The artLABOR ® and General Preliminary Examination
The general preliminary examination is an essential element of the inventory assessment for a piece of furniture worthy of restoration, be it a sculpture, an antique ornamental frame, or an antique wooden object. The aim of this careful examination is to gain an understanding of the object’s original condition, enabling a professional assessment. The focus here is on examining the substance and existing damage patterns. Based on the documentation of the original condition, restorers develop a measure documentation according to the restoration goal, outlining the work to be carried out on the object requiring restoration.
The Procedure
During the diagnostic phase of a preliminary examination, we, the restorers at Zentrale Restaurierungswerkstatt Berlin, draw upon a wide range of knowledge and technologies. In addition to material identification, it is crucial to record any reworkings and features of artistic, technical, and constructive nature. Equally important is the analysis of changes caused either by the material properties of the object or by environmental factors.
In this context, we also conduct a damage analysis. Damage to an object occurs when its appearance or substance is permanently impaired or endangered. Here too, a comprehensive naming, description, and documentation, including a damage pattern catalog, are required. If the extent of the damage is not yet precisely ascertainable from the damage mapping, further analyses, such as art-technological or microscopic examinations, may be carried out.
Components of a General Preliminary Examination
General Preliminary Examination for Restoration / Scientific Expert Reports in Monument Preservation and Art
In preparation for extensive restoration measures or those aimed at maximum preservation, it is advisable to have an expert report prepared by restorers. Freelance restorers, in particular, can provide a comprehensive condition assessment in such cases, which is often not possible for official restorers in monument preservation due to time constraints. Based on this, restorers are able to develop detailed concepts for restoration or conservation.
Carefully conducted preliminary examinations and tiered concepts are ideally suited as a basis for tenders and decisions – an aspect that plays a particularly important role for public institutions. Furthermore, the findings from a preliminary examination are crucial for us to prepare a professionally sound expert report or a cost estimate for an insurance company.
Professional Preliminary Examinations by Zentrale Restaurierungswerkstatt Berlin
We, the wood and furniture restorers at Zentrale Restaurierungswerkstatt Berlin, have many years of experience and are excellently equipped for professional examinations of historical objects. With our expertise, we can prepare an expert report and a cost estimate for you upon request, and develop a detailed restoration or conservation concept.
Benefit from the expertise and craftsmanship of our certified restorers to have the object of your choice professionally assessed and restored!