Restoration and conservation

The expertise needed to overhaul a clock, clean a painting or repair damaged pottery is rather different from advice on buying them in the first place. You drop a vase or delicate clock or leave a piece of furniture too near the radiator and the inlay begins to lift.

Like the young party organiser in the Yellow Pages advertisement you thumb through the lists seeking help. What if your job is complicated and involves multiple skills?

An enterprising group of qualified restorers and conservators has come together under one umbrella. They call themselves Oxford Conservation Associates (OCA).

A few years ago I interviewed Jeremy Barrow for this magazine. He had been part of a long term project to create the Millennium Clock to be presented to the Queen. I talked to him in his workshop near Banbury to find out more about his new organisation.

Jeremy said that he, Peter Linstead-Smith and Jamie Chatfield first met at West Dean College in Sussex. The college is renowned for its post graduate conservation and restoration courses. They realised that sometimes various skills are needed for a particular task.

Clocks are a good example. Repairing the mechanism, restoring a lacquered case, gilding, refitting marquetry and mother of pearl inlay usually means travelling from one expert to another.

They began liaising with each other to make life easier for their clients. In 2001, they came up with the idea of a one-stop shop for restoration jobs, which led to the creation of the OCA.

Jeremy Barrow clocks Jeremy has been interested in clocks and anything remotely mechanical from the age of five. His mother acquired a few grey hairs as he grew up, experimenting with electricity at five and having his first car accident finding out how his grandfather's car worked at the age of six. But Jeremy hasn't always been a professional restorer. He said, "I jetted around the world selling sophisticated textile machinery to more than 50 countries but became tired of seeing the inside of Heathrow and wanted a different way of life.

"I spent two years training at West Dean College, which included time working at the British Museum, which has over 7,000 clocks in its collection."

After qualifying, he set up his own business near Banbury and mostly restores clocks made between 1650 and 1900, using original tools and materials. His clients include banks, historic houses, Oxford colleges and museums.

Richard Ricardo upholserer After completing an eight-year intensive apprenticeship for a major London firm, Richard set up his own company. The firm rapidly established a solid reputation as one of the highest quality upholsterers in Britain.

He works using only traditional methods, utilising skills handed down by generations of craftsmen. He has particular experience upholstering early soft furnishings from 1600 to the mid-Georgian era.

His client list includes major international dealers, interior decorators, private collectors and stately homes.

Richard also lectures on the style and techniques of antique upholstery at West Dean College. If you have something special that needs recovering then he is your man.

Hannah West Croft House Ceramic Restorer Readers may have met Hannah at the TVADA Fair at Radley or seen her in action at Waterperry during Art in Action. She has also appeared on BBC2's Antiques Show.

Over the past 20 years, Hannah has worked for many prestigious clients including Blenheim Palace and local and national museums. She also restores sentimental family pieces that may have no particular monetary or artistic value. She is happy to discuss with you, all types of mend no matter how small.

Jamie Chatfield - furniture restorer Jamie trained on our doorstep, at Rycotewood College. That was over 18 years ago. The respect he gained as an acknowledged master of his craft, ensured his appointment as tutor on the post graduate Diploma Course in Conservation and Restoration at West Dean College. He also worked for Colin Piper Conservation before setting up his own workshop near Banbury. His clients include Oxford colleges, historic houses, museums, ecclesiastical institutions, dealers and private collectors. Intricate marquetry, delicate clock cases and bespoke furniture commissions are all safe in his capable hands. Close liaison with clients begins with an on site inspection a detailed proposal and estimate for the work involved.

Ivona Escrittova - gilder and conservator) Ivona's workshop is situated in Grove. Tulwick Workshop was established 20 years ago. The restoration of oils, watercolours, pastels and prints form a large part of their business. Ivona designs and makes her own mouldings using indigenous woods including, English oak, poplar, cherry, sycamore and walnut. As well as restoration, the workshop can make mirrors and frames to order using traditional gilding, veneering and polishing techniques.

Johnathan Luke Wendon - metalwork Jonathan spent 20 years as an antique dealer specialising in silver and jewellery. He developed an interest in the techniques used to create the beautiful objects he handled. This interest led him to West Dean College and a course in the restoration and conservation of fine metalwork. Generous sponsorship by the British Antique Dealers Association enabled him to complete the course and graduate with merit in 2000. Since then he has successfully established his own business. His clients include the National Trust, museums and the general public. He can undertake all kinds of commissions including work in silver and bronze to cast iron garden furniture. He also creates new pieces to his own designs.

Kasia Kolendarska and Melanie Camu - textiles Melanie followed up a BA Hons in the history of art with a postgraduate diploma in textile conservation at the Courtauld Institute. Kasia undertook apprenticeship training in a top London workroom. They joined forces in 1995.

Their firm is called Texterity and specialises in the preservation of antique, historic, modern and archaeological textiles. As well as cleaning fragile pieces, they can match fabrics and dies. Past commissions have included the conservation of large tapestries, notably the Soho Tapestries at Grimthorpe Castle and the Brussles tapestry at the Bank of England. Their experience spans from Coptic and Columbian ecclesiastical pieces to historic trade union banners. They have been involved in the Antique and Fine Art Emergency Mobile Unit and so have experience of on site emergency salvage. They also offer an advisory service on the maintenance of historic textiles. They were involved in the re-location design and building of the new permanent exhibition of legal costume at the Royal Courts of Justice.

OCA also has specialists in wood carving and paper conservation. You can contact Jeremy and his colleagues at Oxford Conservation Associates on l 01295 758600 or e-mail jbarrow@globalnet.co.uk