About this project
BRH was contracted to conserve and repair a pair of lead eagle sculptures. One wing had fractured off along with other minor damages.
What we did
The sculptures were packed and transported to our studio and the eagles were photo documented.
The fractured edges were file cleaned of the casting sand, debris, and any impurities so that the newly applied leading would adhere. Ensuring that all surfaces are clean essential when repairing lead. Welding gas mixtures and flame purity is crucial, or the repairs will be nearly impossible to perform.
Small holes were drilled, and pins were inserted to help with the alignment of the wing before leading began. Multiple layers of lead were built up and cleaned between the weld layering process.
The lead welded repairs were then hand carved to resemble the other adjacent feathers on either side of the repairs and faux finished patinas were applied to match original coloring. The sculpture was photo documented during the process and a treatment report was compiled.