Expertise & Services
KSH Conservation Ltd provides comprehensive services for the preservation and study of fine art. Our expertise spans technical analysis, complex restorative treatments, and museum-standard structural framing, ensuring every artwork is cared for with scientific precision and artistic integrity.
Consultancy & Expertise
Collection Surveys
We can help with Collection Condition Audits and Site Surveys.
Exhibitions and Loans
We are very experienced in all aspects concerning the handling of works of art in connection with exhibition and loans. This includes preliminary consultancy on facilities questionnaires and institutional liaison, on environment and display, security, access, handling, packing, transport and shipping. It also includes couriering, condition checking, complex removal and installation, hanging and environmental monitoring.
Consultancy, Condition Assessment and Expert Advice
We can assist clients in making full condition appraisals; this includes prior to purchase and loan. We can provide advice on Environmental control, Micro-climate control, Care and maintenance and Art historical and provenance research.
A technical examination is required to establish the condition of a painting. We have examination microscopes, analytical microscopes, technical lighting and a variety of technical examination equipment, as well as digital imaging equipment, all of which enable us to provide in-depth and comprehensive technical assessments.
Technical examination
Gaining an understanding of the construction of the artwork and the materials used can assist with treatment, attribution and dating.
We can carry out the following in-house; Raking light topography, Macro and micro digital image photography, Ultra-violet photography, Cross-sectional paint strata and media analysis
We can arrange the following; x-ray, infra-red and dendrochronology, in-depth paint analysis.
Conservation Treatments
Cleaning
Surface cleaning – the removal of surface dust and grime (back and front) without disturbing existing varnish or original paint layers where a painting is unvarnished.
Varnish removal – following careful testing to establish a safe method, discoloured varnish and past non-original repaints can be removed where appropriate.
Structural treatments
This includes canvas tear mending, removal of canvas deformations, repair of splits, cracks and losses in panel paintings, removal of panel warps, repair and replacement of wooden stretchers, panel cradles and other secondary support structures.
We have a custom-built panel treatment table with adjustable pressure jigs, which enables us to offer a variety of structural treatments to paintings with rigid supports for both clients and other conservators.
Lining, re-lining and edge strip-lining
Our conservation studio has a large Multi-Purpose-Treatment-Table™. This multifunctional vacuum hot table with combined humidification functions means we can offer a variety of sophisticated lining techniques and structural treatments to canvas paintings and other mixed media for both clients and other conservators.
Consolidation
Consolidation of unstable, lifting and flaking paint is an important early-stage treatment carried out to ensure the paint layer is stable and prevent further paint loss.
Painting restoration
Minimal or complex re-integration and restoration, including filling and replacing paint losses to match the surrounding original paint layers,
and re-varnishing.
Framing
Frame Treatments
This includes cleaning, as well as minor repairs to structure (splits, cracks etc) and surface decoration (missing mouldings, consolidation of flaking gilding, etc).
We can offer advice on hanging and framing and arrange the purchase of suitable replacement frames and glazing when required.
Watercolours
We can assist with the dry cleaning, retouching and reframing of watercolours. We can arrange for more in-depth treatments to be carried out by a trusted, qualified paper conservator if required.
Preventive Conservation Framing
This includes lining of frame rebates with felt to prevent chaffing edge of painting, repairing or renewing frame fixings, affixing protective backings either to the reverse of the painting’s stretcher or to the reverse of the frame as appropriate, installing picture glass, adapting frames to accommodate micro-climate control chambers around particularly unstable paintings, and fabrication of customised micro-climate control chambers to
museum standard.
Get in Touch
If you would like to get in touch with us to discuss a project, please just drop us an email or give us a call. We'd be happy to have a chat.