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Object Conservation

Most of the 1,600 objects in the Museum's collections, and many of the 10,000 documents housed in our archives will require conservation treatment at some point during their time with us. The Museum's staff has a long track record of providing high-quality care for these objects and documents, but this care and conservation is not in-expensive.

Current Conservation Project - Just Completed!

Conserved gilt chairThe Museum recently celebrated the return of a French gilt chair, conserved at the studio of Richmond-based furniture conservator, Rick Vogt. The chair is from a set believed to have been purchased by the Monroes during one of their trips to Paris, circa 1803. Other pieces from the set are owned by the Philadelphia Museum of Art and are on view at the White House.

The chair's structure has been stabilized, its gilt finish has been restored and it has been reupholstered using replicated fabrics from the period. The chair will become a major component of upcoming exhibitions in 2008.

Many thanks to the Friends of the James Monroe Museum for their support of this major project!

TOTAL PROJECT COST : $18,085.

 

 

Previous Conservation Work

In 2005, the Museum welcomed home a pianoforte, which had left more than a year earlier for conservation work at the Pianofortestudios of Tim Hamilton, a renowned historical piano conservator in Massachusetts. The pianoforte is made of beautiful mahogany with fruitwood inlays and ivory and ebony keys. It is believed that Mr. Monroe purchased the instrument in London while Minister to France, Spain and England (1803 - 1807) from the George Astor Company, and used it in several of his homes, including possibly the President's House. Although the pianoforte had been in the Museum's collections since the 1920's, no one had heard it played in that time. It was missing its soundboard and had suffered from serious deterioration of its internal workings.

After extensive treatment and restoration, the pianoforte returned to the Museum in full working order, producing muscial sounds just as the Monroes would have heard them. Since its return, the instrument has been played on several occasions by University of Mary Washington graduate Leslie Marangoni. A sample of Ms. Marangoni's performances is available below. To view the sample, click the play button.