Restoration of Georgian Map Sampler by Tomasin Bache 1792 Wyken School
In May 2022 we were entrusted with conserving and reframing an 18th century map sampler which had been in the owners’ family for generations.
Dismantling & inspection
The rear of piece was packed with assorted wooden pine fragments to make up the backing: this could not be re-used. The silk backing onto which sampler was mounted was very delicate & had lost all integrity. In all likelihood the sampler may not have been removed from its frame since being mounted at some point during the Georgian era. The sampler itself had unfortunately suffered much stitching loss over the years and some moth damage to the ground was evident. The glass appeared to be of very similar antiquity to the sampler itself as evidenced by its various imperfections: this was retained as were the original mounting hooks & wire. Two interesting fragments of paper were discovered and were retained for the owners.
Restoration
The sampler was unpicked from its silk backing and carefully cleaned using, initially, a fine brush followed by the application of a specialist conservation vacuum – very light suction was applied, in the mast damaged places through a fine gauze. Whilst we do find that some samplers can be very carefully washed to great effect using the mildest of specialist detergents, the highly fragile nature of this piece quickly ruled out this option.
Next it was carefully re-stitched onto a new backing comprising an acid free mount onto which thick cotton wadding and complementary fresh linen were glued: it is our experience that these three layers of backing hugely improve the depth of the piece. One particularly large hole in the ground linen was secured using a piece of 18th century linen reclaimed from another sampler – we never attempt to repair (re-stich holes).
The frame and glass were then both cleaned, the frame also being treated for woodworm as a precaution and freshly waxed. The sampler and glass were reinserted into the frame and secured using a newly cut piece of hardboard, small panel pins and sealed with new backing tape to prevent further dust or insect ingress. Wherever possible, (where a slip can be inserted into the frame’s rebate) a restored sampler’s material is re-mounted proud from the glass using spacers to help created a layer of air between the glass and the material: thus preventing further potential damage via damp. The nature of the rebate on the sampler’s original frame meant that this was not possible for the restoration of this map sampler. Finally, the original hanging wire was reattached.
The images give an indication of the various stages of the restoration process. A testimonial from the owners can be found below.
“We recently had a map sampler dated 1792 which had come through the family restored by Chris and Liz. We were amazed by the quality of the work and the way this brought a very old sampler back to life, we would recommend them to anyone. We particularly liked the detailed report on what was done.” C and A (Wiltshire) 2 July 2022 at 17.34.
