Simple stabilization and repairs to existing ornamentation can
most likely proceed based solely on an analysis of existing conditions
(see paragraphs on Surface Cracking and Delamination,
below).
Historical research. For more complex work, a building
owner, curator, or conservator should research the history of
the building to find out when it was originally designed and constructed;
who lived in it at various times; how the building was used; and
which features were original and which were added later or removed. Some of this
information may be found in the National
Register of Historic Places.
Questions about the building's interior spaces and their decorative
detailing also need to be asked, particularly when portions of
the ornamentation will be replaced. Have the interior spaces evolved
with successive occupancies or uses? In addition to compo, were
other decorative materials used and are there differences in patterns
that help date the work? For example, plaster and compo may have
been used in the same room, but applied at different times. Receipts
from workmen's bills may often be used to establish the dates
of decorative detailing.
The historical research dealing with the original construction
of the building and its use over time should, in turn, be linked
to the scope of work that will take place.
Stabilization, conservation, and repair are maximized within the
treatment, Preservation. Generally speaking, restoring decorative
ornament to a specific earlier period is not recommended unless
its historical significance outweighs the potential loss of extant
ornament that characterizes other historical periods. But if a
significant interior is missing original features and physical
and documentary evidence are conclusive, replication may be appropriate
in order to interpret a particular time.
Existing conditions analysis. After historical research
is conducted, but before starting work, an analysis of the surface
and substrate should be undertaken. These are some of the issues
a conservator considers. First, if a surface is painted, the ornamentation
material needs to be identified. Is it wood, plaster, composition
ornament, or some other type of applied ornamental material? Usually,
some of the ornamentation is chipped or broken. Close examination
of the exposed material is the first step. If it is white through
the entire thickness of the ornament, then it could be plaster
or stucco; if it is a darker brown material, it is more likely
to be composition.
This
conservator is carefully re-gluing composition ornament in place. Photo:
Jonathan Thornton.
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After having identified the presence of composition ornament,
its overall condition can be evaluated. Layers of paint may obscure
fine detailing as well as deterioration problems. Degrees of damage
and deterioration should be recorded. These are typical questions
that need to be answered. Is the surface merely "crazed",
requiring no action or limited repair, or are the cracks severe
enough to require replacement? Are pieces missing? Are the attachment
brads rusted or missing? The condition of the substrate is also
important. Is the wood surface intact, or is it in need of repair? After
answering key questions, the
conservator will make random tests to differentiate original compo
from later repairs, some of which may well have been done with
plaster, rather than compo.
Deciding how to proceed depends upon the overall interpretive
goals of treatment. For example, is the interior being restored
to an earlier time? In this case, later repairs may be removed
and the original appearance replicated. Or is the interior being
preserved with limited replacement of lost or damaged historic
materials? Not all conditions are foreseeable in conservation
work and contingencies must be incorporated into the treatment
plan to be considered realistic. As the project progresses, the
conservator generally determines the work that needs to be done,
and the order in which it should be undertaken.
"Applied Decoration for Historic Interiors" an Historic Preservation Brief
