Parasol

During my internship at the KIK-IRPA, I conserved this green silk parasol from the 19th/20th century. It had one large tear, as well as several smaller holes and weak areas where future tearing was possible. There was also much creasing of the silk and fringes. The tear, smaller holes and weak areas were conserved using a support layer of dyed silk applied to the inside of the parasol, which also acted as camouflage. The creasing and deformation of the main fabric and fringes was improved with humidification treatment, which also extracted some dirt from the fibres. The handle and tip were also lightly cleaned. Finally, the parasol was placed in a storage box with a custom mount to keep it safe and supported.