Plaque restoration

[dogger1936]

hey all.

In my spare time (after work...as there is none at work!) to keep myself occupied as much as I can I have been fixing up a lot of old plaques,and other historic things that honestly hasnt seen maintance since the 1970's. I have a huge plaque which is brass with some kind of black stuff poured into the brass lettering indented into the brass.

I have found funding for it without a issue. And have a proposal pretty much written up.

I was wondering if anyone had experience with getting old things like this fixed up? It is a turn of the century piece that has been displayed outside for at least 30 years.

Just wondering if there were any companies you guys could recommend to get a quote from to fix this piece of history up?

 

[Fishbone Jones]

You may want to start at a place that makes grave markers and head stones. They do sandblasting and work with brass plaques.

 

[dogger1936]

You may want to start at a place that makes grave markers and head stones. They do sandblasting and work with brass plaques.

Good point. I'm wondering if I maybe should send it to a museum to check what the black tuff is made from? It is a 1900's piece. Thoughts?

 

[OldSolduer]

A university maybe.....

 

[Piper1911]

Heritage Canada has Art Restorers who do all sorts of stuff and could perhaps help. There's always the War Museum, they might not be able to help but would definitely know the right people and have always been good to talk to when I've had questions for them.

 

[George Wallace]

There is CCI (Canadian Conservation Institute) in Ottawa.  They have numerous publications on conservation of artifacts.  You may find what you need by visiting their site, or dropping in on one of the CF Museums and flipping through the CCI information that they have in their Reference materials.

 

[George Wallace]

Just to add.

If you look at CCI Notes found under their Conservation Resource Centre tab on the left column, you can find material that will be helpful in your quest. 

 

[Pat in Halifax]

That may be "burnished" brass. I just had some done up for Freinds of HAIDA (No one is allowed to ask!) and they have all the lower relief sections blackened. I don't know where you are but in NS, the Lunenburg Foundry shows a degree of favouritism to CF personnel and in Esquimalt, the Dkyd has a Foundry. If all you are looking for is 'cleaning up', any Machine Shop should be able to assist.
Where are you?