted in half supported over a forma and mounted onto a lightweight polycarbonate faced padded board. Frame made in the studio from Red Grandis timber with walnut stain and French polished. Find out more about the project.
Stitching coverlet to board over padded forma 
Detail of frame 
Full view in situ
Kiswah embroideries, Dubai Cultural Authority, UAE
Mounted on rigid aluminium composite padded boards covered in gold silk, edges protected beneath an angled extrusion. The panels were designed for transport, storage and display of the embroideries and had to be extra strong due to the immense weight of the textiles. The textiles were held onto the boards with Velcro and with stitching at the borders. Find out more about the project.
Stapling padding onto board 
Securing metal threads 
Full view
Marta Rogoyska tapestries, Exchange Square, London
Three tapestry panels mounted tightly via Velcro over lightweight, curved, padded boards made by ZTC Studio to accommodate curvature of the glass wall.
Preparation of Velcro and boards in situ 
View during installation 
Full view in situ
Charles James gown, Messel Collection, Brighton Royal Pavilion and Museums
Simple, economic costume mounting over a torso from Proportion London, custom-padded to support the gown to its best with purpose made underpinnings.
Gown before mounting 
Gown after mounting 
In display case
Part of a Ballet Russe costume for La Chout, designed and painted by Mikhail Larianov, private collection
Mounted flat on lightweight, padded Alupanel board with additional internal support for the fragile, 3-dimensional structure of the painted costume. Framed in UV filtered Perspex box.
Securing mount fabric at back 
Internal support 
Full view
Botswanan hide garments and accessories, Brighton Royal Pavilion and Museums
A magnetic mounting system was devised to enable easy on site installation of the garments for display. Magnets were set into the back of padded boards and we secured the hides via custom painted magnets to sit camouflaged at corresponding points on the front of the garments. Find out more about the project.
Painting the magnets 
Painted magnet 
One of the mounted pieces
Much Ado About Nothing theatrical costumes, Smallhythe House, the National Trust
Mounted on adapted torso mannequins from Proportion London, custom padded to the required shape and size. Cantilever support made with Panotechnia for seated mannequin to prevent crushing of costume. Find out more about the project.
Beatrice costume mounted 
Benedick costume mounted 
Beatrice costume mounted
Stephen Jones Hats, Brighton Royal Pavilion and Museums
Quick, creative, pragmatic mounting solutions for 150 hats by milliner Stephen Jones for a display mounted throughout the historic rooms of the Royal Pavilion, Brighton. Find out more about the project.
Mounted hat 
Mounted hat 
Hats on open display
Two Chinese robes and child’s kimono, Smallhythe Place, The National Trust
Two of the garments were mounted on torso mannequins from Proportion London custom padded to the required shape. Due to the small size of the display case, one robe was mounted flat behind the two mannequins, hanging over a padded pole support.
Costumes on display 
Back view on soft mount 
Full view on mannequin
15th C Funeral Pall , Worshipful Company of Fishmongers
Padded, inert internal support was made for the Funeral Pall allowing air flow and total support. A bespoke “historic” display cabinet was designed and made in the ZTC studio that allows access to the pall on a sliding tray via a concealed hydraulic mechanism. Cabinet also has integral air filtration, passive temperature control and UV filtered glazing.
Internal support 
Funeral Pall mounted 
Display case 
Finished view of display cabinet at Fishmonger’s Hall, London
Display case for General Wolfe’s banyan, Quebec House, The National Trust
Bespoke “historic” display case designed and manufactured in the ZTC Studio to house the historic banyan (brought back to England wrapped around Wolfe’s dead body) which was conserved and mounted over a custom padded torso mannequin from Proportion of London.
Assembling the case in situ 
Cuthbert’s Aeronautical Ballooning Fabrics, The National Aerospace Library
Samples of early ballooning fabrics and ballooning ephemera individually secured in card window mounts of varying depths, suitable for storage and display. Mounted objects stored in bespoke Solander boxes in the Archive.
Mounting in progress 
Mounted fragments 
