Project de restauratin d'un lustre combine gaz et electrique pour I'exposition de technologie domestique `amours, delices e5t menage' au musee national des sciences et de la technologie, ottawa, canada

摘要

In April 1996, the National Museum of Science a nd Technology in Ottawa, Canada, opered a new exhibit entitled `Love, Leisure and Laundry'. Five months earlier the con-servation/restoration departement received a request to restore a gas/electric chandelier to its origninal state to the displayed in theexhibity. The brass chandelier was in poor condition: pieces were missing, the lacqueer finish had been destroyed and the electrical elements needed to be reconditioned. First, the finish had to be studied and identified, then carefully reproduced. Missing pieces had to be cast or fabricated. For safety reasons the gas system had to be concverted to electricity for the duration of the exhibit. This article explains in detail the process followed in treating the artifact, from selection to installation in the exhibit.