Conservation and Restoration of Clear Coatings on Furniture and ...

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2.7 The Skills/Knowledge Gaps
There is a complete absence in Australia <strong>of</strong> any specialised apprenticeship, accreditation, diploma or degree
for furniture conservators/restorers in Australia, thus the only choice left is to travel abroad to attend an
institution at great expense, or to self-educate.
Our Nationally important furniture collections <strong>and</strong> timber interiors have suffered at the h<strong>and</strong>s <strong>of</strong> well intentioned, but
untrained or ill informed furniture restorers/conservators.
Even among pr<strong>of</strong>essionally practicing conservators in Australia, the treatment <strong>of</strong> clear coatings or finishes for
furniture <strong>and</strong> architectural timbers is a grey area with no real specialist knowledge available. <strong>Conservation</strong> science
<strong>and</strong> the treatment <strong>of</strong> finishes for furniture/timber is an area <strong>of</strong> on-going research in the US, UK <strong>and</strong> Europe.
Products need to be developed to meet the harsher environmental conditions in Australia.
Other fields <strong>of</strong> conservation have been fortunate to have a world leading institution at home at which to train, with
both undergraduate <strong>and</strong> postgraduate studies available. In Australia, furniture conservation/restoration has, until
recent times, been seen more as a trade than a serious conservation pr<strong>of</strong>ession.
A pr<strong>of</strong>icient furniture conservator must not only have the trade skills <strong>of</strong> cabinet making, french polishing, marquetry
<strong>and</strong> all the associated fields which were historically separate trades, but must also have an in-depth knowledge <strong>of</strong>
furniture history, materials history, plus importantly be up to date with the latest scientific advancements on how to
best preserve <strong>and</strong> protect our nationally important collections <strong>of</strong> historic furniture. Additionally, one must also
underst<strong>and</strong> how to implement new technologies <strong>and</strong> science to better care for new wooden art furniture, wooden
sculpture <strong>and</strong> objects, plus all the architectural timbers in our national institutions.
The UK, Europe <strong>and</strong> US have specialised institutions <strong>of</strong>fering various levels <strong>of</strong> training from diplomas through to post
graduate studies. Some <strong>of</strong> these courses take up to 6 or 7 years <strong>of</strong> specialised training. Research <strong>and</strong> on-going mid
career training programs also exist to keep furniture conservators abreast <strong>of</strong> the latest developments.
Our Nationally important furniture collections have suffered at the h<strong>and</strong>s <strong>of</strong> well intentioned, but untrained or
ill informed furniture restorers/conservators. This is not just historically correct, damage is still occurring
today.
Most people, including many in heritage <strong>and</strong> even those in other conservation fields, are unaware that most furniture
restorers/conservators in Australia hold no qualification or formal training. To my knowledge there are only three
furniture conservators employed in Australian institutions nationally. The implication <strong>of</strong> this is that institutions in
Australia outsource furniture conservation to the private sector. Even in recent times some nationally important
collections <strong>of</strong> furniture have been irreversibly damaged through poor restoration/conservation practices. I believe it
is <strong>of</strong> paramount importance that the potential damage that may occur through unskilled restoration/conservation
should be communicated to the highest relevant level.