Argyll based Fyne Conservation Services has won an Anna Plowden Research and Innovation award thanks to its solving of a longstanding problem with colour changes in glazed ceramics after restoration.

Conservation scientist, Professor Norman Tennent, made good use of  a project and marketing grant from HIE Argyll and the Islands and an EU innovations support grant to develop a new range of dyes and fillers to be used in the repair and restoration of damaged works of art.

Teaming up with Dr Jim Nobbs, head of colour chemistry and polymers at the University of Leeds, they tackled the issue of ‘metamerism’ - a phenomenon in the conservation of ceramics where two colours appear to be the same under one set of lighting conditions, but look completely different under others. 

Conservators often find that filled areas of missing glaze are invisible under everyday lighting conditions but become very obvious under display lighting. This gives rise to one of the most troublesome, widespread problems in the conservation of glazed ceramics. 

“The problem occurs during photography for museum catalogues and other publications where carefully restored areas can appear very obvious, even when previously invisible to the naked eye,” said Professor Tennant. 

“Dr Nobbs provided the colour science behind the reflected spectra of a range of ceramic glazes, particularly the most problematic blue glazes. More than thirty objects from private and museum collections, including the Burrell Collection in Glasgow, were examined.

“We then adapted a computer programme for colour match prediction in the dye and pigment industry that allowed us to categorise pigments best suited for ceramic conservation work.

Colin MacLean, development manager at HIE Argyll and the Islands said: “We are delighted that Fyne Conservation Services has won the British Museums Innovation Award. It is quite an achievement for a Scottish small business to win this national event.

“The development of this ground-breaking piece of science could only have been accomplished by collaboration between conservation professionals and academia, by enabling technology transfer from industry to conservation.”

The awards ceremony took place on 26 September at the British Museum. Details of the awards can be found at the website of The Institute of Conservation, who organize this annual event. Their website is www.icon.org.uk.