The Objects Conservation lab at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre is an exciting and consistently intriguing place to be with the diverse range of unique objects that come through the doors.

 
Detail during treatment of Indian talwar sword shown with silver and gold inlay from the Rifles Museum. The cleaned surface, right side, shown in contrast with the left side’s yellowed lacquer coating.

            My name is Drew Karnoski, and I’m a student of conservation at Cardiff University, currently completing a work placement in the Objects Conservation Laboratory at the WSHC. To find out more about the objects I have had the pleasure to work with, please 'read more'...

In the two weeks since I began my work placement, I’ve personally worked to remove the lacquer from an Indian talwar sword inlayed with gold and silver for the Rifles Museum of Wiltshire, the stabilization and repacking of a World War Two gas mask from the Warminster Dewey Museum, attended a lecture given for the curators and staff of local Wiltshire museums on the care of their paper archives, and visited the remarkable collections at the Cricklade museum, one of the great local museums the conservation service provides support to.

A WW2 Gas Mask with original storage          Hand making a storage box for the Rifles
box from the Warminster Dewey Museum.       Museum’s Indian talwar sword.

            With two weeks remaining, there’s still lots to do, and I’m looking forward to continue learning and working with the conservation staff, and taking on the next object in need of conservation.


Partial image of the interior of the Cricklade Museum during a conservation services visit.