This dish, painted with underglaze cobalt, uses an historic restoration technique of joining broken parts together using metal rivets. The technique entails inserting metal staples to bridge both sides of the break using pre-drilled pairs of holes to anchor the ends of the staple. Although this approach may seem unsightly, it was the only reliable method of joining broken ceramics before the availability of modern adhesives.
The IAMM conservators decided not to remove the rivets as this threatened to loosen the original material and disfigure the dish. The iron corrosion was carefully removed using silicone oil and steel wool. The iron rivets were then consolidated with a weak solution of Paraloid B-72 in acetone to arrest further corrosion and impart strength. The conservation of the dish also included the removal of organic accretions with the use of solvents and the cleaning of superficial dust and dirt with a soft brush.
