Conservation around the Millennium (Hungarian National Museum, 2001)

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side as a sample. When unbuttoned, the straps can be easily removed. (Picture 14.)

Despite of restoration and conservation the leather stayed very weak and even powdery in some places, so it has to be protected from strong mechanical

impacts. It is advisable to put acid-free paper inside the gaiters in order to keep its shape in storage and this way there would be less pressure on the seams. The reconstructed strap running under the knee can be removed, but the loops shouldn’t be undone, as the original loops are very brittle.

Archaeological leather object found in crypts often contain organic residue which decomposes easily and is very hard to completely remove without damaging the leather. These substances as well as absorbent agents applied on the leather for conservation increase the sensitivity of the leather piece to microorganisms, so relative humidity should be kept under 45-50% and temperature between 18-20 °C and the piece should be kept in a dust-free, but gently ventilated room.

Research shows that such leather gaiters were rarely worn in Hungary during the 18th century and today this might be the only pair in the country. This is the reason we feel honored being able to participate in the excavation and restoring of these gaiters.13

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

14. The left gaiter after restoration, with the reconstructed leather strap

We would like to thank to dr. György Ságvári, who helped us find our way around in military literature, to Judit Bakay, Katalin Soós(f), László Torma, who helped us find similar objects, to Márta Zomborka and Emil Ráduly, who made contemporary workshop materials and figures on the excavations available and to Gábor Nyíri, who took the photos.

NOTES

1 Márta Zomborka: Church of the Dominican Order in Vác, excavations of crypt during 1994-95. Hungarian Museums 2nd year, edition 1, 1996 Budapest.

2 Ingredients of fat liquor used for conservation: 1000 cm3 of distilled water, 15 g lanolin, 200 g sulphated neat, foot oil, 170 g neat, foot oil, 250 ml tere. Butyl-alcohol, 20 g cetyl-alcohol. See “RestorATION and Conservation of undecorated leather objects” by Zoltán Szalay. Protection of Museum Art Treasures 3. 1976, pages 79-86.

3 Saskia Durian-Ress: Schuhe. Vom späten Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart. Herausgegeben vom Bayerischen Nationalmuseum München. Hirmer Verlag München. 1991.

4 Imre Várnai: “Old Hungarian Footwear". Shoemaking Documentation 1961. Part 7. Budapest.

5 Dr. Mária Ember: Shoes from Chapel Rosalia in Eger. Shoemaking Documentation 1963. Part 3.

6 Recueil de Planches de L'Encyclopedie par ordre de matieres Tome huitieme, A Paris 1790.

7 Ludmila Kybalová-Olga Herbenová-Milena Lamarová: Illustrated Fashion History from Ancient Rome to Our Present Days. Corvina Publishing, Budapest 1974, page 601.

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