Múzeumi műtárgyvédelem 17., 1987 (Központi Múzeumi Igazgatóság)

Néprajzi tárgytípusok kialakulásáról és restaurálásáról - Fertői Miklós: Ormánsági konyhaszekrény restaurálása

Traces of damage by insect pests were to be found on all the boards. The rabbets of the door-lining were broken and the frame came apart. The mouldings of the drawers cracked and a template was missing. The top of the cabinet was decayed owing to water permanetly dribbling on it, possibly coming from the tableware which was washed and left there to dry. The metal fittings have suffered heavy corrosion, especially the door lock which, in fact, got holed.

As a first step in its restoration the object was cleaned from the thick layer of dust and surface dirt which had deposited on it. Then the cabinet was taken to pieces and the parts washed with fatty alcohol sulphonate foam with a little water added. Persistent, oily and black runs were dissolved by dimethyl formamide. Xylamon (active ingredients: monochloro-naphtalene and pentachlorophenol) was used for disinfection by brushing the timber over while the object was taken apart. Eporezit FM 20 epoxy resin (a Hungarian product) was applied-as a consolidating agent on the legs, the top and the shelves as well as other spots where the attacks of fungi and insect pests made it justified. The mixing ratio of resin and the hardener was 100 to 20; in order to promote better penetration the substance was diluted by xylene (1/3 of the quantity of the resin) .

Missing parts were replaced partly by oak and partly by epoxy resin.

The heavily soiled metal fittings were first treated by a 10% solution of sodium hexametaphosphate then a cleaning and passivizing agent containing phosphoric acid (Ferropassit, a Hungarian product). The lock which had several holes in it was completed by epoxy resin filled with powedered iron. The metal fittings were finnaly coated with a 5% solution of PVB dissolved in acetone. After assembling it the author brushed over the surface of the cupboard by a solution of beeswax and colophony in turpentine (85 g beeswax, 15 g colophony and 1 1 turpentine). A few days later the cupboard was brushed over by a bristle brush and coated by a 2% solution of Paraloid B 72 in acetone. The aim of the latter protective layer is to prevent or decrease the speedy pollution of the waxed surfaces (dust, soot).

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