Guidelines to Finding a Conservator

What is a conservator?
The term conservation entails examination, assessment and treatment necessary to preserve objects. A conservator is someone who has gained the necessary knowledge, experience and qualifications in a particular area within the field of conservation. There are many different types of conservators reflecting the diversity of objects that require specialist attention and care.
In practice of their profession, conservators have obligations to the integrity and survival of historic and artistic works and to their owners or custodians, the public and to posterity.
Strict codes of ethics therefore govern professional conservators in the manner of their work and in the limits of what can and cannot be achieved. This is an important point to make because implicit in using the service of a qualified conservator is a clients recognition of standards in the care of cultural objects.

When to use a conservator
It is distressing fact that many items that are conserved and sometimes at considerable cost, are returned to environments or situations which may have contributed to the damage in the first place. The initial decision to conserve an object is often based on the request of loan, the current usage or the need for the item to be included in an exhibition, rather than being based on sound preservation principals.
Because conservation is object specific its benefit to the collection as a whole is somewhat limited. A genuine need for conservation treatments exist but conservation must be integrated in to the task of preserving all the collection. The preservation of every object depends on safe housing and stable conditions.
The conservator has a professional role to play in preservation. A conservator can carry out a survey of the collection in order to identify problems and quantify the amount of material that is stable or unstable, needing preventive conservation or interventive conservation measures. By helping to identify what needs to be conserved in the first place and by assessing conditions that are present, a current threat to the long term survival of a collection, a conservators services can be used to co-ordinate preservation strategies. A conservator will also offer general advice on the environmentally sensitive objects. The advice a conservator can offer may save on greater expenditure down the road.

How to find a conservator
There are two conservation organisations in Ireland, which can provide you with information about their members. The Irish Professional Conservatorsí and Restorersí Association (IPCRA) was founded in 1982 to promote the practice of conservation and restoration here in Ireland to internationally acceptable standards, to provide a forum for discussion and to disseminate technical information. It is a broadly based organisation covering most specialisations, representing the wide range of expertise and experience we now have here. Over the last twenty odd years the Association has grown steadily and now numbers over 160 practising conservators and restorers working in public institutions and from private studios.
IPCRA has a list of members who are working in the private sector and are available for consultation; this can either be accessed on the web site or can be obtained by writing to IPCRA to receive a copy.
Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic works in Ireland (ICHAWI) was established in 1991, and is the accrediting body for conservators in Ireland. The Institute runs training courses for those working with collections such as to curators, librarians, archivists and administrators. One of the most established courses is the Caring for Collection Courses. It deals with the environmental factors which may lead to the deterioration of artefacts, how to survey collections, the provision of appropriate conditions for storage and display for a wide variety of artefacts, how best to handle, pack and transport museum and library material.
These courses are held annually and the speakers are the members of the Institute.

What to expect
When you have obtained the name of a conservator, call and arrange a time and location to discuss your conservation needs. This could either be in the conservators work place or where you collection is stored. Also decide in advance when you would like the work completed and determine if there are any deadlines that must be met. Finally know the amount of money which is available, as this may dictate the level of treatment you can afford. A conservator may make general suggestions about different treatment approaches and techniques, which might be suitable for your items. However do not expect the conservator to offer concrete treatment proposals or cost estimates until he or she has had a chance to examine the items fully.
Ask what other commissions have been undertaken and for whom, and if possible, check with the clients to know if they were satisfied with the work the conservator has done for them.
Having checked these points to your satisfaction, you can then expect:

• A condition report, which will assess the present condition of the object with some idea of what, the causes of deterioration were.
• A treatment proposal detailing what treatment is recommended. A good practitioner will be prepared to discuss alternatives with the client. For example, it may prove too costly for full conservation treatment to be applied and an alternative should be suggested.
• An estimate of the cost and the time involved carrying out the work.