Establishing conservation requirements

Royal Victorian Infirmary

Eura worked with the Newcastle NHS Trust to develop a new technique for safely removing a large number of Royal Doulton tile panels from the brick walls of a Victorian children’s hospital. Eura investigated the tile substrate and wall construction and proposed an appropriate technique. This technique was discussed with a number of conservation peers and trialled. A number of modifications to our technique were then agreed with the client. The method devised by Eura won an ICON [Institute of Conservation] award for innovation and has been sucessfully used on a number of other projects.

Oxford Natural History Museum of Science

Eura worked with the Museum to agree a conservation approach for its 19111 century glass tiled roof. The existing fastening methods, type of glass, and drainage systems were investigated. The glass tiles had an unusual surface pattern and interior appearance, which could not be replicated by industrial glass manufacturers. Eura worked with the client to replicate the tiles, by performing slumping and fusing tests in its glass kiln. A large test rig was constructed in the studio in which a 25 square meter section of roof was constructed. Eura then undertook weathering tests on the roof, using high pressure water. Using the results of this test, Eura has further developed the roof system, introducing a number of refinements in weather sealing and attachment methods.  The museum has now re-opened with a roof where the replicas are indistinguishable from the originals.

Epstein Heads

Eura worked with the Walker Gallery to clean, repair, repatinate and apply a surface coating to bronzes by Sir Jacob Epstein with a view to making the sculptures the centrepiece of a tactile display aimed at very young visitors. Working closely with the Museum, surface finishes were selected which closely matched those applied by the artist. A variety of surface finishes were then applied, with the choice over type of coating being determined by the proposed location of each bust within the museum, and the estimated damage it might suffer from visitor interaction.