Műtárgyvédelem 26., 1997 (Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum)

Lencz Balázs: Egy XIX. századi japán sisak restaurálása

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19. LENCZ BALÁZS: Egy XIX.századi kabuto restaurálása, Diploma dolgozat, Magyar Képzőművészeti Főiskola Tárgyrestaurátor Képző Intézet, Budapest, 1997.

THE CONSERVATION OF A 19TH CENTURY JAPANESE HELMET

Abstract: The kabuto, that is the helmet is an element of traditional Japanese armour, designed to protect the head. Its shape and structure has preserved the characteristic Japanese traditional form. The body of this helmet is made of metal plates. The incised inscriptions on them reveal that it was made by one of the masters of the Myochin family (the most famous armour manufacturers in Japan), in August 1859, on a „lucky day”. The helmet is characer- ized by elaborate craftsmanship, characteristic of almost all branches of Japanese design.

This object is composed of a variety of organic and inorganic materials. In addition to the riveted, precisely fitted steel plates, its components include flame gilded and tin coated bronze parts, paper appliqué, the inner leather strapping that carries the helmet’s weight and a double layer textile lining. Additional elements are the coral-coloured, silk-wrapped fastening strings, and the neck plates, tied together using dark blue silk strings. Both the inner and outer surfaces of these neck plates were made using the famous Japanese multi-layered lacquer technique, and decorated with braided strings. The inner surface of the helmet is also lacquered. It is, however, red in contrast to the rest of the lacquering which is black. The upwardly bent ends of the uppermost neck plate were decorated with the coat of arms of the owner’s family.

The conservation process:

This object is composed of two main units: the helmet’s steel body and the neck armour made of strung neck plates. These latter were dismembered prior to cleaning, since the helmet’s body and the neck armour required different types of treatment. Following a variety of cleaning tests, the helmet’s corroded body was mechanically polished using grain blasting and especially mechanized rotation methods with the application of rubber, felt and steelbrush bits. Small spots of corrosion on the helmet’s inner surface were also removed mechanically, then preserved using tannic acid. Gilded parts were first cleansed using a 5% citric acid then gently polished and preserved with Paraloid B72. Smaller damages to the gilded ornaments were replaced electrochemically, using a Rhodinett anode pencil and gilding solution. Since the steel plates were blackened, several experiments were carried out to

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