Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 26. (Budapest, 2008)

Róza BRENNER: Conservation of a Pair of 18th Century Leather Boots Shrunken and Deformed at High Temperature

8. Front embroidery of boot legs, one cleaned of the soot, the other not yet As a result, the metals lost their black colour conspicuously, but a faint sulfide layer remained on their surface. My findings during conservation 9. The boots after conservation The most important finding was that applying very small amounts of water gradually and patiently to the artefact could make even the most extremely dried leather flexible again, and the more patiently I did almost any intervention, the more readily the leather "obeyed". It was edifying to experience that less aesthetic deformations (e.g. broken-off spur neck, rent leather along the seam) belong to the history of the artefact even if they can be remedied. The practically unrestorable size deformation of the boots - unlike the multiple restorability of inorganic materials will always bear the effects of senseless destruction, and in addition to the fine craftsmanship and splendid decoration, it is also a message that it will convey to future researchers and visitors.