Icon's Dynamic Objects Group short talks

The series begins on Mon 12 April 2021, 6-7.30pm with six, ten-minute talks on clocks, watches, automata, mechanical music and more.

Speakers

Jonathan Betts  –  Preserving the Waddesdon Elephant

The talk looks at the issues surrounding the preservation of one of the UK National Trust’s most iconic dynamic objects, the automaton elephant at Waddesdon Manor. For many years displayed as a static object, in the early 1990s, it was decided to bring the object back to operating condition for occasional demonstration. This involved careful and challenging minimal repair with on-going conservation maintenance, and with regular reviews to consider the future preservation of the object. In justifying such interventions, continuing thought has been given on how best to display and explain the object and its historical context in an engaging and interesting way for visitors.

Francoise Collanges – Building knowledge on French clockmaking heritage through conservation work.

How restoring dynamic objects lead me to a Phd research project and why.

Ken Cobb – The church tower carillion at St Michael’s, Framlingham

How do you evaluate value of a project and gauge local interest and participation as part of initial approaches?

Seth Kennedy – Watch jewelling

A brief historical overview of the use of hard stones in the mechanisms of watches.  How best to maintain authenticity in restoration when dealing with these components?

Matthew Read – The Fablon® Ansoina

A story about fashion to firewood and back from the brink.  A conservation multi-medium and research enquiry challenge based on an object that almost slipped through the net.

Keith Scobie-Youngs – Conservation works recently undertaken to the George Vale turret clock at Canterbury Cathedral

This talk will concentrate on the protection of original painted and lacquered finishes found on turret clocks. Ensuring they are robust enough to withstand the environment that the clock will be operating within.