In July 2019 we conserved the beautiful tassels adorning a large Ottoman in the Saloon at Audley End House, Essex. These tassels sit on each corner of the ottoman, attached to a decorative corner braid. They are made of silk wrapped wooden elements and silk wrapped cords in red, gold and green.
The silk on all four tassels had deteriorated resulting in wear and loss of silk. One tassel had completely detached from the ottoman and had dismantled into its individual elements, whilst another had broken and collapsed. Please see image 1.
The loose and lifting silk was covered with a dyed protective net layer to prevent further loss. The losses in the broken elements were recreated with Plastazote foam and covered in new silk, dyed to match the original. Once conservation of the original elements was complete, the tassels were re-threaded on to a strong polyester thread and reattached to the ottoman. Please see images 2 and 3.
One of the fully conserved tassels back in place on the Ottoman is shown in image 4.
Please click here to see more of English Heritage’s Audley End House.
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