Condition before treatment

The insignia comprises of a round metal medal which is enamelled and attached on a ribbon.

There is enamel loss on both the black and white areas of the decoration. The metal component appears in good condition but is lightly tarnished and has small scratches.

Treatment

• Dry cleaning with soft sable brush

• Wet cleaning with IMS (Industrial methylated spirits) swabs

• The ribbon was cleaned with swabs of ethanol to remove what appeared to be handling grease. 

• Tarnish on the metal component was removed with Brasso metal polish applied with a soft cloth.

• Polish residues were rinsed with IMS.

• Renaissance Wax (microcrystalline wax) was applied on the metal component.

• Loss compensation for the lost enamel were done with a layer of 40% w/v Paraloid B72 in acetone with phenolic microballoons (hollow glass microspheres). This was then painted with UV varnish gloss paint tinted with mineral pigments.

Treatment justifications

Polish removed the tarnish and revealed the metal surface.

A Paraloid B72 with microballoons layer was used as a barrier and filler between the loss compensation and the metal. This creates the possibility to have the treatment reversed.

Protective layer of microcrystalline wax will protect the object from pollutants and atmospheric moisture.