Fine & Decorative Arts
Furniture
- Antique
- Contemporary
- Australian
- Wooden Objects
- Honour Boards
- Gilding & Lacquerwork
We conserve, repair and restore a wide variety of antiques, furniture and wooden objects, ranging from Australian colonial and antique European furniture to ethnographic items and contemporary pieces. Whether it’s gentle surface cleaning or highly complex treatments, our work is tailored specifically to your piece and can be carried out in our conservation labs or in situ.
Paintings
- Contemporary
- Old Masters
- Metal signs
- Oils
- Acrylics
- Frames
We work on all types of paintings, painted surfaces and frames. We conserve oil, tempera and acrylic paintings on varied surfaces including canvas, wood, glass and metal. We work on common problems such as flaking, cracking, discolouration, and mould damage, as well as highly complex challenges such as relining, tear repair and delicate in-painting. We also advise on optimal display, framing, storage and transport methods as required.
Paper
- Artworks on paper
- Books & Documents
- Photographs
- Maps & Plans
- Wallpaper
- Asian Screens
- Archival Material
Our paper conservators provide a huge range of conservation treatments for works on paper, including watercolours, prints, archival materials, manuscripts, plans, wallpaper, screens, photographs and books. Treatments include surface cleaning, removal of acidic backing and window mats, tear repairs, flattening of creases and distortions, and reduction of stains and discolouration. We also undertake high volume treatments of mould-damaged collections and preparation of documents for digitisation.
Textiles
- Tapestries
- Historic Clothing
- Historic Soft Furnishings
- Family Heirlooms
- Military & Sporting
We work on an enormous variety of textiles, from heirloom to contemporary. We conserve family heirloom samplers, tapestries, historic soft furnishings, military and sports memorabilia, ethnographic costumes and theatre furnishings. Our treatments range from simple preservation for safe storage, to complex full restorations such as reconstruction of flags and garments, consolidating failing historic upholstery, and devising display methodologies.
Murals
- Rooms & Ceilings
- Outdoor Murals
- Mural Relocation
Our mural specialists treat both interior and exterior murals for common problems such as flaking paint, fading and graffiti. Treatments include surface cleaning, re-touching surface damage, graffiti removal, and advice on how to minimise the effects of light damage. We also provide relocation services for murals of any size from 1-2 metres up to 50 metres in length.
Sculpture
- Traditional Materials
- Modern Materials
- Ceramics
- Glass
- Bronze
- Plastics
- Fibreglass
- Wood
Our conservators can tailor treatment for small indoor and outdoor sculptures that are constructed from almost any material. We work with metal, stone, wood, plastics, ceramics, glass and fibreglass. Our range of treatments include cleaning, patching or fills, repairs, repainting or coating, corrosion removal, and anti-corrosion measures for outdoor sculptures.
Objects & Outdoor Heritage
Archaeology
- Industrial & Historic Sites
- Indigenous
- Historic scarred & carved trees
- Maritime Sites
- On site artefact conservation
- Off site artefact conservation
Our team has a wealth of expertise in the conservation and management of archaeological sites and remains. We work as consultants and also carry out conservation works on-site. Working with archaeologists, we solve complex conservation challenges before, during and after excavation. We conserve entire collections in our workshops and also develop and implement long term maintenance plans for in situ archaeological sites.
Built Heritage
- Painted Finishes
- Stone, Plaster & Brickwork
- Mosaics & Terrazzo
- Wallpaper & Embossed Leather
- Coats of Arms
Our expertise in built heritage conservation lies in the interface between the structure and the surface finish. Our skill is in conserving finishes, including paintwork, plaster, gilding, wallpaper, leather, metal, and stone. In each project, the treatment devised is driven by our understanding of what has caused the need for treatment in the underlying substrate. Our built heritage projects are very wide ranging, from historic interiors to high-rise building facades.
Monuments
- War Memorials
- Honour Boards
- Public Monuments
- Fountains
- Historic Guns & Armaments
- Religious Interiors
We deliver conservation and relocation solutions for monuments including memorials, honour boards, sculptures and fountains. We draw upon in-house expertise and a global network of specialists to solve conservation challenges for a wide range of materials including stone, wood, bronze, fibreglass, architectural ceramics, glass and terrazzo. We have extensive experience in the conservation of war memorials including the historic guns displayed on the memorial such as howitzers, field and mortar guns, and cannons.
Public Art
- Bronze Figures
- Stone Figures & Plinths
- Fibreglass
- Fountains
- Kinetic Artworks
- Collection Surveys
- Maintenance Plans
We provide tailored treatment for public art pieces taking into both construction materials and the environment in which the pieces are located. Our range of treatments include cleaning, patching or fills, repairs, repainting or coating, corrosion removal, and anti-corrosion measures for outdoor pieces. We are also experienced in providing relocation solutions, surveys and maintenance plans for public art collections.
Industrial
- Industrial Machinery
- Cranes
- Cast Iron Buildings
- Gun emplacements
- Gun and gun carriages
We have significant expertise in the development and implementation of conservation treatment plans for industrial elements. Our projects have included wharf cranes, bridge cranes, trains, historic aeroplane interiors, historic car and carriage exteriors, and historic machinery. We are experienced in making safe and stabilising a wide variety of elements. We have also relocated historic cast iron buildings, and worked on many gun emplacements around Australia (including the guns and gun carriages).
Art Objects
- Traditional Materials
- Modern Materials
- Metals
- Fibreglass
- Ceramics
- Glass
Our conservators work on a huge range of objects, from functional artefacts to works of art. We have treated historic fans, chandeliers, ornamental swords, celestial globes, glass sculptures, historic and contemporary ceramics, museum collections, multimedia sculptures, ethnographic objects, fibreglass artworks, clock cases, suitcases and shoes, to name a few. Each work is unique, and we work with our clients to tailor solutions that allow an object to become fit for purpose.
Museum & Gallery Services
Collections Management
- Policies & Procedures
- Collection Assessments
- Storage Assessments
- Storage Planning
- CMS Consulting
- Rehousing Projects
We provide tailored solutions to help manage collections of cultural and heritage materials. We work with public and private organisations as well as institutions and individuals. Our clients include art galleries, museums, historical society collections, archaeological collections and private collections.
Cataloguing
- Collection Cataloguing
- New Acquisitions
- Cultural Gift Collections
- Accession Labelling
- Packaging & Storage
- Digital Photography
We can help you track and manage your collection more effectively by cataloguing your collection. This involves capturing important data about each collection item including item name, description, accession number, measurements, materials, condition, security risks, and photographs of the item. Data and images can be collected in a form that is easily uploaded to collection management systems.
Preventive Conservation
- Environmental Monitoring
- Disaster Preparedness
- Housekeeping Manuals
- Workshops & Training
- Preservation Needs Assessments
- Object Handling
We provide preventive conservation strategies to reduce the risk of deterioration and damage to an object or collection by controlling, as much as possible, the causes of damage. Our broad range of preventive methods spans across various categories including environmental, disaster preparedness, display and storage conditions as well as handling and transport.
Conservation Planning
- Condition Reporting
- Cost Estimates
- Budgeting
- Prioritisation
- Programming
- Conservation management
We can assess your collection for conservation requirements, and then plan and oversee the implementation of a conservation program. We develop industry-standard cost assessments for conservation budgeting and planning.
Museum Planning
- Storage Planning
- Collection Relocation
- Logistics
- Facilities Planning
- Environmental Specifications
- Business Cases
We provide planning services to assist Museum and Gallery developments and refurbishments. We have extensive experience in storage planning and fit-outs, environmental specifications and associated collection relocation planning.
Collection Technology
- Digitisation
- Feasibility Studies
- RFID tracking
- Art and Object Security
- Cloud Technology
- IoT (Internet of Things)
Our collection experts keep abreast of current technology advances and their application in the cultural sector for collection management and security services. ICS provides the Smarttrack RFID solution for collection tracking, and the Fortecho solution for Art and Object security.
Is there a specific service you want to know more about?
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Featured Articles
The remnants of Colonel William Light’s homestead discovered at the old West End Brewery site on Port Road will be preserved in line with expert conservation advice provided to Lion.
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5 Minutes With... Mei Wilkinson
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Safe Covid Cleaning Guide for Collections Webinar
ICS collaborated with Sydney Living Museums and Museums and Galleries NSW to present a webinar designed for owners and custodians of precious heritage items that...
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Working with mould-affected objects
Mould affected items can be unsafe to work with. Loose mould spores can become air-borne, leading to inhalation as well as cross-contamination with other objects. ...
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Light And Fade
Maintaining the value of artworks has a number of characteristics, not least the importance of limiting light damage, most evident in the fading of more...
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Featured Articles
The remnants of Colonel William Light’s homestead discovered at the old West End Brewery site on Port Road will be preserved in line with expert conservation advice provided to Lion.
Lion commissioned renowned conservation specialists, International Conservation Services, to provide a plan on how best to protect the discovery, working in consultation with archaeologists and...
READ ARTICLE
5 Minutes with... Adam Godijn
What is your current role at ICS? I am the Head of Conservation of fine and decorative arts at ICS. I work with a fabulous...
READ ARTICLE
5 Minutes With... Mei Wilkinson
In Oct of 2023 Mei Wilkinson, ICS Technology and Collections Coordinator, was the lucky recipient of the George Alexander Foundation Fellowship from the ISS Institute...
READ ARTICLE
