Art Conservation: Treatment Process
what to expect:
If you have an object that you are interested in having conserved, the first step is to get in touch and describe your item and the damage it presents. We can discuss the restoration of your piece either by email or telephone at a time that suits you.
We generally need to see your item in person in order to give you an informed treatment proposal and cost estimate. If you are not able to bring the piece in to our studio, we encourage you to send pictures by email for us to evaluate. However, the cost estimate will not be firm until the artwork has been physically examined in our studio. Contact us directly to make an appointment.
The studio is located in London, Ontario, Canada, but we accept works from across Canada and the United States. Contact us to discuss transportation of your artwork to our facility.
There is no charge for a consultation; the art conservator will look at your item and discuss the damage and possible conservation treatment options with you. We can usually give you a rough cost estimate at this stage.
If you decide you are interested in pursuing the treatment, we will ask you to leave the artwork at our studio so that we can perform further examination and testing and prepare a written condition report and conservation treatment proposal. We do not charge for an examination or conservation treatment proposal. The proposal will include a firm cost quote, and we try to provide several restoration options to meet both the repair needs of the object and your budget.
Once you have approved the treatment, turn-around time is between 4-8 weeks. If necessary, however, we can work with you to meet a deadline.
A full written Conservation Treatment Report and photo documentation of the piece before and after treatment is provided with return of the artwork. If you require mounting or framing for display of your item, we offer conservation quality framing services for works treated in our studio.
BPCS adheres to the principles outlined in the Code of Ethics of the Canadian Association for Conservation of Cultural Property and of the Canadian Association of Professional Conservators. We reserve the right to halt or refuse a treatment that is inappropriate to the object, even if it limits the aesthetic improvement; however, we strive to improve the condition and appearance of objects brought to our studio as much as possible without risking structural or historical integrity. We will also offer preservation advice to maximize the artwork’s safety after it is returned to your care, including best practices for framing and display, storage, and environmental conditions.
We are passionate about art conservation and we strive to offer you an experience that will be both simple, informative, and beneficial to your important works on paper!
Call or email to make an appointment with our conservator today!