What are we conserving?
The display includes muskets, pistols, bayonets and sword blades in trophies, pikes, drums and bandoliers arrayed in impressive repeat patterns high on the walls of the chamber.
At junctures there are wood carved centrepieces by Grinling Gibbons.
Timings
Conservation is due to begin in spring 2007
Our approach
A specialist arms and armour metals conservator and a collections assistant will put inventory tags on each item before removing them from the wall.
The work plan is to proceed around the King’s Guard Chamber panel by panel. Each panel contains anywhere from 350 to 500 pieces of armour.
The pieces will be removed from the King’s Guard Chamber to the conservation laboratory. Here they will be photographed; condition-audited and undergo conservation treatment.
The basic treatment will be to remove old surface coatings and rust. A new coating will then be added to protect the pieces from environmental changes.
Other conservation projects
