Conservation around the Millennium (Hungarian National Museum, 2001)
Pages - 90
THE CONDITION OF THE OB)ECT As conditions in the charnel-house were not as good as in other drier and more ventilated areas of the crypt, the leather, especially on the edges got very weak, in some places even powdery, where pieces of the edges broke off. One of the kneecaps of the right gaiter was missing and the outer side of the upper ripped at the downward cut, so it was actually torn into two parts. The strap running along the knee was very incomplete and brittle (Picture 9.). The loops made for buckling the gaiters were also in bad condition as many of them were ripped or were missing. RESTORATION As a first step we had to strengthen the flaking and weak surfaces. Thin fish glue was dripped into the narrow but deep holes with a thin brush then the leather was slightly weighted. The low viscosity fish glue penetrated the leather very deeply and fixed the flakes. After this process the seam traces had to be cleaned, while we marked the torn or weak spots with a piece of thread. Weak areas were supported 9. Remains of the strapping below the knee 10. Buttoning loops, following glueing and stabilization 11. The ends of loops on the inner side 90
