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DEEP DESSERT PLATE

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Before treatment, normal illumination. 

Image: Jason Wierzbicki, Conservation Photographer

Hard paste porcelain, lead glaze, printed, enamel, and gilded decoration

Materials

 c. 1817-1820

Year

The partnership of Dagoty and Honoré

Maker

Collection

Philadelphia Museum of Art

This dessert plate is part of the set of American presidential china from the administration of James Monroe (1758-1831). The Monroe dessert service china is the first to be specifically commissioned for use at the American president's state table. The Philadelphia Museum of Art has examples of American Presidential China from all administrations in its collection. 

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The plate is a hard paste porcelain with a lead glaze and printed, enamel, and gilded overglaze decorations. The amaranth color of the border is a symbol of immortality. In addition to being a color, amaranth is also a flower that was believed to never fade or die. The five vignettes within the amaranth border show symbols representing strength, agriculture, commerce, art, and science.

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Detail of abrasions, cracks, and untoned old fills.

CONDITION ISSUES ADDRESSED

  • Abrasions within the overglaze decorations

  • Multiple cracks with darkened fill/adhesive material

  • Untoned fills from previous break and subsequent restoration campaign

After fill removal.

After completing Hxtal fill & airbrushing amaranth color.

After inpainting yellow, gold, and black details.

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Losses near the previously repaired cracks filled with Hxtal.

After inpainting. 

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Airbrushing set-up using blue painters tape and mylar to mask off areas not to be inpainted.

KEY TREATMENT STEPS 

  • Removed old fill material.

  • Cleaned the surface of the ceramic with a dry brush, followed by 50/50 ethanol/water on cotton swabs.

  • Compensated losses with Hxtal bulked with fumed silica and toned with dry pigments.

  • Shaped fills with glass papers and micro-gloss liquid abrasive. 

  • Inpainted fills with an airbrush and Golden Fluid Acrylic airbrush paints. 

  • Inpainted areas of abrasion with a thin brush and Golden Fluid Acrylics, mica pigments, and acrylic gloss medium.

TREATMENT RESULTS

Before treatment.

After treatment.

Before treatment.

After treatment.

Image: Jason Wierzbicki, Conservation Photographer

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