Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 17. (Budapest, 1998)
Andrea VÁRFALVI - Tamás Károly PELLER: The Restoration of a 17th Century' Hungarian Saddle
The velvet covering and cutting-pattern used for the seat may be seen in Figure 2. Calfskin elements lining the textile, the cutting-patterns of which may be seen in Figure 3, were sewn together using running stitch. During the course of the lining work, the embroidered, padded velvet; the lining; and the specially cut unembroidered velvet pieces which assisted the fastening were all sewn together. Afterwards the edges were fastened using strips of calfskin. Between the leather and the velvet coverings of similarly constructed saddles, paper stuck on with glue was generally used as a stiffening material, as for example on János Kemény's saddle. 13 In the case of the Esterházy saddle there was no trace of paper between the two layers. Under the seat was placed a separate lining of unstitched roan. The leather straps supplied with a metal ring and a buckle were bound together with thin, red-coloured strips of parchment. In the course of assembling the saddle, first of all wooden dowels were used to fasten the velvet lined with leather to the parchment covered wooden frame supplied with straps and rings (the unembroidered textiles were fastened to the pommels with these dowels). This was followed by the mounting of the metal ornamentation set with precious stones and its attachment by means of silver nails. Figure 4 shows the structure of the saddle. Over the years objects under the earth suffer physical, chemical and biological damage, and accordingly certain component parts of the saddle underwent substantial changes with regard to both size and shape. The metal pommel-fist and the pommel sheeting were heavily soiled and corroded: their surfaces were covered with black silver tarnish. In many places the gilding had come off. The base sheeting was deformed and split. A number of the turquoises used in the decoration had come out of their settings; some were cracked; one of the settings had cracked open (111. 3) The silver-gilt rings covered with corrosion and the shafts of the pulled-out nails were bent or forced back. The heads of some of the nails were broken off. Fortyseven nails were missing. The iron rings pulled out of the saddle-boards, the strengthening sheeting and the strap-buckle were covered with thick, yellow-brown corrosion. The tongue of the buckle was missing. The wooden pommels and saddle-boards forming the frame were warped on account of dampness, and the glued elements had completely come apart. Some of the pieces broken off were held by the parchment covering; other parts, however, were missing. A part of the upper tip of the rear pommel was covered in a lilac-brown mould. In the places where two nail-holes had been the wood was broken. On the reverse sides of the saddle-boards and of the parchment the birchbark covering was incomplete and fragmented. The originally red colour of the heavily soiled, shabby and crumpled velvet had turned reddish-brown. In a number of places the textile was torn (111. 3). Where bits of the leather border were missing, the edges of the textile were frayed. The remains of a moth cocoon were stuck onto the surface between the pile warp. The metallic threads of the decorative embroidery were corroded; in some places they had come away from the base material Where the metallic thread was missing, the cotton yarn stuffing had, where it was exposed, become soiled, torn and incomplete. In some places only the threads which had once held it in place remained. The one-time bright colour of the soiled, patterned damask fabric covering the seat had turned light grey to light red. The hair, diminished in quantity, used as stuffing was visible in places from beneath the incomplete silk (111. 4).
