Kovács Petronella (szerk.): Isis - Erdélyi magyar restaurátor füzetek 11. (Székelyudvarhely, 2011)
M-Kiss András: Egy elázott madágyűjtemény konzerválási problémái
was reinforced with a double canvas and transferred from the old, vermin-infested frame to a new canvas stretcher with wedges. An 1:1:1 mixture of Palma Fa waterproof glue, Plextol, and CMC was applied to secure the stretching edge. Cleaning was done with a mixture of four parts of butyl acetate, four parts of cellosolve and one part of formic acid. Losses in the red ground-coat were complemented by coloured filling paste, and after protecting the surface with dammar varnish, the reconstruction of the coat of paint was carried out with invisible oil retouch. Infestation of the ornamental frame was terminated with carbon tetrachloride, and conservation done with a 10 per cent solution of Paraloid B72 in nitro diluent. In her study, the author describes how it is possible to do justice to standards acquired in the course of university studies, even though no trodden paths exist. She also raises issues of restoration ethics and problematical attitudes in the protection of art heritage in Serbia. Zsuzsanna Korhecz Papp Painting conservator MA City Museum of Subotica 24000 Subotica, B. Stankovica 26. Serbia Phone: +381-2457-1165 E-mail: korhecz.zsuzsi@gmail.com Doina Boroş An Examination of Metal Thread Fabrics in the National Museum of Transylvanian History The conservation of textiles, especially their cleaning, calls for a thorough knowledge of their support and ornamentation materials, since appropriate cleaning methods must be chosen in its light. This is doubly so in the case of metal thread textile objects. The collections of the National Museum of Transylvanian History in Kolozsvár (today Cluj-Napoca, Rumania) contain many metal thread fabrics. In the study, results of the material tests of some exceptionally fine items are described. The fabrics have been conserved in the museum workshop by Katalin Vajda. The 16th-century finds that have come to light from the crypt of the Lutheran church of Küküllővár (today Cetatea de Baltă), a bonnet, a neckband, and a gown decorated with ornamental metal buttons, precious stones and genuine pearls, which had belonged to Zsófia Kendi, are most spectacular. All three items are made from silk velvet, onto which the ornaments are fastened with cotton thread - enamelled gold buttons and genuine pearls on the bonnet, enamelled and plain gold buttons, spherical gold pearls, spiral-shaped silver wire ornaments, genuine pearls, cut pyrope (garnet) pearls, and gilded ceramic plates with three small cabochon-shaped garnets fastened on them, on the neckband. The bonnet and the neckband have been conserved. The velvet support was extremely weak; therefore a new base was tailored onto which the ornaments have been fastened. The support fabric of a 17th or 18th-century communion table cloth is thin, light linen, which is embroidered with spun gold. The gold of the metal thread is alloyed with some silver. In the course of conservation work, the fabric was supported by thin linen. The majority of items in the collection are embroideries on thinner or thicker linen supports, but some, primarily accessories to clothing, are sewn on silk. In examining the gold and silver-coloured metal threads, the author identified alloys in which one or the other metal dominated, as well as, among others, silvergilt, gilt copper brass, copper, and silver. Examinations revealed that the threads used for textile items in the collection consist predominantly of pure silk core and metal strips tightly wound around it. Other threads used on some items are the ‘brillant’ and the ‘bouillon’. The support material of a 17th-century funereal pillow, which has been cleaned and lined in the museum, is silk, on which the needlework was made with silk threads of pastel shades and a metal thread made of 0.2 mm thick silk yam wound with silvergilt strip. The work of 17lh-century master embroiderers, a saddle-cloth is made of two green silk fabrics of the same size, one is embroidered velvet, the other unadorned satin, and is decorated with tassels all around. The examination of metal threads used both in the embroidery and the tassels revealed that silver and silvergilt strips are wound on silk core. The support of an 18lh-century sabretache is red velvet, on which the raised embroidery was made. The metal threads, plain, brilliant and bouillon, are made of silver and silvergilt strips wound on the silk core. The sequins are made of silver and silvergilt. The splendour of the piece is further enhanced by silver lamellae, which are painted red, with traces of madder lake still visible on them. Silver-coloured lamellae painted red and green are also found on a 19th-century county banner. These are made of thin pewter, the red paint is madder lake, and the green is earth-green mixed with glue. The support material of the banner, consisting of two sheets of satin-weave silk, beside the lamellae it is decorated with raised embroidery and appliqué work. The metal threads and ornaments are identified as silvergilt strip wound on silk core, silver strip by itself, silver and silver-plated copper sequins, ornamental braids (silk yam twisted up with silvergilt strip wound on silk core), bouillon made from copper wire, and glass beads. A hairnet made from silk thread with mesh netting, macramé technique, was made in Kolozsvár in the 18th century and came to light during the excavation of the crypt of the Calvinist Church in Farkas Street in the early 20th century. It is decorated with several types of silvergilt threads, genuine pearls and silvergilt, enamelled clasps. An interesting type of metal thread was found in the needlework of a towel from the late 17th century: the cross section of the blue-grey, 0.6 mm wide and 0.015 mm thick strip is shining yellowish-white. It is a silver alloy containing a small amount of gold and copper. The metal thread is patinised; its surface colour is due to silver sulphide. Two of the towels in the collection of the museum 191
