Dear Roger et all.
I think I have all the information available on internet about restoring sundials but, as you say, there are no easy answers (at list not yet). The sundial itself is a very simple design with the only remains of the plaster layer and the slightly incised marks of the hour lines and the frames: <http://picasaweb.google.es/mgarrando/CLAUSTRETERESES?authkey=Gv1sRgCI_i5aDw 99uyZA> http://picasaweb.google.es/mgarrando/CLAUSTRETERESES?authkey=Gv1sRgCI_i5aDw9 9uyZA# Although the chromatic layer is completely lost, we have enough information to reproduce the dial except for the numbers typography, which where only painted. We did search for old images and we checked at night with ultraviolet light, unsuccessfully. I think the numbers are information codes where the style is secondary. My next proposal is to offer a sort of impressionist solution, painting the new numbers in a way that only when you are close you can distinguish de difference with the rest. Will keep you informed. Best wishes, Miguel a. Garcia _____ De: Roger Bailey [mailto:[email protected]] Enviado el: viernes, 16 de abril de 2010 6:43 Para: Miguel A. Garcia; [email protected] Asunto: Re: Restoration dilema Hello Miguel, Yes, there are problems when working to preserve, protect and restore classic old sundials. There are no easy answers. I have seen many beautiful restoration and many poor recreations. Atelier Tournesol in France are experienced in this field. Here is a link to their website that provides advice. http://atelier.tournesol.free.fr/ and click on 'Objectifs' for their advice. I have been impressed with some of their work, but sometimes disappointed by the faded restoration. In general they restore sundials. If the feature has been effaced, it is gone. If there is a vestige of it, they restore it. This is much better than painting over what we think might have been there. But I am sometimes disappointed because they only delay the decline. They do not reverse it. The original is lost. I have been specifically interested in the sundials of Giovanni F Zarbula (sundials from 1830-1876). Some are still originals, some are restorations, some just repainted, some destroyed. The best are still the originals that have survived, protected from the weather, decay, destruction and reconstruction. This is a link to my Google Map on Zarbula's sundials. Here are many examples of originals and the good, bad and ugly restorations. <http://www.tinyurl.com/ZarbulaMap> www.tinyurl.com/ZarbulaMap The top on the map list is a beautiful original fresco. Or go to this list of Zarbula sundial waymarks. www.tinyurl.com/Zarbula1 for detailed information. Both the Google map and waymarks list almost all the surviving Zarbula sundials My last bit of advice is to be true to the technique. Restore frescos as frescos. Do not use modern paints. The modern organic paints and pigments fade, blister and peal rapidly in your climate. The old oxide pigments in plaster and lime wash last much better. Regards, Roger Bailey Walking Shadow Designs From: Miguel A. <mailto:[email protected]> Garcia Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 8:51 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Restoration dilema Dear friends We just started a restoration program of the local sundials were we face the following dilemma. On an historical sundial where the lines and the frame are still visible but with the old numbers completely disappeared (fresco paint over stucco), can we recover the functionality painting new numbers? (in different color and modern style in order to distinguish the addition). Or we should restore the sundial without numbers? As suggest the historical heritage responsible according to the principles of discrimination, reversibility, etc. Is there any precedent of this problem? And which was the final solution? All the best from Majorca. Miguel A. G. Arrando _____ --------------------------------------------------- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
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