Preservation, Conservation, Repair, or Restoration

There are several different levels of "care" for antique scientific instruments that should be considered by all collectors, ranging from preservation (least invasive) to restoration (most invasive) which can be simply defined as follows:

Preservation: Actions designed only to arrrest or slow physical deterioration and finish degredation - damage is left as is, but prevented from going further. Preservation activities are not intended to try to return a piece to its original condition.

Conservation: Actions designed to preserve as much of the original materials and original finish as possible, while trying to bringing the piece back to as close to its original condition as possible.

Repair: Activities involving structural repairs or reinforcements to original parts and replacement of missing or damaged parts - including the addition of new materials.

Restoration: Actions designed to bring the piece back to as close to its original condition as possible, including structural repairs or replacements and finish repairs or refinishing.

In our opinion at The Gemmary, preservation is considered manditory, conservation is considered highly desireable, repairs are undertaken only if they are required to prevent further damage to a piece or to make a piece suitable for display (minimal repairs), and all out restoration is considered only as a last resort to preserve a rare piece in very poor condition.

In future postings, I plan to discuss some of the products and options available for the materials most common in antique scientific instruments, including wood, paper, leather, and metals.