The conservation of a Louis XIVTH Boulle Marquetry bracket clock case

Abstract

Abstract A general description of Boulle Marquetry and its manufacture is followed by a discussion of factors involved in its deterioration and a description of the conservation and restoration of the case of a late Louis XIVth bracket clock. A discussion of treatment options is followed by a detailed description of each phase of the treatment. Because of the advanced state of deterioration of the object piecemeal treatments could not be used. Complete removal and replacement of the marquetry was therefore undertaken. To compensate for differences in thickness of the original components it was necessary to find a way of working from the back of the design. The method used involved remaking each panel in turn on jigs (moulds) obtained from the object itself and gluing on paper backing to compensate for the differences in thickness of different parts of the design. Treatment of the curved parts of the design is described as this presented some interesting problems not posed by the flat sections.